I think there is a perception in the general community that when someone decides to hike in the woods for six months that it is largely a decision to just flee into the wilderness in a spontaneous and carefree fashion. This was not my experience. There is actually an exceptional amount of planning and organisation that needs to happen in order to go and experience the freedom of the trail. Particularly if you live overseas. Which feels heaps counterintuitive, but you do have to work for your freedom and aching feet. Outrageous, I know.

There is no right or wrong way to do this, but there are some critical things that need to happen to hike long hikes in America as an international hiker. Prepare for a shit-tonne of paperwork, obscure and deeply personal questions from the U.S. Department of State (‘have you committed any acts of genocide recently?’) and deadlines. Yes, deadlines. There is no escaping this, you will need to calendar and spreadsheet. I have never in my life met such a high density of spreadsheeters, other than thru-hikers.

This is the order in which I organised myself. Largely, in order of importance:

1. Permit
2. B-2 Visa
3. Travel Insurance
4. Flights
5. Food
6. Gear

There are also some cornerstone resources in the infinite rabbit hole of the internet. The main ones I would use for planning, gear lists, and panic brainstorming about every worst-case scenario are:

• Halfway Anywhere
• The Continental Divide Trail Coalition
• Following a random assortment of thru-hikers on the CDT that year on the gram

Full disclosure, I have not hiked the CDT. I want to, and it would be the next one on my list. I am mildly unsettled by the lightning storms in Colorado and the Grizzly bears free roaming like half of the trail. But it also seems like a truly remote thru-hiking experience and wow, beautiful.

Also, if you’ve decided to hike the CDT and you’re pottering around this site wondering when to do it, it’s now. Start planning now and do it next season. Just get out there. The CDT is changing and who knows how much harder it will be to attempt a thru-hike in the next decade. This is something to do as soon as you can, as soon as the door opens just a sliver, quit or pause your job and shove your whole body thru.

Happy planning and happy trails.