My Favorite Thru-Hiking Memoirs

I have read close to 50 hiking memoirs in the last 2 years. I guess you could say that I have developed a strong love (more like obsession) for this book genre. After a while they do start to blend together, so I wanted to create a list in an attempt to separate the fabulous from the forgettable. Why hiking memoirs? Well, aside from my obvious love of hiking, I thoroughly enjoy the firsthand perspective of someone embarking on a long-distance hike. No hiker is the same, so therefore no thru-hike is the same. Because every hiker’s perspective is unique, there is an infinite canvas from which to work with.

The physical and mental toll a hike takes on a person is only part of the allure. Almost always, a long-distance hike is a catalyst for deep internal healing. Everyone’s reasons for getting out in nature and embarking on a hiking journey are different. Some people hike strictly for the physical challenge, but more often than not, people often go on a long-distance hike either to escape something in their lives or to find something they don’t even know they are looking for. Whatever the reason, a long-distance hike has the tendency to change people forever. Some people find healing while others simply enjoy the nomadic nature of the experience.

Simply put, the experience is transformative. I have always found that hiking memoirs are an excellent narrative device. The good ones, in my opinion, are introspective in nature. Inevitably, the hiker is forced to look into the mirror and come to terms with who they are. There are moments of adversity and resilience. Failure and triumph. Walking for hours on end with only your own voice in your head forces you to confront yourself, which leads to a very interesting and often captivating narrative that is unpredictable, terrifying and enlightening all at once.

Over the years I have gravitated towards reading memoirs about some of the most famous long-distance hikes in the world. Some of my favorites are the Appalachian trail and the Pacific Coast Trail in the USA and The Camino de Santiago in Europe. I read about other hikes as well, but there seems to be an infinite number of books about these three trails.

While reading these books, I feel like I get to know the trail just as well as the people hiking it. It lives and breathes. It has good days and bad days. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If written well, the trail takes on a persona that is every bit as interesting as the person hiking it.

My favorite memoirs take a deep dive into the journey a hiker embarks on and invites the reader to share the experience. Here are my favorites. Enjoy.

The Appalachian Trail:

Best Book: The Unlikely Through Hiker by Derick Lugo

Derick Lugo, a young black comedian from NYC decides to tackle the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail that starts in Georgia and finishes in Maine. What makes this narrative interesting to me is that Derick decided to hike this trail with zero hiking experience. Furthermore, he lived in the City his whole life. His perspective is unique and I personally found it to be refreshing. Being a comedian, Derick does provide insights that are light and humorous, however, the book is not afraid to tackle the challenges along the way. I found his personality to be engaging, and the prose is written with optimism and spirit. He earned the trail name of Mr Fabulous for the way he carried himself throughout his journey. While reading his story, I felt like I was on the adventure with him. Books like this make me want to go back to when I was in my early twenties and attempt to hike this trail. This is why this book tops my list for the Appalachian Trail memoirs.

Honorable Mention: Hiking Through by Paul Stutzman

This memoir follows Paul (trail name- Apostle) as he hikes the Appalachian Trail after losing his wife to cancer. He told his story from the point of view of someone trying to cope with the loss of his wife. I found Paul to be a likable person with an insatiable desire for adventure. He is affable, caring and genuine. Paul does a good job of articulating the experience of building a hiking community while he tries to overcome the physical and mental challenges of the long-distance hike, all while trying to cope with the loss of his wife. He uses the hike as means to “move on” and I think his prose does a good job of examining his transformation along the way.

Pacific Coast Trail:

Best Book: The Trail Provides by David Smart

There are so many books written about the Pacific Coast Trail. I enjoy many of them, but they are all very similar in nature. The Trail Provides is different. The book chronicles the journey of two college friends who reunite after not seeing each other for a number of years. They set out on the 2,650-mile PCT which starts at the Mexican border, travels through California, Oregon and Washington before ending at the Canadian border. David, along with his friend Bradly tackles this thru hike with very little experience. It becomes clear early on in their adventure that while they were friends for many years, their time spent apart from each other has changed them both. That change becomes a theme for the rediscovery of their friendship. They are both young and, in many ways, ignorant. The book chronicles their journey along the PCT, all while tackling themes of friendship, spirituality and personal growth. What I love about this book is that the narrative is honest. They make a lot of mistakes, and they aren’t afraid to tell the story, flaws in all. For example, they decide to attempt to hike the entire trail barefoot. I won’t go into any more detail about this, but it is an example of their ignorance and inexperience. The journey that both characters take over the course of the hike is fascinating to me. It is well written, honest and laden with conflict.

Honorable Mention 1: Through Hiking Will Break Your Heart by Carrot Quinn

The author lays her soul bare in this interesting memoir of a young women trying to find herself on the Pacific Coast Trail. It tackles themes of self-exploration and love along with the typical mental and physical challenges along the way. Carrot seamlessly weaves in stories from her difficult childhood and upbringing as a means to give the reader a sense for who she is and why she is embarking on her journey.

Honorable Mention 2: The Last Englishman by Keith Foskett

This is the second book by Foskett that makes my list. His book on hiking the El Camino is one of my all-time favorite memoirs. This account of hiking the PCT is also a very good read. I enjoy his prose and his perspective as an Englishman dealing with depression. He is entertaining and the journey he takes in this memoir is inspirational.

Honorable Mention 3: Thirst by Heather Anderson

This memoir is a little bit different than others on my list in that Heather is a seasoned hiker and ultra marathon athlete looking to break the thru hiking time record on the PCT. This book follows her journey to set the record. What she able to do is truly remarkable and is definitely worth a read. It’s just not relatable because less than 1% of 1% of people could even consider attempting to do what she does.

El Camino de Santiago:

Best Book: The Journey In Between- by Keith Foskett

This is the book that made fall in love with the El Camino de Santiago. This memoir follows the perspective of an inexperienced English hiker named Keith Foskett. Foskett earns the trail name Fozzy, which fits his personality perfectly. Seemingly a fun-loving extrovert on the trail, Foskett tackles the trail with carefree attitude and a go with the flow mentality. He chronicles his adventure while taking an in-depth look at himself. While he portrays himself as gregarious and cheerful on the outside, he is dealing with depression and self-doubt on the inside. This memoir is an exploration into who he is, and he invites the reader to come on the journey with him. Foskett’s description of the El Camino is responsible for my growing love and curiosity about the 500 mile pilgrimage through France and Spain. He is the reason why one day I will tackle the trail and experience the El Camino for myself.

Honorable Mention: Walking with Sam by Andrew McCarthy

If you are part of Generation X, then you probably remember Andrew McCarthy as the actor from such movies as St. Elmos Fire, Pretty in Pink and Weekend at Bernies. With his acting career firmly behind him, he decides to write a book about hiking the El Camino with his 19-year-old son. Andrew talks about the first time he hiked the El Camino and the effect it had on him as a person. He decides he wants his son to experience it as well. The book is a great example of how a simply written travel memoir can be entertaining and effective. It’s a story about walking with his son. The story is filled with lessons he learns (and his son) as well as an interesting look into the father son dynamic. I found the story to be well written and engaging.

Other Trails:

Best Book: A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko

This is a wild read about two adventurous friends that attempt to hike through the entirety of the Grand Canyon. The book follows the journey of the author Kevin and his friend Pete (a photographer) as they attempt to hike through this unforgiving Grand Canyon landscape with little to no experience. Their naïveté becomes apparent right from the get go and their journey is chalk full of high stakes adventure. They receive help along the way and as the reader, you learn a ton about the Grand Canyon. I found myself constantly googling the places they hiked through because I simply could not believe what I was reading. The landscapes are unique and inhospitable to the point of absurdity. The trials and tribulations that the two face along the way make for a fascinating hiking memoir full of lessons and entertainment. I wouldn’t be surprised If this story is made into a movie.

Honorable Mention: Neon Pilgrim by Lisa Demster

I love this book so much. A young woman goes on a pilgrimage on Japan’s Shikoku Island as she attempts to hike the Henro Michi, which is a 1200 kilometer trek around the island. What makes this story fascinating is that the pilgrimage involves visiting 88 Buddhist Temples along the way. Lisa’s journey is full of challenges and adventure. She encounters frequent hardships that she must overcome. Her resilience and determination are inspiring, and I found myself routing for her as I read about her journey. Furthermore, learning about this pilgrimage was insightful. It never ceases to amaze me how many incredible places there are in this world. This island and this pilgrimage intrigued me. What I love about this book is that it’s truly original. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I hope they make a movie about it.

Conclusion:

I have always been drawn to stories about adventure in nature. Perhaps it’s because nature is such an important building block of who we are. I can’t explain it, but something happens to us when we are in the wilderness or on a mountain or even walking along a stream. We tap into something that is deep inside of us. It’s why people can sit on the beach and stare into the ocean for hours. It’s as if we are drawn to these places like a magnet. When I am in the mountains or in nature, I feel a sense of calm and spirituality that I don’t feel anywhere else. I don’t believe it’s a personal preference. I think it is more complex than that. It’s biology. It’s who we are. I have always found the exploration of why we climb a mountain, or embark on a long-distance hike to be fascinating in ways I can’t explain.

I remember reading Jon Kraukaur’s Into Thin Air when I was a kid. It opened my eyes to this type of story telling and from that moment on I was hooked. A few years later I read Into the Wild, also by Krakauer. Still one of my favorite books of all time, Into the Wild opened my eyes to who I was on a subconscious level. While I would never attempt to do what Alexander Supertramp did in that book, I understood it. I related to it at the core level. It made sense to me in ways I was too young to realize. As I grew up and experienced the turmoil of life, it only re-affirmed my love for nature. The pull became stronger. The desire to connect with nature was no longer a goal, it was a necessity.

Books about long distance hiking inevitably turn into books about self-discovery and connecting with nature. The experience strips a person down to his/her essence and it is in this state that we are primed for growth. A good hiking memoir hones in on this transformation and explores its depths. Each iteration of transformation adds to who we are and ultimately who we want to be.

-MikeHikesTheAlps, 2026

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