Thru-hiking Food: What I eat on a Long Trail
meal planning, resupply, and dehydrated recipes for omni, vegetarian, and vegan hikers
August 10, 2023
4 thru-hikers share what they eat on a long trail. We discuss nutrition, hydration, and cooking gear and no-cook systems, and getting enough calories, fat, and protein. You’ll hear how to send resupply boxes of food, dehydrating your own meals, vegan and vegetarian-friendly options, and no-stress resupply from grocery stores and gas stations.
Katie “Salty” Gerber
Katie “Salty” Gerber has hiked thousands of miles on trails and routes including the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Colorado Trail, Oregon Desert Trail, Wind River High Route, and Great Basin Trail, in addition to many shorter trips. She’s hiked 50 of Colorado’s 14ers and has an increasing love for off-trail travel and remote routes.
She’s a certified holistic health and nutrition coach, backpacking guide, wilderness instructor, and author of the upcoming book "Adventure Ready: A hiker's guide to planning, training and resiliency." Katie is also the founder of the Adventure Ready and Backpacker Academy family of online courses, which are designed to help backcountry enthusiasts overcome all variety of obstacles so they can confidently and safely spend more time outside.
Meal and snack goals: Consider macros, including healthy fats and proteins with a goal of 120 calories per ounce of food carried. Has hiked gluten-free, vegetarian, and as an omnivore.
Preferred food prep and resupply method: Mix together bulk dehydrated foods at home to make meals and smoothie mixes. Then, send resupply boxes with these items. Some hybrid buying locally.
Instagram: @Katie Gerber
Website: http://katiegerber.com/
Food and Gear Items mentioned by Katie “Salty” Gerber in the interview:
TOAKS Titanium alcohol stove + titanium pot stand
related Articles with katie’s style of eating:
The Best Collagen Powder (written by Katie Gerber)
The Best Protein Powder (written by Katie Gerber)
The Best Electrolyte Powder (written by Katie Gerber)
Miguel Virgo Aguilar
Miguel “Virgo” Aguilar is a thru-hiker with thousands of miles including the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Oregon Desert Trail.
He’s also a film maker and editor who made the PCT Class of 2012 film—the most watched PCT thru-hiker class film ever.
He’s also made a film about the Oregon Desert Trail. Virgo is a former board member of the American Long Distance Hiking Association-West.
Meal and snack goals: Eat food that tastes good to you and is easy to acquire and prepare and relatively affordable.
Preferred food prep method: Buy as you go from local grocery stores along the trail. If there are trail stops without grocery stores, send a box from the trail to another trail town.
Food and gear items mentioned by Miguel Aguilar in the interview:
Articles related to miguel’s style of eating:
Scott “Shroomer” Williams
Scott “Shroomer” Williams is a mushroom forager for 55 years, retired probation officer, and an old hippie, who set off to hike a few weeks on the PCT in 2010, and found I couldn’t stop. Since then I’ve thru hiked the PCT, CDT, AT, TA, Camino de Santiago, Israel National Trail, and trekked in Madagascar. If all goes well with Covid restrictions, I'll be hiking this summer in Ireland, Portugal, and Scandinavia.
My food on trail began with Mac and cheese and ramen, and eventually graduated to my own dried meats, and veggies, though at this point I lean toward veganism on trail. I cold soaked my foods on the CDT, and on other trails since then, and sprout beans, as well as culture yogurt from dried Nido powder, using human warmth, or the sun, for fermentation. Most fun of all however, is simply foraging from country to country. Wild foods are a wonderful adjunct to any dried meal.
Meal and snack goals: Eat a balance of whole grain, protein, fiber (dehydrated vegetables or fruit) so that you won’t be hungry between meals.
Preferred food prep and resupply method: Home dehydrate vegetables and mix into meals. Send many resupply boxes. Some hybrid buying locally. Cold soaked breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner.
Shroomer’s Trail Journal: Postholer.com
Food and gear Items mentioned by Scott “Shroomer” Williams in the interview:
BRS backpacking stove and cookpot
Long handled Titanium Spoon and chopsticks
related articles for Shroomer’s style of food:
Allie “Knock on Wood” Ghaman
Allie "Knock on Wood" Ghaman is a Triple Crowner and Communications Manager for the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. She, her husband, Clif "Honeybuns" Reeder, and their dog and cat live in Golden, CO. Allie has thru-hiked different trails experimenting as an omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan.
Meal and snack goals: Has hiked as an omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan on different trails. Currently is hiking as a vegan.
Preferred food method: Dehydrate meals at home and buy items locally from grocery stores in trail towns.
Instagram: @AllieG
Website: Allie Ghaman
Food and Items mentioned by Allie Ghaman in the interview:
Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen Cookbook (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Long handled Titanium Spoon or Do-It-Yourself Titanium Spoon+ Spatula
related articles for Knock’s style of food:
pros and cons of Omni vs. vegetarian vs. vegan trail food
Allie “Knock” Ghaman has hiked long trails as an omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan. Here are the pros and cons of each type of eating on a thru-hike.
Hiker Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Ideas
Allie “Ghaman” Knock created these graphics to help thru-hikers understand breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. These represent vegan options she eats on trail, but also are common food choices among omni and vegetarian hikers.
Thru-hiker Breakfast Ideas
A thru-hiker super breakfast is an adaptable, easy-to-prepare recipe that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Thru-hiker Lunch Ideas
These easy-to-find, easy-to-prepare thru-hiker lunch ideas and snack options are popular among many hikers.
Thru-hiker Dinner Ideas
These thru-hiker dinner ideas rehydrate easily without preparation and can be found in most trail town grocery stores. For vegans, get the Soy Sauce flavored ramen and the classic flavor mashed potatoes. Allie recommends adding olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic salt to most meals.
Recipes
Backcountry Energy Booster Smoothie Recipe by Katie Gerber
Simple overnight cold soak muesli breakfast by Scott Williams:
2 oz whole grain
2 oz nuts
2 oz chopped dried fruit
Soak overnight.
We also like the recipes from Backcountry Foodie, including:
Sundried tomato pesto pasta (with optional gluten-free and vegan substitutions)
Closing Thoughts
Food on a thru hike is highly personal. By interviewing four different thru hikers about their approach, we really only scratched the surface of the complexity and diversity in eating strategies. However, we have found some things that are (nearly) universally true:
Your caloric needs will change on a thru hike, especially on a 4+ month hike.
Your taste buds will likely change on a thru hike. Foods that normally taste good at home many not taste good on the trail.
On 4+ month hikes, your taste buds will likely change during the hike itself. In other words, what you liked to eat in the first month you may get tired of by the last month.
Our best advice is to listen to your body and adjust, adjust, adjust.
