Hike Planning

I suppose it is theoretically possible to show up at the Canadian or Mexican border without doing any pre-hike planning. I think you are more likely to have a successful hike if you do a bit of planning. Rest assured, no matter how much planning you do, the CDT will still offer plenty of surprises, but some preparation will help you get through the challenges and maybe even allow you to laugh about the bad times later.

Each person approaches planning in a different manner. From the links to the left and below you I have provided some of the information I used to plan my hike. As I have said elsewhere, I have done my best to make sure this information is accurate, but please check it out if you are planning to rely on it.

Itinerary: A list of the resupply towns along with location of post offices, phone numbers and estimated mileages.

CDT Towns: A list of the towns I used for resupply along with some brief observations.

Mailing Labels: The labels I used for mailing packages.

CDTS Notes: The unedited notes I sent to CDTS regarding changes in the guidebooks, some of which have been incorporated in 2006 releases of the guidebooks.

New Mexico Water Sources: The unedited notes I sent to CDTS and hikers following behind me about water sources in the drier sections of New Mexico.

Links: A list of websites I found useful in planning my hike.

© 2006 Mark C. Davis • Page Last Updated January 8, 2006