Bill Walker, author of the Skywalker hiking books series on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Camino de Santiago is offering his popular narrative, Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail, for free upload on Amazon Kindle, this weekend only, July 19 and...

“You should have seen how many people were at the Kickoff this year,” several people have told me. They are referring to the annual Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Kickoff Party at Lake Morena County State Park. I went in 2009 and it was one of the most special events I have ever had the privilege to attend. Ex-PCT hikers throw this event on behalf of the current year’s crop of thru-hikers, and it is not to be missed. Besides being...

If you asked 100 Appalachian Trail hikers which was the most difficult state on the AT (Appalachian Trail), fifty would probably say Maine and fifty would say New Hampshire. That fits my attitude. In fact when I’m in New Hampshire I’m prone to say it’s the toughest state, and likewise with Maine. Having said that, most AT hikers would state their preference for Maine as being their favorite state. “It is almost 300 miles...