Trail Journals

Earl Schaffer’s 1948 Appalachian Trail Journal

(Photo: Smithsonian, National Museum of American History)

The blogs and trail journals of past and present thru and section hikers are invaluable both as both inspiration and planning tools.

Quiet Man, Author at The Trek 2024 – Present : I have learned over the years reading various books, articles, and trail journals, that there is more than one way to hike the Appalachian Trail. Beginning in 2024, I started blogging my AT journey on The Trek*. The point of this journal and this website is to focus my section hiking strategy, motivate myself to up my yearly mileage, build an online trail family and share my vision to complete the entire Appalachian Trail. Here are a few of my favorite authors at The Trek. Not only are these journal’s informative about thru hiking and the AT, these authors are superb writers with exceptional insights. (4/12/24)

Catmando’s 2019 Appalachian Trail Journal

Sprout’s 2019 Appalachian Trail Journal

Ruthless’ 2017-2021 Appalachian Trail Journal

Quiet Man’s 2019-2023 Appalachian Trail Journal : I started my first trail journal for my AT journey on Trail Journals**. Below is a list (and links) of my favorite thru hiker trail journals from that website. These journals were informative, entertaining, and inspirational as I began to ponder my own trail journey. Many of these journals are worthy of publication in magazines or even as books. Well, maybe not my journal… (4/12/24)

Whirled Peas’ 2013 Appalachian Trail Journal

Rabb i t’s 2016 Appalachian Trail Journal

Terodactyle’s 2016 Appalachian Trail Journal

Redbeard’s 2019 Eastern Continental Trail Journal

*The Trek – Inspiration, advice, culture; Planning, gear, information about trails; Trail journals of thru hikers and section hikers. Just about everything. “theTrek.co is where you go to get All Things Long-Distance Backpacking. We strive to be Hiker Trash’s go-to resource not only for the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail, but thru-hiking and long-distance backpacking at large.”

** Trail Journals – “…unites hiking journal writers and the family, friends, and hikers who follow them. Encompassing thousands of journal entries and photographs — from the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail, ongoing hikes to excursions from the 1990s — Trail Journals chronicles millions of miles of hiking on 100-plus long distance trails by thousands of hikers.”