The United States is home to a collection of very long hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. These trails can take months to traverse from end to end, yet not everyone has the physical constitution or the time to do it all at once. Section hiking allows you to hike in sections as your schedule permits until you’ve completed the entire trail, but there are pros and cons to consider before making your final decision.
Pro: Avoid Hiker Burnout
Some long-distance hikers readily admit that, after a certain amount of hiking, everything begins to look the same and all they want is to reach the end and go home. This means they didn’t get to enjoy the latter portion of their hike and instead turned it into an endurance slog. By section hiking, you can avoid this kind of mental and physical burnout.
Con: Constant Reconditioning
Unless you hike year-round and for long distances, you will likely have to recondition your body every time before you do a section. This can be a serious drawback, as you may notice your sections go slower than you hope because you are always starting out with less stamina.
Pro: Less Expensive
The cost of doing a full through-hike, especially on a very long trail like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, can total in the thousands of dollars. This assumes, of course, that you have a job to return to once you’ve completed your hike. Section hiking, by contrast, can be far less disruptive to your budget. This is especially true if you live near the trail and can take advantage of cheap transportation by bus or having a friend drop you off at the trail head.
Con: Difficulty Finding a Hiking Buddy
Plenty of hikers like to hike with a buddy. If you decide to section hike, you may find it more difficult to find someone whose schedule aligns with yours. Hiking alone for long stretches can be lonely, so this is an important consideration.
Hiking a long trail in sections have many advantages and drawbacks to consider. Ultimately, only you can decide if you should take the plunge and through-hike your favorite trails or finish them in manageable steps by section hiking.
Featured Image from Dannii Coughlan/Unsplash
