Do you have to pay to camp on the Appalachian Trail?

No fees, memberships, or permits are required to walk on the Trail. However, the A.T. passes through numerous state and national parks, forests and public lands, a few of which charge fees or require permits or reservations to park or to stay overnight in shelters or campsites.



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Dispersed camping on the A.T. If dispersed camping is allowed, best practice is to find a site at least 200 feet of the Trail (ideally not visible from the Trail) and 200 feet from water. Dispersed camping is also generally discouraged within 1/4 mile of trailheads, shelters, and established recreation areas.

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Rates for overnight stays in the bunkrooms are: $25 per night without meals?, including sheets, blanket, wash cloth & towel. $35 with meals (includes dinner of pizza, beverage and fruit/salad, and breakfast of coffee, pancakes, juice, and fruit).

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The Appalachian Trail Conservancy encourages backpackers sleeping in tents to camp at designated campsites to minimize the impact on the natural habitat.

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In general, ATC discourages the carrying of firearms on the Trail for the reasons noted below. On federal lands administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), possession of a firearm must be in compliance with the law of the state in which the federal land is located.

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Hostels vs. Hotels? A dorm bed in a hostel tends to be the most affordable accommodation for a solo traveler. For those traveling in pairs or groups, Airbnbs are sometimes the most affordable option — especially if you stay in one place for a longer period of time (i.e. one week).

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ATC-published maps aspire to show the area within three miles of the footpath. Keep in mind that, while cell phones and apps can be useful navigation tools, they cannot be relied on exclusively in the backcountry. Not only is cell phone reception spotty, but batteries can be drained within hours or minutes.

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There are usually only two options on the Trail for when nature calls: using a privy or digging a cat hole in the woods.

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Katahdin, the mountain you climb on your first day, is arguably the hardest climb on the A.T. It features more than 4,000 feet of elevation gain, the greatest sustained ascent on the entire Appalachian Trail. It is a scramble. Expect to use your hands as you climb over steep boulders and ledges above treeline.

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Most of the thru-hikers seemed to be in their 20s and, usually, had just finished university. The rest seemed to be retirees in their 50s and older. So it's a bit misleading when you look up the average age of people who try to thru-hike the A.T. and see the average age is about 36-years-old.

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