If you’re planning a thru-hike or section hike of the Appalachian Trail, or if you are just dreaming of hiking on the famous route one day, “slackpacking” is a term you should know. Similar to day hiking, slackpacking offers hikers an opportunity to experience sections of the trail without carrying a heavy backpack with overnight gear, but just the essentials for a day on the trail.
What is Slackpacking?
Slackpacking is like backpacking, but without all the heavy gear, like a tent and sleeping bag. It means hiking a section of the trail while carrying only a daypack with essentials, including water, snacks, and rain gear, while your heavy overnight gear is driven to your destination further along the trail. Slackpacking is a popular hiking option for long distance thru-hikers and section hikers on the Appalachian Trail. During my thru-hike in 2022, I was blessed with a few opportunities to slackpack and those were some of my favorite days on the trail!
Benefits of Slackpacking:
There is a reason so many long distance hikers love to slackpack. There is nothing better than relieving yourself of the 30 pounds of gear on your back so you can frolic through the woods for the day! Slackpacking gives your legs a much needed break while you tackle big miles, and with less weight, it feels like you’re floating down the trail!
Slackpacking can be used as a sort of recovery day during a thru-hike, to hike some easier miles and spend the night in town. It can also be a good way to get back on trail after healing an injury without pushing yourself too hard. Many hikers opt to slackpack through difficult sections of the trail, like the White Mountains in New Hampshire, so they can navigate the large boulders and steep climbs without carrying the full weight of their gear.
Using a hostel as a central location, you can even slack pack through large sections of the trail without ever sleeping in a tent. In Georgia, the Above the Clouds Hostel sells slackpacking packages for a few days up to a week, allowing you to hike through the entire state without needing any backpacking gear. This is a great way to get a taste of the Appalachian Trail without having to hike big miles, carry heavy gear, or camp overnight.
Downsides to Slackpacking:
Of course, there are some downsides to slackpacking, which mainly include cost and logistics. It does take some planning to arrange for a slackpack– usually calling a hostel or shuttle driver a few days in advance to plan for pick-up and drop-off. And when you are using a hostel or shuttle driver, there is a cost involved, which will vary greatly based on how far they have to drive you and your gear. You can expect to pay drivers about $1-2 per mile driven, plus the cost of staying in a hostel (if that’s where you stay for the night). Note that some hostels will only slackpack you if you have a reservation with them for the night.
Another challenge for slackpacking is that you don’t have your gear. That means you can’t just pull over and camp when you get tired. You have to commit to your planned miles for the day and be able to make it to your pickup location or end point for the night. For this reason, you don’t want to overdo it when planning your route for a slackpack, and you should make sure you’ve got a backup plan in case you can’t make it the whole way.
One last thing worth mentioning is that slackpacking isn’t for everyone. Some thru-hikers and section hikers on the Appalachian Trail make a commitment to carry all of their gear for every mile on the trail. We call these hikers “purists,” and if that’s a goal of yours, good for you! Everyone has to hike their own hike on the AT. So if you want to carry your gear the whole way, do it! And if you want to slackpack, you can do that, too. There are no rules in how you choose to hike on the AT. Slackpacking doesn’t negate the accomplishment of a thru-hike or section hike and being a purist doesn’t make your hike better or more accomplished than anyone else’s. It’s all about what’s right for you.
So let’s get to it… How to Slackpack on the Appalachian Trail:
Hotels: The easiest way to arrange for a slackpack on the AT is to work with a hostel in the section you want to hike. Many hostels advertise slackpacking options on their website or you can get details by giving them a call. If you are slackpacking with a hostel, generally you will be paying to stay at the hostel for one or more nights, and you will leave your gear there. Then the owner or driver will drop you off at a location further on the trail, and you spend the day hiking back to the hostel.
You can also make arrangements with hostels to slackpack for multiple days, and they will drop you off and pick you up at designated road crossings or trailheads. The Appalachian Trail has many road crossings and town stops with hostels, so there are plenty of opportunities to give slackpacking a try. Just remember that it’s best to call a few days before you arrive to make plans for your stay and your slackpacking route.
Shuttle Drivers: Another option to arrange for a slackpack, is to talk to a shuttle driver in the area. You would make a plan to meet a shuttle driver at a specific location and leave your heavy gear in their car, taking only what you need with you for the rest of the day. They will then either drive your gear to a hostel to drop it off or meet you at another location further down the trail where you will get your gear back.
There are many shuttle drivers available all along the Appalachian Trail. You can find a list of current shuttle drivers on WhiteBlaze.Net, or find phone numbers listed in the FarOut app or in the A.T. Guide Book. Just like with hostels, you’ll want to call and make arrangements a few days in advance if you can.
Friends or Family: You can also ask a friend or family member to slackpack you for a day. This is a great way for your loved ones to support you on your thru-hike or section hike. I had several people that wanted to help me with my thru-hike in 2022, and I found slackpacking was the best way for me to spend some time with them while still getting in some miles. For example, my boyfriend's family came out and did some trail magic and slackpacked us through a section of Massachusetts for his birthday.
What to Carry While Slackpacking:
When you make your plans to slackpack, you’ll also need to think about what to carry with you and what to leave behind.
First, you’ll need a backpack for the day. Most hostels and shuttle drivers that offer slackpacking will have daypacks available that you can borrow, or you can just use your regular backpack. Then you’ll take everything out that you don’t need for the day, and just carry the essentials:
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Trekking poles
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Water bottles and water filter
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Snacks / lunch for the day
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First aid kit
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Layers - a rain jacket and an insulating layer light a fleece pullover
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Headlamp- just in case your hike takes longer than expected
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Phone - make sure you have the phone number of your shuttle driver saved in case you need to check in or make adjustments to your itinerary
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Sunscreen, bug spray, chapstick
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Wallet, ID, cash - Make sure you tip your driver!
I found the easiest way to prep for a slackpack was to put my tent, sleeping bag, pad, extra clothing, extra food, and anything else I didn’t need into a large trash bag or my pack liner. That made it easy to just throw the bag of extra gear into the shuttle driver’s car or leave it at a hostel.
Want to try Slackpacking with Wildwood Hiking Company?
Think you might enjoy slackpacking on the Appalachian Trail? This year, I’m partnering with Trail Dog & Company for a unique guided trip in Damascus, Virginia– a Women’s Hiking Retreat. We’ll spend 6 days slackpacking (or “Glampacking” as we like to call it!), in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia. We’ll spend the days hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and then stay in a wonderful vacation rental at night. After a full day of hiking, you’ll get to treat yourself to lux accommodations, complete with hot showers, private bedrooms, and home-cooked meals. Spots are limited, so don’t miss the registration deadline if you’re interested!
