The Appalachian Trail is a challenging journey from Georgia to Maine, and one of the most critical skills you’ll develop is managing your resupply strategy. Many new thru-hikers worry about running out of food or struggle with carrying too much weight in the beginning.
Here’s the good news: you’re never more than a few days from your next resupply opportunity. The AT crosses roads regularly and passes near dozens of towns, making it one of the most accessible long trails in the world. This guide will show you exactly how to keep yourself fed and supplied without the stress.
Understanding Your Resupply Options
You have two primary methods for resupplying on the Appalachian Trail: buying food and supplies in towns along the way, or using mail drops where you send packages to yourself. Years ago, bounce boxes were the standard approach because fewer resupply options existed. Today, the abundance of trail towns gives you flexibility to adjust your food choices as your tastes and needs change throughout your hike.
If you have specific dietary restrictions or medical needs, you’ll likely need to incorporate some mail drops into your strategy. For everyone else, the freedom to choose what you want in each town is usually the better option.
How Often Should You Resupply?
Most thru-hikers resupply every 3-5 days, though some remote sections like the Great Smoky Mountains or the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine may require carrying 6-8 days of food.
The less frequently you visit towns, the more miles you’ll cover and the fewer “zero days” (rest days with no hiking) you’ll take. However, carrying more food means more weight on your back. Most hikers find their sweet spot between weight and convenience is resupplying every three to five days.
Before leaving each town, know your planned hiking pace and the distance to your next resupply point. This helps you purchase the right amount without overbuying or running short.
Where to Find Food on the Trail
General Stores and Supermarkets
The AT passes close enough to towns that hikers rarely go more than 50 miles without a resupply option. The most common and reliable resupply locations are general stores.
Walmart offers the widest selection with everything from dehydrated meals to fresh food, replacement gear like water filters, and clothing. It’s truly a one-stop resupply destination. Dollar General stores are especially common in the southern states and stock dehydrated food options, snacks, and basic supplies, though with less variety than larger stores.
Grocery stores in trail towns typically carry standard hiking foods and give you the chance to pick up fresh produce, deli sandwiches, or whatever sounds good after days on the trail.
Gas Stations
In smaller towns without grocery stores, gas stations can work in a pinch. You’ll find pre-made sandwiches, candy bars, ramen, chips, and other calorie-dense snacks. While not ideal for a full resupply, you can usually cobble together enough food for a few more days until you reach a better town.
Outfitters
Trail outfitters have grown more common along the AT. Major retailers like REI exist near some trail towns, but you’ll also find smaller independent outfitters that cater specifically to thru-hikers. These shops stock dehydrated meals, oatmeal, trail mix, and other backpacking staples.
Outfitters are your best resource when you need to replace or upgrade gear. Their staff understands thru-hiker needs and can help you make smart equipment decisions.
Hiker Boxes
A unique trail resource, hiker boxes are free-for-all collections where hikers leave excess food, gear, and supplies for others. You’ll find these at hostels, outfitters, and sometimes in town welcome centers.
The contents vary wildly. Common items include extra ramen, oatmeal, partially-used fuel canisters, unopened snacks, and miscellaneous gear that previous hikers couldn’t carry or didn’t need. Think of hiker boxes as a supplement to your resupply strategy rather than something to rely on.
Hostels
Many trail hostels maintain basic resupply options like oatmeal, ramen, and prepackaged sandwiches. They often stock dehydrated meals too, though prices typically run higher than what you’d pay at stores. The convenience factor can make it worthwhile, especially when you’re already staying at the hostel.
Using Mail Drops Strategically
Mail drops let you send packages to yourself at post offices or businesses along the trail. While not necessary on the AT due to abundant town resupply options, mail drops serve specific purposes.
When Mail Drops Make Sense
Dietary restrictions: If you need gluten-free, vegan, kosher, or other specialty foods that small trail towns won’t carry, mail drops ensure you have what you need.
Medications: For hikers needing regular prescription medications, sending packages ahead to post offices ensures access when refilling prescriptions on trail might be difficult. Check USPS regulations as some medications cannot be mailed.
Gear swaps: Mail yourself new shoes around mile 500-600 when your current pair will be worn out. Send yourself a lighter sleeping bag for the warmer summer months, then bounce it ahead until fall when you need the heavier one again.
Cost savings: Buying in bulk before your hike and mailing food to yourself can reduce overall costs, especially if you dehydrate your own meals.
Poor resupply towns: Some small trail towns have limited options with inflated prices. Research your route and send boxes to these locations.
The Downsides of Mail Drops
Your tastes will change dramatically during a thru-hike. Food you loved during planning might seem unappealing after two months on trail. Many hikers send too little food and end up buying in town anyway, or send too much and waste money.
Post office hours create the biggest challenge. Post offices are only open Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings, with hours that may be quite limited and vary from location to location. Arriving in town Friday afternoon means waiting until Monday, paying for extra hostel nights, or skipping your package and buying in town instead.
Some post offices only hold packages for two weeks despite USPS policy stating 30 days. Always include tracking numbers on packages so you can locate them if issues arise.
Understanding Bounce Boxes
A bounce box is a package containing items you need periodically but don’t want to carry all the time. You pick it up in town, add or remove items, then mail it ahead to your next stop.
How Bounce Boxes Work
To bounce a box for free, it must be sent via USPS Priority Mail, addressed to a post office, and remain unopened. Once you open it, you’ll pay new postage to forward it.
The process is simple: when you arrive at a post office, tell the clerk you want to forward your package without taking possession of it. They’ll help you address it to another post office further up the trail. Priority Mail packages are forwarded for free under USPS policies.
Critical requirements for bouncing:
- Must use USPS Priority Mail
- Must send to a post office (not businesses)
- Must remain unopened
- Can only be bounced to another post office
Keep your tracking number. Some hikers successfully bounce boxes four or more times during their hike.
What to Put in a Bounce Box
Charging cables and electronics you only need in town, extra clothes for different weather, toiletries, first aid supplies, prescription medications, town shoes, and specialty food items all work well in bounce boxes.
Pack tape, markers, and labels inside your bounce box so you have supplies for mailing it forward. Include any prescription medications that your doctor can prescribe in 3-6 month supplies.
When Bounce Boxes Don’t Work
Depending on the size of box used, sending a box via Priority Mail can range from $13.65 for a medium flat rate box to $18.90 for a large flat rate box. If you’re bouncing frequently, costs add up quickly. Many businesses charge fees ($5-50) to hold packages, which erases the advantage.
Some hikers find bounce boxes restrictive. You’re tied to post office hours and specific towns. If you hike faster than expected or want to skip a town, your box becomes an anchor rather than a help.
Planning Your First Resupply
If starting at Amicalola Falls, plan for four days of food to reach Mountain Crossings at mile 31, your first full resupply option. Many new hikers carry way too much food in the beginning, adding unnecessary weight when their bodies are still adjusting to the demands of thru-hiking.
Start at a 10-mile-per-day pace your first week until you learn your limits as a hiker. This prevents injury and helps you understand your actual food consumption on trail.
Tips for Efficient Resupplying
Make a list: Know what you typically eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This prevents overbuying in towns. Every hiker develops preferences after a few weeks on trail.
Be creative: Talk to other hikers about what they’re eating. You’ll discover combinations you never considered, like adding instant chocolate cake mix to breakfast oatmeal for extra calories and flavor.
Watch your budget: Prices in small trail towns can shock you. That $0.25 ramen might cost $2.00 at a convenience store. Plan ahead for these expensive stops by checking trail guides.
Consider Amazon Lockers: Some locations along the AT have Amazon Locker pickup points, giving you another option for receiving gear or specialty items you order while on trail.
Calculate your needs accurately: Most thru-hikers eat 3,000-5,000 calories per day. Track what you actually consume during your first weeks, not what you think you’ll eat. This prevents both running short and carrying excess weight.
Practical Mailing Information
To mail a package to yourself, address it to your full name (matching your photo ID), general delivery, city, state, and zip code. Write “Hold for A.T. hiker” and your expected arrival date on the package.
Never use your trail name on packages. Post offices require photo ID and won’t release packages with names that don’t match.
Do not send UPS, FedEx, or other non-USPS packages to post offices unless you confirm they’ll accept them, as you’ll have to pay fees to forward them. Hostels and outfitters often accept these packages, sometimes for a modest fee, and may have more flexible hours.
Finding Balance in Your Strategy
Most successful thru-hikers use a hybrid approach: buying food in towns with good options while mailing packages to remote locations with limited resupply choices. This gives you flexibility while ensuring you always have what you need.
Your strategy will evolve as you hike. What works in Georgia might not work in Vermont. Stay flexible, pay attention to what other hikers are doing, and adjust based on your experience.
The Appalachian Trail’s greatest advantage over more remote trails is its accessibility. You’re never far from civilization, which means resupply stress should be minimal. Focus on the hiking, trust that food will be available when you need it, and enjoy the journey.
Resources for planning: The A.T. Thru-Hikers’ Companion guidebook, the FarOut app (formerly Guthook), and the ALDHA website all provide detailed information about resupply points, post office locations, and services available in each trail town.
Remember: every thru-hiker figures out their own system. There’s no single “right way” to resupply. Start with a basic plan, learn from experience, and adapt as you go. The trail will teach you what works best for you.