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Choosing a long-distance trail is exciting but you shouldn’t let the excitement carry you away from the realities of that hike. The best trail is not necessarily the longest, most famous, or most scenic one. It is the trail whose distance, terrain, climate, logistics, and time-commitment fit your current capabilities as well as the time and energy you can realistically devote to preparation. |
This is especially important for hikers over 50, people with demanding jobs or family responsibilities, health challenges, and anyone who lives at low elevation but hopes to hike in the mountains. You’re not 17 any longer and a trail that appears manageable on paper may become significantly more difficult when preparation time is limited, recovery takes longer, or altitude and elevation gain are not considered in your planning. |
Your goal should not be to choose the most ambitious trail you can imagine. It is to choose a trail that gives you a realistic chance of finishing safely and enjoying the experience. |
Start With Your Realistic Hiking Capacity |
Before comparing trails, establish what you can currently do and not what you hope to be able to do after several months of ideal training. |
- How many miles can you comfortably hike with a load in a day?
- How many consecutive days can you hike with a load before needing rest?
- How much elevation gain can you manage repeatedly?
- How well do you recover from long days (say 5 to 10% your comfortable distance)?
- Can you carry the required backpack weight (base plus food and water)?
- How do your feet, knees, hips, back, and shoulders respond?
- How much time between now and when you want to hike can you devote to training?
- How many weeks or months can you take away from work and home responsibilities to hike this trail?
A useful benchmark is not your best single-day performance. It is your sustainable average over multiple days. |
For example, someone who can hike 18 miles once may still be limited to an average of 10–12 miles per day over a long expedition. Thru-hiking depends more on repeatability and recovery than on peak performance. Once you set out on your hike you can’t take zeroes in the middle of nowhere while you recover from yesterdays reach. Doing so would increase the food and water you’d need to pack considerably making forward progress even harder. |
The Season-Length Problem |
A trail may become substantially harder if your sustainable daily mileage is below the amount needed to complete it within its seasonal window. |
Use this basic calculation: |
Required average daily mileage = trail distance ÷ available hiking days |
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For example, a 2,000-mile trail with a 150-day weather window requires an average of approximately 13.3 trail miles per day. That calculation does not include: |
- Rest days
- Injury days
- Zero-mile days in towns
- Weather delays
- Resupply
- Permit, visa or transportation complications
- Unexpected detours
If you plan to take 15 zero days, the required average rises: |
2,000 miles ÷ 135 hiking days = approximately 14.8 miles per hiking day |
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If your realistic average is 10–12 miles, the trail may still be possible, but not necessarily within that season. You may need to: |
- Start earlier or finish later
- Hike more days without rest
- Increase daily mileage
- Flip-flop or skip sections
- Use a longer season
- Choose a shorter trail
This is a critical distinction: a trail can be physically within your ability but still be impractical because the available weather window requires more mileage than you can safely sustain. Also, consider that bigger miles at the beginning of a hike tend to put you at higher risk of injury regardless of your pre-hike conditioning. |
Special Considerations for Hikers Over 50 |
Age alone does not determine whether someone can complete a thru-hike. Many hikers successfully complete long trails in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. However, preparation, pacing, and recovery may need to be more deliberate. During the lead up to your hike focus on understanding your biofeedback loop. Does a twinge in a knee today indicate a week’s worth of challenging miles or can you rub it out with some Voltaren and a good nights sleep and keep trucking tomorrow? You’ll invariably need to sort out these questions during your hike, but understanding how your body is affected and responds to stress is a critical decision making skill you’ll want to master before these decisions end your hike. |
Recovery may require more planning |
You may need longer recovery periods between demanding days, particularly during the first few weeks. A plan based on immediately hiking high mileage every day can increase the risk of tendon problems, stress injuries, and persistent joint pain. |
- Lower-mileage days during the first two weeks (and stick to this plan even if the excitement of the hike has you soaring)
- Regular rest or reduced-mileage days (cat naps, diversions to see points of interests, even stopping just to drink it all in and stretch)
- Consider ways to reduce the carries day-over-day and between resupplies
- A slower progression if there’s a major jump in elevation between where you’re from and where you’re hiking
- Flexibility to take an unplanned recovery days
When you’re on the hike stick to the motto “Hike Your Own Hike.” It’s easy to get carried away with all the new friends you’ll meet, but some of these kids will be half your age and can do twice your daily distance. Wish them well, but stick to your plan. You’ll meet more people. |
Strength matters as much as endurance. Flexibility is king! |
Cardiovascular fitness is only one part of thru-hiking. Strength and durability are essential for carrying a pack, descending steep terrain, stepping over obstacles, and maintaining balance when tired. |
Useful preparation may include: |
- Step-ups and split squats
- Glute and hip strengthening
- Calf raises
- Core and back exercises
- Balance and stability work
- Loaded stair or hill training
- Mobility work for ankles, hips, and shoulders
People with previous injuries, heart conditions, osteoporosis, significant arthritis, or other medical concerns should discuss their plans with a qualified health professional before beginning intensive training. That’s true for a lot of things we might want to try. |
Foot care becomes increasingly important |
Foot problems can end a hike regardless of overall fitness. Test footwear, socks, insoles, blister treatments, and pack weight well before departure. Then keep testing and using it. On a long thru-hike your second set of shoes should be broken in; the break in process for some shoes can me damaging to your feet, ankles, shins, knees and hips. Try and work out as many of these kinks before you hit the trail as you can. |
Do not wait until the trail to discover that: |
- Your shoes do not accommodate swelling
- Your socks create hot spots
- Your pack causes numbness in your hips, shoulders or back
- Your feet cannot tolerate consecutive long days
A slower start is often a stronger start |
A conservative first month is not wasted time. It can preserve your ability to hike later in the season. Starting too aggressively may produce an early injury that costs more time than a cautious pace would have required. Besides a slow start might give you more time to appreciate the trail you’re walking on. What flowers are blooming what animals are awake? Maybe you have talent for sketching, painting or singing? |
The Low-Elevation Preparation Challenge |
Living at low elevation does not prevent you from hiking at altitude but it can make preparation more difficult. You may be able to train your legs and lungs effectively without being able to fully replicate the reduced oxygen, steep grades, cold nights, and prolonged climbs found in mountain environments. |
High-elevation trails can produce: |
- Shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Poor sleep
- Reduced appetite
- Slower recovery
- Unusual fatigue
- Acute mountain sickness
Fitness does not eliminate altitude sickness. Even highly fit hikers can experience problems when ascending too quickly and you’ve and even if you’re exceptionally fit for your age, that’s working against you here. Don’t underestimate it potential impact. |
If you live near sea level, consider: |
- Arriving early enough to acclimatize when possible
- Including stair, hill, treadmill-incline, or stair-machine training
- Training with a loaded pack (at least your base weight in your actual pack)
- Taking a gradual approach to elevation gain
- Planning shorter days during the first high-altitude section
- Learning the symptoms of altitude illness and the coping strategies
- Knowing when descending is a necessity
Altitude training devices and hypoxic systems should not be treated as a substitute for acclimatization or medical advice. The most valuable preparation is often specific training combined with a realistic itinerary. I live at sea level, ask me how I know. |
The Trail-Selection Checklist |
Use this checklist before committing to a long-distance trail. |
- What is the total mileage?
- How many days are available in the weather window?
- What average daily mileage is required?
- Have you included zero days and delays?
- Is your sustainable average high enough to finish within the season?
- What is the total elevation gain and loss?
- How much climbing occurs on a typical day?
- Are there steep, rocky, exposed, muddy, snowy or technically difficult sections?
- Are long descents likely to challenge your knees, shins or hips?
- Can you train on comparable terrain?
- What is the highest elevation?
- How many days are spent above 8,000 feet or another significant threshold?
- Do you live and train at low elevation?
- Can you build in acclimatization time?
- What is your plan if altitude symptoms develop?
- Can you train consistently before the hike?
- Can you practice with your expected pack with base weight?
- Can you train on hills, stairs, or uneven and loose ground?
- Do you have a plan for strength, mobility, balance, and foot care?
- What’s the distance between your current condition and the condition you’d need to be in to meet your targets?
- How quickly do you recover from long hikes?
- Do you have previous injuries or conditions that may affect the trip?
- Will the trail allow for opportunities to rest or seek medical care?
- Is your itinerary flexible enough to accommodate a slower start for injury prevention?
6. Weather and seasonal windows |
- When is the trail realistically passable?
- Will snow, monsoon storms, extreme heat, wildfire, hurricanes, or early winter affect the route?
- What happens if you fall behind schedule?
- Can you safely extend the trip if needed?
7. Resupply and logistics |
- How far apart are towns and resupply points (especially in the early parts of the trail)?
- Are food or water carries long?
- Will you need mailed resupply boxes?
- Are permits required and can you obtain them for your intended hiking time?
- Are transportation, lodging, or international travel complicated?
- Is reliable communication available?
- Are water sources dependable?
- Are long dry stretches common?
- Do you need to carry extra water?
- Is the route well marked?
- Do you prefer a busy trail with other hikers and established services?
- Or do you want solitude and remote wilderness?
- How comfortable are you handling emergencies without nearby assistance?
- Can you work through you own challenges even when you’re spooked or panicked?
10. Exit and contingency plans |
- Where can you safely leave the trail?
- What transportation is available?
- What is your plan for injury, illness, wildfire, extreme weather, or family emergencies?
- Can you afford additional time or an early exit?
Long-Distance Trails to Consider |
No list can include every trail suitable for a thru-hike. Trail lengths, routes, and conditions also change, and some routes are better understood as networks or itineraries rather than a single officially fixed path. The following are representative, widely known options. |
Shorter long-distance trails |
These may be appropriate for hikers building experience or testing their equipment and pacing. |
- John Muir Trail, United States: Approximately 211 miles. High elevation, demanding passes, limited permits, and challenging logistics.
- Long Trail, Vermont, United States: Approximately 272 miles. Steep, muddy, rugged, and physically demanding despite its relatively short distance. Expect all sorts of bugs to join you.
- Kungsleden, Sweden: Approximately 270 miles for the commonly hiked section. Remote Arctic scenery with generally established infrastructure.
- West Highland Way, Scotland: Approximately 96 miles. A manageable introduction to multi-day trekking, though weather and terrain can be challenging.
- Tour du Mont Blanc, Europe: Approximately 100 miles, depending on route. A high-mountain circuit with villages, huts, and significant elevation gain.
Moderate-distance U.S. trails |
- Colorado Trail, Colorado, United States: Approximately 486 miles. High elevation, substantial climbing, and a relatively short hiking season. Fire closures are common and water carries can be long in some sections.
- Arizona Trail, Arizona, United States: Approximately 800 miles. Desert heat, water management, snow, and major environmental changes. Some of the most stunning and challenging terrain you may ever encounter.
- Florida Trail, Florida, United States: Approximately 1,100 miles. Generally lower elevation but can involve heat, humidity, mud, flooding, insects, and difficult navigation.
- Superior Hiking Trail, Minnesota, United States: Approximately 300 miles. Rugged terrain, frequent elevation changes, and variable weather. Here be bugs!
- Oregon Coast Trail, Oregon, United States: Approximately 425 miles. A mixture of beach, road walking, forest, and logistical challenges including understanding tide tables.
- Approximately 2,190 miles
- Georgia to Maine
- Highly social and well supported
- Frequent short climbs and descents
- Humidity, mud, weather, and foot wear can be significant. Also know for its “tree tunnel.”
- Often a good choice for hikers who value trail towns and community and don’t mind impromptu parties
Although it is not consistently high elevation, the Appalachian Trail can be demanding because of its relentless ups and downs. Hikers should not underestimate cumulative elevation gain simply because the mountains are lower than those in the West. |
- Approximately 2,650 miles
- Mexico to Canada
- Traverses desert, mountains, forests, and high passes
- Requires careful snow, water, and wildfire planning
- Has a relatively narrow seasonal window
- Permits and direction of travel can affect logistics
The PCT may have fewer abrupt climbs than the Appalachian Trail in some sections, but it presents major challenges involving altitude, long water carries, snow travel, heat, and route timing. Fire is a persistent problem which closes the trail, but not the only reason the trail closes. |
- Approximately 3,000 miles, depending on route
- Mexico to Canada
- Remote and less consistently defined than the AT or PCT
- Requires strong navigation and logistical skills
- Includes high elevation, long resupply gaps, weather exposure, and route-finding
The CDT is generally best suited to experienced backpackers who are comfortable managing uncertainty and traveling through remote terrain. |
- Approximately 1,200 miles
- Montana to Washington
- Rugged and less developed than the best-known national scenic trails
- Includes challenging navigation, remote sections, and variable weather
- Better suited to experienced hikers than first-time thru-hikers
- Approximately 1,860 miles
- Extends across both main islands
- Includes beaches, forests, farmland, rivers, roads, and alpine terrain
- Requires flexibility because conditions and route sections vary substantially
Via Alpina, Europe (France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Monaco) |
- About 5,000 kilometers
- A network of long-distance routes across the Alps
- Offers access to mountain huts, villages, and established services
- Involves sustained elevation gain, high passes, weather exposure, and demanding descents
- The route structure allows for different itineraries and levels of commitment
Camino de Santiago routes |
- Multiple routes and distances across Europe
- Often supported by frequent towns, lodging, and services
- Physical difficulty varies widely
- A potentially accessible introduction to long-distance walking, though daily repetition can still cause overuse injuries
GR5 (Grande Randonnée 5), France and the Alps |
- Approximentally 1,500 kilometeres
- A long-distance route crossing varied French landscapes
- Includes alpine terrain, significant climbing, villages, and changing conditions
- Suitable sections can be selected for a shorter or longer itinerary
Bibbulmun Track, Australia |
- Approximately 620 miles
- Western Australia
- Well-established shelters and varied terrain
- Requires attention to heat, water, fire conditions, and seasonal timing
- Pretty much everything in Austrailia wants to kill you
Larapinta Trail, Australia |
- Approximately 145 miles
- Desert and mountain landscapes in the Northern Territory
- Water, heat, remoteness, and transport logistics are important considerations
Japan’s Long Trail networks |
Japan has several long-distance routes and pilgrimage-style walks, including sections of the Michinoku Coastal Trail and the Kumano Kodo. These vary considerably in length, infrastructure, terrain, and cultural context, making them suitable for hikers who prefer a combination of trail walking and village-based travel. |
Match the Trail to Your Current Stage |
A practical progression might look like this: |
- Day hikes: Test footwear, poles, hydration, and basic conditioning.
- Overnight trips: Learn how you sleep, eat, and recover outdoors.
- Three- to five-day trips: Test consecutive hiking days and pack management. Build skills through repetition and experimentation.
- Section hikes: Practice resupply, navigation, and longer mileage.
- Short thru-hikes: Learn how your body responds to sustained repetition.
- Longer thru-hikes: Apply the lessons from shorter trips to a larger objective.
For a hiker over 50, or anyone with limited preparation time, a shorter trail may be the more strategic choice and not a lesser achievement. Completing a 300 or 500-mile trail can provide more useful experience than beginning a 2,000-mile trail with an unrealistic schedule that may end in disaster. |
Choose the Trail You Can Sustain |
The right trail is the one that fits your entire situation: |
- Your fitness and the fitness level you’ll realistically achieve with the training time you have
- Your recovery rate
- Your available training time
- Your health and injury history
- Your ability to tolerate altitude and elevation
- Your financial and family obligations
- Your available hiking season
- Your realistic daily mileage
If the required daily mileage exceeds your sustainable average, do not rely on motivation to close the gap. Adjust the route, timeline, itinerary, or objective even if that means you’ll only hike a part of the total trail. |
A successful thru-hike is not defined only by reaching the final terminus. It is also defined by making sound decisions, protecting your health, adapting to conditions, and returning home able to enjoy your next adventure. |
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