Backpacking the USA

wicorthered

How does backpacking across the USA compare with traditional backpacker routes such as S. America, Australia etc.

I'm thinking of maybe heading there in April to travel around a bit. I did S. America and loved the whole hostel scene, meeting lots of people doing the same thing i was doing. I've never heard of people backpacking the USA and I'm wondering is it popular?

InTheTrees

Generally no.

There must be backpackers who come to the Usa but ive never seen any.

You dont see hitch hikers either.

Dave1442397

Backpacking is a big thing in the US, but not on public roads.

You could spend as much time as you like on some of the trails I've seen over here.

One of the classics, The Appalachian Trail - http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

I've only done a small part of this one around Lake Tahoe, but I want to do the whole thing when I can - https://www.tahoerimtrail.org/

REI (a good outdoors store) do trips - http://www.rei.com/adventures/activity/backpacking.html?s_kwcid=us%20backpacking%20tripsb

Pacific Crest Trail - http://www.pcta.org/

Continental Divide Trail - http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/

InTheTrees

Dave1442397 wrote: »

Backpacking is a big thing in the US, but not on public roads.

Well yes, and I think he meant it in the european sense. Travelling around a country, public transport and hitching, staying in hostels etc.

I dont think he meant camping, where you load your backpack into a sport utility vehicle and drive into the wilderness and then set off on foot.

whitey1

There isn't backpacking in the European sense. In the summer I have run into Europeans in Hostels in NYC and Boston, but it's rare to meet someone who's traveling around from city to city. The city itself seems to be the destination.

I did however run into some Irish students who purchased a 30 day rail pass and travelled between NY, Chicago and Boston, but flights would be the most common mode of transport for the locals

Outside of the major metro centers there can be lots of open space with shag all to do in between. Also public transport (with a few exceptions) is atrocious and vast swaths of the country aren't covered

Another thing to keep in mind is that during the summer some parts of the states, especially the south is stifling hot-so for example the prospects of spending a few days in New Orleans in August would not be appealing to too many people.

It's a great country but you would ha

InTheTrees

Dave1442397 wrote: »

REI (a good outdoors store) do trips

A brilliant store based here in Seattle.

www.rei.com

JohnMearsheimer

I did 3 months travelling the US coast to coast by myself. I stayed in a mix of hotels and hostels. A lot of the people I met in hostels were there specifically for a place. I didn't meet anyone doing the same kind of thing I was doing.