OK, so I’ve decided to through hike the trail next year, northbound, starting in March (2004). One of the first things I’m wondering is how much money I will need. I’m talking everything, including gear, food, etc. Can anyone who has already through hiked or someone who is planning to that is farther along in their planning tell me roughly how much money I will need? Thanks in advance, Jeff.
Jeff
i have an expense sheet that is all inclusive- 4800 for eveything… all the gear (down to the last sock, bottle of bug spray, ziploc, etc) food (both that consumed on the trail and in town), my plane ticket to Maine (i’m hiking southbound), as well as funds for gear replacement along the way, money to blow in towns, and an emergency fund. I will note that i bought precious few gear or clothing items at retail price- i’ll only buy it if it’s on sale- i get most of my stuff from REI Outlet, Sierra Trading Post, and Campmor. Anyway… that’s how much for me- 4800… considering the spendy items, a digital camera (about 250 with cards, bought on closeout of course), big gear items like- pack(275, with my guide discount:)), bag (99 at REI outlet) and tent(i have 2, one was 99 the other only 30 bucks!! both on sale… i’m only using one of course… but i included both in my budget), and the plane ticket(300), i think i did pretty well.:girl
LarsyParsy
Jeff,
Part of it depends on what kind of gear your getting. Are you making it, spending lots for ultra-light gear, or buying your stuff at wal-mart.
It also depends on what kind of food you’re taking. Buying in bulk is a lot cheaper, but you’re bound to get sick of the food!
I’m planning on leaving next March, too, and have spent probably a total of $750 on gear. I have everything(I think) and will be paying for food and mail drops along the way. It helps that my parents live along the trail and will be bringing me supplies when I need them.
Nice of you to join our forum! 
Hippie Hiker Chic
You goin’ all Pro on my now? I need a new Grasshopper…if you like to eat well and enjoy cable in a motel room and don’t drink more than a keg and a half you need about 2 grand. That’ll cover small stuff and unexpected things, some splurging on Ben & Jerrys every chance you get. It would suck to have to spend that five bucks not on a good meal and settle for Ramen when you could have had it better. We hiked with several friends that were counting nickels to get a Little Debbie at a gas station, we covered the sac-o-burgers. We picked up the tab a lot and didn’t mind doing it if it ment a better hike for someone short on dough. (Raindog is a pig and eats “disgusting amounts of food”) Friends, don’t let friends eat Ramen.
BW
My husband and I spent just under $600 on our gear and maildrop food for our thruhike last year. On the trail we spent just a little under $4,000 between the two of us and that included buying all of our food after about 1 1/2 months of the hike because we were sick of our maildrop foods. That total also included all lodging, gear replaced during the hike, meals in towns, our bus tickets home, etc. We tried not to spend too many nights in hotels during the hike. We didn’t splurge on much either. Hope that helps!!
Budder Ball
I thought it was going to be a dollar a mile. Then I thought I could make it on two a mile. All in all it was $6000.00 including gear. When everyone goes to town, you end up going too.Its better to have the cash and have a good time. Your out there once!!Well maybe twice
Virginian
I’d say that it costs a minimum of $1.50 per mile while on the trail. That does not include transportation to and from the terminis, and equipment that you start with.
Like Virginian says, you spend money in towns, not along the trail. So, how much you spend depends on how much time you spend in time, and how you spend this time. If you just get in and get out, then you can reduce this cost greatly. But, if you enjoy towns, then be prepared to spend $6000 like Virginian did.
Peaks
Flame and I spent about $15,000 and we had a great time. Enjoyed some time off with friends in PA (Gettysburg). We spent about 30 days in town. We took a week off with Sunrise when she fell and broke her arm and had to have surgery to have it repaired. We could have done it on a lot less but we had a great hike. Several hikers we knew started out trying to do it on $2.00 a mile but ran out of money and went home. One even tried to do it on $1 a mile. I’m sure it can be done but no towns. Towns can be fun. We didn’t party in town but we ate great when there. I saw one hiker in Gatlinburg with a $300 bar bill one night! He went home early! At $5 a mile you can have a great time just like Virginian said.
Papa Smurf
I have a bad back, had to get a good pack. The pack was about $400-$450, can’t remember now. Osprey Luna 75–expensive but made for me, so to me it was worth the money everything else is cheap stuff.
HHC
I definitely want to do my thru-hike for very little money. With Papa Smurf’s admission of 15 grand, I have to say there must be no upper limit when it comes to the cost of a thru-hike.
Flyin’ Bryan - he who hiked all three major trails in one year - his entire cost was less than 15 grand (ten thousand, I think). This averages out to about more than $1.25 per week, but the majority of his expenditures must have come from the amount of food he consumed - after all, he was pulling 40-mile-days consistently.
Others have hiked for much less. I hope that I can thru-hike in the $1,500 range, maybe less - I know I’ll try. Hungry Howie once said on some other website that his hike cost $1,700 (or thereabouts).
I’ve already spent money on gear - backpack, tent, filter, most clothes - the only things I’ll need beyond that is boots and perhaps a new sleeping bag. Altogether, I’ve spent approximately $500 dollars. I’m not sure how much more I’d need, at least in terms of food, but I won’t have much to play with no matter what.
Kineo Kid
I spent about 3,000 total on food, gear, and transportation. I think that you could hike the trail on just about any income if you are willing to make some sacrifices. Just beware of overplanning a first thru hike - even with some experience under my belt I made a number of mistakes planning my hike, particularly planning to carry too much food between resupplies. In my opinion, you could have a very cushy hike for 3-5000 depending on the amount of gear you need to buy and how much time you spend in town.
Frog Boy
averaged around $1600 to $1800 for my two thru-hikes, not including gear. I ate pretty well in towns and stayed in hostels about once every 10 days?? Used the hostels when in town. No mail drops, just hitch into town and get some food. No memories of excessively starving or sleeping in the rain while others were under a roof. I don’t drink though so I don’t worry about bar tabs. One can only drink so much sweet tea and by mid-virginia that well sadly runs dry…!
Israel
Once you’ve got your gear (and in my opinion it’s easy to buy more gear and spend more on that stuff than you really need to), your expenses aren’t that much more than what you’d pay to live for 5-6 months anyway, on the trail or off. You will probably eat a little more than normal, maybe drink a few more beers than you otherwise would (or maybe not!) And, you are not buying gas to go to work, maybe not paying rent or the other cost-of-living expenses of life in the (sur)real world.
I agree with the opinions of others here that it is easy to spend a lot of $ in towns, but it’s just as easy not to. Compare the cost of doing a thru-hike with the cost of not doing one! Enjoy.
duck Xing
I met a guy in MD last year.
He claimed he tented for 70 straight days, resupplied mainly
out of hiker boxes and had spent only $300.
If you don’t drink and limit your time in town, you can have a
comfortable hike for $1.50/mile.
You don’t need the ‘best’ gear just to hike. $100 for a pack,
$150 for a tent, $150 for a bag, $1 for a soda can stove, and
$100 for everything else.
Total $3600.
I haven’t added mine up, but $3600 seems about right. I had
most of my equipment already.
Scamp
Scamp
I spent about $7,000, maybe less. I stayed in a hotel whenvever possible. I did not hesitate to stay a second night if it the weather was rainy or snowy. I drank mass quantities of beer as well as othjer expenses. Im still paying it off and dont care, it was the best seven grand I ever spent.
Chef