Ask a Thru-Hiker: Can I Thru-Hike Without Camping?
This article originally appeared on Backpacker
Do you dream about hitting the trail for a long--really long--hike? In Ask a Thru-Hiker, record-setting long-distance hiker Liz "Snorkel" Thomas answers your burning questions about how to do it.
Dear Snorkel,
I love the idea of a thru-hike, and I’m in good enough shape to hike long days. The thing is, I’m just not that rugged: I don't want to sleep on the ground, I would love to take regular showers, and I would prefer going to the bathroom in a real toilet. Regular hot meals instead of camping food would be great, too. What options exist for me?
These Boots Were Made for Walking (But Not Camping)
Dear Boots,
If you love walking, seeing new places by foot, and meeting new people, you'll love thru-hiking. Luckily, there is more than one way to thru-hike and section-hike a trail. There are also plenty of trails around the world designed to be more comfortable than the Big Three long trails in the U.S.
I recommend looking into hut-to-hut thru-hikes or inn-to-inn thru-hikes, which are available around the world. Here in the US, the White Mountains in New Hampshire have an excellent hut system run by the Appalachian Mountain Club that provides beds with bedding, hot meals, running water, and clean composting toilets. The system runs the length of the White Mountains on the Appalachian Trail.
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association runs guided trips on the Tahoe Rim Trail in California and Nevada. They will drop you off at trailheads each day and pick you up at the end of the day. They arrange for you to stay at hotels each night, where you can take a shower, sleep in a bed, use flushing toilets, and have hot meals.
You have even more options In Europe, where there is an extensive network of inn-to-inn trails. In the UK, there are dozens of named trails designed for the hiker who doesn't want to sleep in a tent. Many tour services exist to pre-book your stays along the trail. Some even offer a luggage service so you don't need to carry a heavy backpack, often at a surprisingly affordable price. Each night, your bag will be waiting for you at the new hostel, hotel, or B&B that you walked to.
Other trails, most famously in France and Switzerland, have huts high in the mountains. These are remote and far from roads and towns, but still offer you hot food (often with a glass of wine), toilets, and beds with bedding. They will need to be pre-booked early as they fill up quickly and are in high demand, but are a luxurious way to end the day. Of course, the most famous hut-to-hut hike is the legendary Spanish pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago, where hikers stay at albergues (refuges) with bunk beds.
It's worth noting that often hut-to-hut and inn-to-inn hikes are significantly more expensive than thru-hikes where you are camping for free in the wild each night. Hut system-based trails are more barebones than inn system trails, and as a result are generally less expensive. For both systems, the cost of paying for overnight accommodations adds up. The cost of food adds up, too: You'll be eating more chef-cooked meals compared to boiling up ramen each night.
Of course, hut-to-hut and inn-to-inn hiking comes with its own challenges. At some huts, you may find yourself sharing hostel-style bunk beds with other hikers and backpackers from around the world, some of whom snore. On other hikes, you may end up staying at bed and breakfasts where you will need to be careful around impeccably clean white carpets and your muddy hiking boots.
Be warned that just because there is a nice place to stay every night on these thru-hikes does not mean the hiking is easy. For example, many Appalachian Trail thru-hikers say the White Mountains are the most rugged part of the entire trail, and they are known for difficult weather. Hiking in the Alps is beautiful, but the elevation gain and steepness of the trail is no joke. You may not need to pack a tent for these trips, but you should still plan to carry sturdy shoes, hiking poles, and a day pack with the 10 essentials.
On a hut-to-hut or inn-to-inn style hike, you have to make your pre-planned miles every day or else you'll find yourself on a mountainside with no tent and nowhere to sleep. On some trails, like the Camino, there may be an option to get a taxi to help you. On other trails in more remote areas, like the GR20 in Corsica, this could be more difficult.
Still, one of the things I love about the style of hiking is that it has options for all kinds of hikers. There's no one best way to enjoy walking for long distances. But for every kind of walker, there is a life-changing, rewarding, humbling, and fun experience ahead. It's also a wonderful way to meet people from around the world and share dinner together each night. Whether you're heading out for a few days or a few months, there's an option here for you.
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