Resupply

Resupplying along the Appalachian Trail is not too difficult. The trail passes through or near to towns fairly frequently. Most of these towns contain major grocery stores where supplies can be purchased. Others contain Post Offices where I can pick up supplies that I mailed ahead. A hiker will rarely have to carry more than 6 days worth of supplies at a time. In some instances it may only be 3 or 4 days worth. Some hikers employ a bounce box. A bounce box is a box where hikers keep hard to find or specialized supplies. It may contain maps, medicines, extra camera batteries, film cards, or any thing a hiker may need or want that he may not necessarily want to carry with him. I plan to use a bounce box that will have my "town clothes" in. Town clothes are something to change into while I am giving my hiking clothes a thorough cleaning. I may include a few other items in the box as well.

Even though towns are frequent, getting to them sometimes takes creativity. Some areas have a regional bus service. In other areas you may have to hitch , which is a common practice (and generally accepted in Georgia and New England) As a last resort you may have to hike all the way into town. This last option usually means spending the night in a hotel or motel before returning to hike the next day.

The following table lists my planned supply stops and their mile points along the trail. It is a preliminary list and new ones may be added or some may be deleted as the hike progresses.

The chart indicates 22 overnight town stops or on an average of 1 every hundred miles. Overnight town stops are not as expensive as you may think because many, but not all of these towns have inexpensive (less than $20.00 per night) or free (contributions accepted) campgrounds, bunkhouses, hostels, bed and breakfasts, or hotels where hikers may stay.