MST: Final thoughts and Statistics
You never know what kind of feeling you'll have when you finish a journey such as this. Certainly, you are happy to accomplish a goal but there can also be anxiety about what's next in your life, especially if you have just completed a thru-hike. This being my first major section hike, I'm immediately most happy to be done with logistics and planning of sections. As the end approached I felt I was constantly dealing with factors and events that were simply out of my control. Ultimately, all I ever needed was to get to the trailhead. From there the only plan that mattered was what my body and the environment would allow. If you don't make it to the start you'll never accomplish anything.
Below are some statistics from the trail, along with insight on questions that are commonly asked after such a journey.
Statistics
# of Days: 48
Total Mileage: 1,180.1 This is based on my written journal. I believe I did a good job on my math and use of the actual mileage in the official MST trail guides. That said it could be off by some unknown amount. The Friends of the MST generally says 1,175 miles so it's pretty close. I never calculated miles for detours and I did not include extra miles hiked in this total. An example of extra miles would be at Pilot Mountain I had no shuttle so I walked 11.5 miles of the MST that day, however, I had to go back to my car so I looped around on other trails for what was a 19-20 mile day.
Backpacking Only
# of Days: 33
Total Miles: 547.8
Average/Day: 16.6 miles
Longest Day Backpacking: 29.8 miles
Total miles with hiking from bike days (see below) added in: 637.0
Biking and Hiking combined
# of Days: 15
Total Miles: 627.7
Average/Day: 41.8 miles
Longest Day: 85.6 miles
Breaking down the Biking/Hiking days further:
Total Biking Miles: ~ 538.5
Total Hiking Miles: ~ 89.2
# of Days Biking and < 10 miles of hiking combined: 9
# of Days Biking and > 10 miles of hiking combined: 6
Paddling
# of hours: 1.75
Total Miles: 4.6
Something that was a big draw for this trail was the idea of being able to explore the paddle options as well as bike touring which I have not done before. There were somedays where the hiking was a small segment such as the battlefields so I didn't really break out those miles as hiking miles even though I parked and walked. Those small segments were really a time I used to complete a trail segment but also have a small break from the bike. The one full day when there was absolutely no hiking involved was the section at the end of Segment 17 to the start of Segment 18. This would have involved hiking if not for personal logistical issues presented by the ferry portions along the Outer Banks.
If you are planning an end to end trip in one shot then switching to bicycle will not be the easiest option as there are so many small segments of trail that now break up longer road stretches. These trails, although short at times are actually pretty nice and I'm happy to have switched to hiking with the help of a shuttle or in some cases walking extra miles to make it back to my bike. People make it sound like you can just switch to bike at Elkin, NC and ride until Smithfield, switching to paddling or ride out to the Outer Banks before switching to hiking. You can certainly do that, however, you will need to plan your own alternate routes and not strictly follow the MST. Seeing as NC is one of the most paved states in the country, planning that shouldn't be too challenging.
All that said, doing the section hike allowed me to combine the biking on long road stretches with backpacking and I loved that. I thought bike touring was pretty fun and a different challenge. My biggest dislike was dogs and I loved when the trail was on a main highway because I knew people would keep their dogs contained. Packing for backpacking and biking was a challenge at times but ultimately my system of strapping my backpack to the back of my bike worked well. I also was fortunate to not suffer any flat tires or those days you hear about when you get multiple flats. Biggest benefit of the bike is the access to food. You're never too far away from a gas station.
I planned to do the paddle route from Smithfield along the Neuse but ultimately that seemed logistically a little more complicated mainly because I really wished to do it in one shot. So I made the decision to just take the coastal crescent route with more biking and hiking. I also did not complete the Yadkin river portion as the time of year was off and I didn't really need a cold paddle. Although I've completed the trail, I still wish to do these routes so don't be surprised to see something about those in the future. I understand the logistics are difficult and hopefully something can be done to make it easier but the paddle along the Northeast Cape Fear River was really great. I'm glad I was able to complete that portion instead of traveling along the alternate road route. If your thru-hiking try to plan ahead and see if you can find a way to paddle this.
Throughout the trip I used the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail digital guides which you can purchase and download from their website. In addition to these I used the hiking project app to help in times when things seemed off. Just understand the hiking project app has different mileages than the guides. There is also another app out for the MST that I never really tried out because I learned of it as I was heading out on the last segment. In the mountains, with many more trail systems I generally carried along a Nat Geo map even though I generally didn't need them.
Favorite Sections
A question that is often asked is what was your favorite section. It's so hard to answer this question because the trail is so different along the entire route. Someone hiking an hour behind someone else can and will have a completely different experience sometimes simply due to weather or wildlife. To make it easier I've chosen several different categories of favorites:
Favorite mountain section: Folk Art Center to Mount Mitchell. I had not even day hiked very much in this area before so it was all newer to me (I've been through on the parkway many times). I've been up Mount Mitchell several times in the past but what's not to love through here. I hit this area in the fall with beautiful colors, crisp mornings and some rain but was rewarded with some really great views. Although next to the parkway, I found myself alone at the most popular viewpoints due in part to being there early in the morning. Journal link
Favorite Piedmont section: Pilot Mountain State Park to Oak Ridge. I had to break this segment up a little due to logistics around ice storms but starting with the corridor trail and hiking to Hanging Rock combined with a great ride from Hanging Rock State Park to Oak Ridge makes this a great area. You can get some of your last and great long range views from Hanging Rock before descending into the lower elevations. The trails that are/have been built near Oak Ridge are nice and the campsite the town offers is great for logistics. Journal link 1 & 2
Favorite Coastal section: Rodanthe to Oregon Inlet. As I left Rodanthe at seven in the morning there were only a few people out for morning fishing or a coffee walk. Very soon I was the only person in sight. No other footprints, just myself and the shorebirds nesting in the dunes. Highway 12 was just over the dunes but mostly out of sight and drowned out by the crashing waves. The weather was another big factor as it was cool and cloudy at the beginning of June. Couldn't ask for anything better! Journal link
Most Physically Challenging: Linville Gorge area. Being close to home I've done this area a lot and I hit it on a warmer day in November so that helped zap some energy for me but this was still the most challenging part of the trail physically. The Smokies have some elevation change but it is all gradual changes over several miles. Going eastbound the climb up Mitchell is shorter than the 5 mile climb if you are heading westbound so that wasn't too bad either. Journal link
Hardest Day on the trail: Pisgah Inn to Asheville. This section had some great trail and I was excited to be out there but about 9 miles into the day my knee started causing me lots of pain. This pain was with me the rest of the day, somehow I pushed through mentally and finished off the 24 mile day. Likely knowing I was not camping that night and making the decision early that I would not hike the next day helped push me along. Journal link
Favorite Stop on the trail: Priddy's Country Store. I mean you can't pass up a store with signs for apple pies! Such a cool store that's been around three generations. The owner loves to see hikers coming through so be sure to stop in for a break. Journal Link
Other Hikers
Another question I often get is did you hike with anyone else or see anyone else while out on trail. By nature many parts of the MST are really close to people. In the mountains you are often not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway with folks taking day hikes or out for weekend backpacking trips. The Smokies will always have people and the State Parks, greenways and beaches of the eastern part of the state are no different.
The Smokies were the only time I ever shared my campsite with other MST hikers. After that first weekend on trail I never shared another campsite, saw anyone that was backpacking a long distance or interacted with anyone who was also working on the MST. On many occasions I found myself missing some thru-hikers by a few days based on trail logs and I know several others are out there regularly doing section hikes but we just never crossed paths.
As COVID vaccines are widely available and places have opened back up I'm sure more trail angels will be open to shuttles and lodging. I called some early on in the mountain sections to see about camping in a yard but nothing worked out. There was one trail angel whom said I could camp in central NC but that section I just needed a backup plan if things didn't go perfectly. Things of course didn't go perfectly but they were so far away from going as planned that I had to go with a backup to the backup. You can find trail angel resources on the Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail website (link at the end).
Overall Thoughts of the Trail
This is a great long distance trail. The length of this trail I feel can make it a little more accessible for people wishing to do such a trek but maybe don't feel they can quit their job or spend 5-6 months on a thru-hike of one of the most popular trails in the country. If you have 2-3 months and don't mind some solitude not often found on trails like the AT and PCT these days then this is a great option. What is really unique about this trail is the terrain it covers. You won't find beach sections on the AT, PCT and CDT.
Just remember although shorter than the Appalachian Trail it doesn't mean this is easier to complete. The AT is great because you can camp pretty much wherever you desire. Shelters are generally 8-10 miles apart for the entire length. On the MST, you really have to plan ahead for camping in some sections. Stealth camping is an option in almost every segment if needed as things happen and plans change but to be a good steward of the trail always try to camp in a legal spot. If you ever have to stealth camp you must absolutely follow Leave No Trace principles.
In addition to camping challenges you'll find that there are some long sections with very little water options. When you get into eastern NC the guide pretty much says that purifying standing water along the trail route is a bad idea so plan to buy water at gas stations and grocery stores along the way. Even a few sections in the mountains can be pretty scarce. I carried a gallon of water multiple times just to be on the safe side. My gear was lightweight enough to do this without much thought. If your base weight is on the heavier side carrying this much water could be a real burden. I avoided most issues in the eastern part of the state because I was on a bicycle for the roads I could easily travel larger mileages between sources.
The trail is still being built and changes a lot so it's only going to get better! I hiked sections on my trip that were not yet in the guidebook, that's how new you may find some of these areas. You can see the overall plan on the Friends website but the route will change a good bit over time so keep that in mind when planning. An area mentioned in my journal may not even be apart of the route next year.
Final thought is get out there and backpack and hike wherever and whenever you can. Also support your local trails and if you live in a State that has a State Trail then support them in any way you can. Maybe you'll find you have a trail walking through your hometown. Thanks for reading!
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