It started with the AT. Then, I discovered the PCT. Now, I want to hike the Triple Crown. But I’m a mom of three young kids in the throes of building a career. For now, thru-hiking shorter treks will have to suffice.
Let’s chat about what a thru-hike is and toss around a few options for our next grand but must-rejoin-my-family-soon options!
While it’s common to automatically think of trails that take months to hike, like the Continental Divide, the term is technically more inclusive than that. To thru-hike simply means to hike a trail from one end to the other.
Of course, it’s also a rather contentious term. Backpackers may hold strong opinions on what counts. If you hike a loop trail that begins and ends in the same location, is that a thru-hike? Many would say yes. But what if it’s a short nature trail, and I did it in a few hours? Oh… now it’s not a thru-hike. Gotcha.
So, distance makes a difference?
Great views along the Pacific Crest Trail
We’ll keep it simple here. This list of “thru-hikes” is for adventurers looking to sleep outside, pack in their food, and spend more than a single day on the trail. Distances range from 25 to 272 miles and include loops and out-and-backs. There’s even one gem at the end that doesn’t really have a distance to quote because you could meander for days in this nature preserve. That one holds a special place in my heart, thanks to providing my first backpacking experience.
You get to decide what you think the term means. But I hope you do it, enjoying one of these amazing, short thru-hikes.
Short Thru HIke #1
Vermont Long Trail
Trail Highlights: Vermont’s Long Trail was built between 1910 and 1930 and actually served as the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. The two share 100 miles of trail in the southern part of the hike, so this trek lets you kill two birds with one stone. Expect rugged terrain, steep inclines, and seasonal challenges like icy mountain ridges and slippery mud.
Best Season to Hike: The Green Mountain Club of Vermont suggests planning your thru-hike in late summer or early fall. This timing helps you avoid the incessant mud of spring and the biting black flies of summer.
Bear Safety: Black bears call this area home, so remember you’re hiking through their backyard. Practice safe food storage and carry bear spray in case of an encounter.
Short Thru HIke #2
Stuart Fork Trail to Emerald & Sapphire Lake
Trail Highlights: This out-and-back trail is the perfect weekend trip. The Trinity Alps Wilderness area offers plenty of mountain views, crisp swimming holes, and old-growth timber. The trail winds through beautiful valleys and alongside crystal-clear creeks that feed majestic waterfalls.
Trail Challenge: Expect some good incline, though reviews often say this is one of the easier trails in the Trinity Alps. Elevation gain is just under 4,500 ft, and you start the trail at 2,900 ft. That’s a starting point of almost three times where I live, so I’m taking the rating of “Easy” with a grain of salt. But if you really want to challenge yourself, you could branch out and add Granite Lake Trail to your itinerary.
Wildlife: Grizzlies don’t make it this far south, but black bears love it here. There have been multiple reports of encounters with hikers, so take your bear precautions, keep your food safe, and carry bear spray.
Need to Know: For more information and permitting, visit the USDA Forest Service.
Short Thru HIke #3
Chicago Basin in Weminuche Wilderness
Trail Highlights: The Chicago Basin is a highly popular location for overnight backpacking trips. A picturesque steam locomotive, running from Durango to Silverton, often brings adventurers into the basin to a drop-off point half a mile from Needle Creek Trail. The area is perfect for pitching a base camp and summiting the basin’s three 14ers.
Getting There: Trail access into the wilderness area is available from the northwest or the southeast. The first, starting at Purgatory Flats trailhead, will add 14.5 miles to your travel log. The second, Vallecito Creek Trail, will add 17.5 miles, more if you choose to forgo fording the creek.
Bear Safety: Plenty of people gush over the idea of simply setting up base camp, but black bears are present. Visitors must follow all restrictions on camping and fires and practice safe food storage.
Short Thru HIke #4
Sunshine Coast Trail
Trail Highlights: If lush greenery and coastal views are your thing, head to British Columbia and hike the Sunshine Coast Trail. It welcomes you to temperate rainforests, coastlines, lakes and rivers, and mountain views. Tackling Canada’s longest hut-to-hut hiking trail is a beautiful journey.
Best Season to Hike: The trail’s highest point is 4,278 ft on Mount Troubridge. Hikers report most challenges come from weather conditions making surfaces slippery. The best backpacking season is May through September. Heavy downpours are common in spring and fall, while summer brings out the mosquitos.
Wildlife: You could potentially see both black bears and grizzlies on this hike. Use bear-proof food storage as you travel, and store your stash away from your sleeping pad if you’re not at a hut with a cache.
Need to Know: There are 16 shelters for hiker use, all but two of which are free. Tent camping alongside the huts is allowed if needed, so you can sleep under the stars.
Short Thru HIke #5
The Ouachita Trail
Trail Highlights: Thru-hikes don’t have to include intense mountains! For all you flat-landers out there, the Ouachita Trail offers just the right amount of challenge for a short thru-hike. Its rocky terrain offers low-profile peaks topping out at 2,600 feet elevation.
Best Season to Hike: Late spring and summer can be sweltering, but cooler fall weather brings breathtaking foliage. Humidity is usually high, so staying hydrated is important.
Staying Weather Aware: Severe weather season (April/May) can bring hail, wind, flash floods, and even tornadoes. Know your forecast and be prepared.
Wildlife: Black bears live in this region. Use a bear-proof canister to keep both bears wild and yourself safe, and carry bear spray just in case.
Short Thru Hikes Mean You Don’t Have to Wait
There are plenty of true end-to-end thru-hikes to choose from if your schedule and the demands of life are like mine.
But if you’re open-minded and any multi-day backpacking trip is what you’re after, the world is your oyster. My first overnighter was in little ol’ McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation area in southeast Oklahoma. It’s home to a network of over 25 interlinking miles of hiking trails.
No, I wouldn’t call it a thru-hike. But it still gave me and my 7-year-old an amazing bonding experience, and I’m eager to go back to experience the majestic pine forests, rocky waterfalls, and utter silence.
If I catalog our route and give it a cool name… will it be a thru-hike then?
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Jessica Cockroft
Jess merges her passion for words and an insatiable longing for adventure as an outdoor freelance content writer and marketer. When she’s not busy stringing words together, you’ll probably find her planning another camping trip for her crew of kids or taking care of the homestead. You can find her on LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as on her own website.