PSA: a ranger at Great Smoky Mountains told me most people hiking the AT quit by mile 200, and it changed how I plan every trip now

Jenny Sullivan · 2026-10-12T10:40:03.979073+00:00

I was at the Clingmans Dome parking lot 3 weeks ago and got talking to a backcountry ranger who has worked that stretch for 11 years. He said the number one reason people bail on the Appalachian Trail is not blisters or bad weather, it is that they plan for the big picture and never plan their first 5 days. He told me he sees folks haul 45 pound packs out of Springer full of gear they never touch, and by Neels Gap they are mailing half of it home in a box. So last month I did a 40 mile loop in Pisgah and planned it backwards, working out my daily water sources and camp spots first, then building distance around them. Cut my pack down to 22 pounds and finished feeling great instead of wrecked. Now I want to know, does anyone else plan routes water first and miles second, or am I overthinking it?

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PSA: a ranger at Great Smoky Mountains told me most people hiking the AT quit by mile 200, and it changed how I plan every trip now | Backpacking Routes - Opinions Matter