I would like to do the AT in retirement and would like some advice from AT sages who hiked in their golden years. I’m thinking I’ll retire in 3-5 years, making my age 57-59 when I begin. I’m female and have section hiked the AT from Maine to CT and have completed the Long Trail. But I can feel my body starting to age. My feet hurt sooner. I have bunnions. I pronate. But I also have lots of determination. What say you?
Slow n" Stead’
No reason not to try. Last year while section hikinig near NOC i met a lady from california that was out hiking. She said she wasnt planing on doing the whole trail but that she was going to go as long as she felt good about it. She was 76 years young./She said she just walked from one shelter to the next. Short miles but she said she was having a blast. She had started at mile one and was just two miles short of NOC
frog
Well, I’m 47 but I just started lying about my age and saying I’m 44 
and I think that if you stay in shape as best you can by staying as active as you can with a regular exercise routine you will be able to do your trail. I have to do the same because I am just now at the tail end of raising two kids and I think some of my greatest adventures are yet to come… so I HAVE to stay in shape for all the adventures I have planned… good luck…
Atliftoff
slow and steady, all i have to say to you is- if you want to do it, you should. i summited katahdin 2 years ago with a 65-year old thru hiker, and also knew a 92 year old woman, man in his 80’s and numerous folks in their 50’s and 60’s… if there is one thing that thru hiking trails has taught me is that you can do anything you set your mind to do, no matter what anyone else says. yeah, i know it’s corny, but it’s true.
Remy
sonny, age has never stopped me. Why just last year I went out on the Appalachian Trail and was just doing as fine as them young fullers, when I tripped on a rock and fell down and couldn’t get back up. :bawling
But did it stop me? No sir. I was on my back but wiggled and flailed my arms and legs as fast as I could trying to get up, then this big hand came out of the sky and a gust of strong foggy wind came blasting down … and the next thing I knew I woke up in this warm dark room with 100s of family all around. So it turned out just fine.
Gramps
Its 90% Mental, So just push the other 10% and go for as long as you can go, and you will be elated that you at least did so.
Timothy O’Leary
They say with age comes wisdom. They, of course, are old, cantankerous, curmudgeonous, and forgetful, but they keep saying that…
Seriously, you are older, and most importantly, retired. Take your time, take zero days, enjoy lots of short days, and views over valleys and ridges, and the beauty that surounds you when hiking. No deadlines, no places to be, no limits on time. Others may walk past you, hike faster, but ultimately, HYOH, enjoy it, and secretly cherish that those poor souls have ot go back to jobs and school and life, where as you get to relax forever now.
-xtn :boy :cheers
airferret
I’m 63 and am almost finished with section hiking the southern half of the AT (see journals here 2003-2006). I average between 10-15 miles a day, usually just one weekend to a week per month. Start out slow, and try a few dayhikes, and use hiking poles if you want to save your knees. Then move gradually to heavier pack loads and longer hikes. You can do it!
Sky Rider
I thought I was going to be the senior citizen when I thru-hiked. But I found out that a large contingent of others my age.
Older hikers generally keep up with the young crowd by hiking longer (more hours) each day at a slower pace. They tend to get up earlier and get underway earlier.
So, as others have posted, age is no barrier.
Peaks
For the most part, there are two types of thru hikers you will meet. Young just out of college types between school and work and retired folks like you and me. There are plenty of 60 yr olds who have done a full thru hike without any problems. Just keep in shape, it’s more important now then when you were younger.
Bear Bag Hanger
Go for it! There is no way you are to old to hike the AT.
Last summer Marcia and I hiked nearly 5000 miles and finished just in time to celebrate my 61st birthday. Since retiring in 1999 we have hiked over 13,000 miles including a 2003 AT thru-hike.
You don’t have to hike fast to finish the AT. We find that we hike longer hours than most people and endup hiking more miles. Airferret is right to just hike your hike and enjoy it. There is always something new to see, a new person to meet, an exciting animal siting, …
Enjoy your retirement, we are!
Ken
I’d say go for it, but be gentle and realistic with yourself. My strongest advice would be to not set a rigid destination for yourself but to enjoy each day, hike moderate distances (10 to 12 miles per day), take lots of zeros and even a few two or three day breaks. Carry as light a load as you possibly can. Use trekking poles. Take glucosamine (starting a month ahead of time) and take ibuprophen every morning and evening (to reduce inflammation of knee joints). Find a hiking partner who shares your pace. And enjoy the trail! I hiked 1170 miles of the AT two years ago when I was 50. I’m definitely feeling the aging process creep up on me, but I stay in good shape and appreciate each hike.
Rainbow
Ken, I look at you and Marcia and think “can’t wait until I am 60!”
In all seriousness, I know plenty of people who are in the 60s who enjoy themselves quite a bit on these long trails. Jim Own turned 60 when did the CDT! Then there’s Billy Goat who is on 25000+ miles! Not quite in his 60s…but David Horton is 55 years old and just did the PCT in record time (67 days).
(Not to say you are going to do that (Heck, I’m 31 and I woulnd’t (couldn’t!) want to do that!), but shows how retirment age does not mean lower miles.)
So go for it. Enjoy the journey. Savor every mile. Have a blast!
Paul Mags
Hey my husband, Bogie, and I are going to finish the AT this year. He has been at it for several years and this is my ninth year. He will be 55 in a couple of weeks and I will be 54. So who cares what age you are. The main thing is just enjoy the trail. My highest day was a little over 17 miles. We have a great time and enjoy every day. To us that is the way the trail is meant to be enjoyed. We don’t need to be like the 20ish folks to be having a great time. Just enjoy it so that at the end of each day you can reflect back on what you saw and enjoyed that day and not say “what did we see today” because you went flying by.
Bacall
I thru hiked in '02 at the age of 55 and had no problem other than sore feet. I didn’t know too many people who didn’t. We hiked with Rafter Jack and he was 62. I’m 59 now and planning the JMT and two sections on the AT this year. Model T is doing the AT this year again! He’s got to be in his 60’s. He said his goal is to be the oldest some day to do the AT. Just take your time in the beginning in GA. Start off with 5 to 10 miles for a couple of weeks and you’ll make it. Most of the young people we saw in GA by the time we got to VA they were gone. A lot of injuries because of too many miles too fast. Go for it.
Did you ever jump off of a high place into the water? I remember the first time I jumped off of a bluff into the river as a kid. I was scared to death. But when I came up out of the water that first time I knew I had to jump again. What a rush!!! That is the way you will feel that first day on the Trail when you have set out for Maine. You are scared to make the jump… but when you do… what a RUSH!!! Walking up to that sign on Katadhin makes you feel like a kid again. Go for it!!!
Papa Smurf