Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

We talked to trail-town business owners and looked at economic data to estimate how much the class of 2026 should plan on spending.

Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

Last updated:
March 16, 2026
|  5 min read
A graph comparing the cost of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail

Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

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We talked to trail-town business owners and looked at economic data to estimate how much the class of 2026 should plan on spending.

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Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

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How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail a million years ago (i.e, in 2015), conventional wisdom was to budget around $2 per mile. For a roughly 2,190-mile hike, the estimated cost came to just under $4,400.

My partner and I spent a little more than that average, splurging here and there on nicer accommodations and replacing a lot of our heavy gear midway through the hike. But anecdotally, that estimate seemed accurate for most hikers we ran into.

A decade later, things have gotten significantly more expensive, both on the trail and off. Prices overall have risen about 38 percent in the U.S. during that time, with the outdoor-industry rate of inflation rising slightly faster.

Continue reading to learn more about the cost of thru-hiking, written by Maggie Slepian.

Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail a million years ago (i.e, in 2015), conventional wisdom was to budget around $2 per mile. For a roughly 2,190-mile hike, the estimated cost came to just under $4,400.

My partner and I spent a little more than that average, splurging here and there on nicer accommodations and replacing a lot of our heavy gear midway through the hike. But anecdotally, that estimate seemed accurate for most hikers we ran into.

A decade later, things have gotten significantly more expensive, both on the trail and off. Prices overall have risen about 38 percent in the U.S. during that time, with the outdoor-industry rate of inflation rising slightly faster.

Continue reading to learn more about the cost of thru-hiking, written by Maggie Slepian.

照片缩略图 博客作者
Maggie Slepian 的媒体报道
玛吉-斯莱皮安
She has backpacked thousands of miles around the US, and is an avid bikepacker, climber, and mountain biker.
媒体报道

Backpacker: How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

How Much Will it Cost to Thru-Hike the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails in 2026? We Did the Math.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail a million years ago (i.e, in 2015), conventional wisdom was to budget around $2 per mile. For a roughly 2,190-mile hike, the estimated cost came to just under $4,400.

My partner and I spent a little more than that average, splurging here and there on nicer accommodations and replacing a lot of our heavy gear midway through the hike. But anecdotally, that estimate seemed accurate for most hikers we ran into.

A decade later, things have gotten significantly more expensive, both on the trail and off. Prices overall have risen about 38 percent in the U.S. during that time, with the outdoor-industry rate of inflation rising slightly faster.

Continue reading to learn more about the cost of thru-hiking, written by Maggie Slepian.

照片缩略图 博客作者
Maggie Slepian 的媒体报道
玛吉-斯莱皮安
She has backpacked thousands of miles around the US, and is an avid bikepacker, climber, and mountain biker.
媒体报道
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