PCT AT CDT

Only 1 in 4 thru-hikers finish.
Plan like the ones who do.

Trail-specific fillable PDF planners for the PCT, AT, and CDT. Real survey data, real resupply towns, real permit requirements — built for serious hikers, not lifestyle aesthetics.

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~25% PCT completion rate
20.6 mi PCT avg daily miles (finishers)
$10,149 avg PCT total cost (2024)
60% AT dropouts before mile 471
10 pages per planner, fillable PDF

The Planners

One planner. One trail.
Everything you actually need.

Each planner is built for its specific trail — not renamed and resold. Real section data, real resupply towns, real permit requirements. Buy the trail you're hiking, or get all three.

PCT
Pacific Crest Trail Planner
Campo, CA → Manning Park, BC · 2,653 miles
  • ✓34 resupply towns pre-filled with access method & notes
  • ✓8 PCT permits incl. JMT quota, Yosemite zones, Desolation
  • ✓16 trail sections with miles, windows & key hazards
  • ✓Desert water carry planning (Mojave section)
  • ✓Sierra snow season & ice axe checklist
  • ✓Trail wisdom + common mistakes from PCT survey data
  • ✓Fully fillable PDF — works in GoodNotes or Acrobat
$22 USD
View on Etsy →
AT
Appalachian Trail Planner
Springer Mtn, GA → Mt. Katahdin, ME · 2,194 miles
  • ✓33 resupply towns pre-filled with notes (Doyle Hotel, Shaw's, etc.)
  • ✓8 AT permits incl. Smokies shelter reservations, Baxter SP
  • ✓15 sections incl. Virginia Blues strategy & White Mountains
  • ✓100-Mile Wilderness food carry calculator
  • ✓Katahdin deadline tracker (closes mid-October)
  • ✓Trail wisdom + common mistakes from AT survey data
  • ✓Fully fillable PDF — works in GoodNotes or Acrobat
$20 USD
View on Etsy →
CDT
Continental Divide Trail Planner
Antelope Wells, NM → Glacier NP, MT · ~3,100 miles
  • ✓21 resupply towns incl. Pie Town Toaster House, Dubois, East Glacier
  • ✓8 CDT permits incl. Yellowstone campsites, Glacier NP backcountry
  • ✓15 sections with NM water carries & CO altitude notes
  • ✓Grizzly bear protocol checklist (WY & MT)
  • ✓Navigation decision log (trail is 70% marked)
  • ✓Trail wisdom + common mistakes from CDT hiker data
  • ✓Fully fillable PDF — works in GoodNotes or Acrobat
$20 USD
View on Etsy →
Best Value
TRIPLE CROWN BUNDLE
PCT + AT + CDT — All Three Planners
~8,000 combined miles · 30 total pages · Instant download
  • ✓All three trail planners in one download
  • ✓88 resupply towns across all three trails, pre-filled
  • ✓24 permit entries across PCT, AT, and CDT
  • ✓6 wisdom + common mistakes pages (2 per trail)
  • ✓Save $14 vs buying separately
$48 USD
vs $62 bought separately
Get the Bundle →

Inside Every Planner

10 pages built for the trail,
not for the shelf.

Every page is fillable. Designed to use on your tablet in camp or print and carry. No decorative filler — every page solves a real planning problem.

PAGE 1
Cover & Hiker Profile
Trail, name, direction, dates, permit number, emergency contact
PAGE 2
Trail Sections Overview
All sections pre-filled with real miles, windows, and key hazards
PAGE 3
Permit Tracker
Trail-specific permits pre-loaded with how-to-get and cost
PAGE 4
Resupply Master Plan
Every resupply town with access method, hours, and ship column
PAGE 5
Water & Weather by Section
Seasonal water reliability and weather windows, pre-researched
PAGE 6
Mileage Pacing Planner
20-week daily log with adjusted daily average calculator
PAGE 7
Daily Trail Log
Two logs per page with end-of-day checklist — print as many as you need
PAGE 8
Post-Trail Debrief
Trail-specific reflection prompts — Katahdin moment, Virginia Blues, border monument
PAGE 9
Trail Stats Dashboard
Real survey data by the numbers + Trail Wisdom callout boxes by section
PAGE 10
Common Mistakes Log
8 data-backed mistakes with checkboxes — verify your planning before you start

vs Everything Else on Etsy

This is a field tool.
Not a lifestyle planner.

ThruTrail Planner
✓Trail-specific resupply towns pre-filled (34 for PCT, 33 for AT)
✓Permit entries with exact how-to-get and deadlines
✓Real survey data: completion rates, avg miles, quit reasons
✓Fully fillable PDF — type directly in Acrobat or GoodNotes
✓Grizzly protocol, ice axe checklist, desert water carry planning
✓Trail-specific debrief (Katahdin moment, Virginia Blues, etc.)
Other Etsy Planners
✗Generic "trail name + distance" fields — fill in yourself
✗No permit information — research everything separately
✗No data, no context, no research baked in
✗Static print-and-handwrite only
✗Designed for vacation hikes, not thru-hikes
✗Generic "favorite moment" prompts that fit any trip

Trail Wisdom Preview

Research baked in,
not bolted on.

Pages 9 and 10 of every planner contain real hiker survey data and section-specific wisdom — the kind of thing that takes weeks to research and is now waiting for you on page 9.

PCT · Desert Section (Miles 0–700)
Desert Survival Wisdom
~1,256 mi
Average mile where PCT hikers quit — N. California. Most cite injury from early overuse.
Between Scissors Crossing and Paradise Valley Cafe, water sources can be 20+ miles apart. Plan for 6L minimum carry. Caches are unreliable — verify on FarOut before every stretch.
AT · Virginia (Miles 470–860)
Virginia Blues — Real Talk
60%
of AT dropouts quit before Damascus, VA (mile 471) — less than 20% of the trail.
Virginia is 550+ miles — nearly a quarter of the entire AT. The "Virginia Blues" are documented in every survey as a leading cause of mid-trail dropout. Identify your "why" before Virginia. You'll need it.
CDT · New Mexico (Miles 0–550)
Desert Start Reality
25 mi
Longest waterless stretch in NM. Springs on maps are seasonal — verify every source before committing.
New Mexico has the most serious water carries on any Triple Crown trail. Start in April. May brings heat exceeding 100°F. Most NM dropouts cite heat and water mismanagement as the cause.

Questions

FAQ

Is this actually fillable, or do I have to print and handwrite?
Fully fillable. You can type directly into every field in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) or import into GoodNotes / Notability on iPad. You can also print it if you prefer pen — it's designed to work both ways.
What's the difference between the individual planners and the bundle?
The individual planners are trail-specific — each is built only for that trail with its own data, permits, resupply towns, and wisdom pages. The bundle contains all three as separate files in one download. If you're only hiking one trail, buy that trail's planner. If you're Triple Crowing or want reference across all three, the bundle saves you $14.
How current is the data — permits, resupply towns, etc.?
The planner was built in 2025 using current permit systems, town data, and survey results. Permit fees and resupply availability change seasonally — always verify current conditions on PCTA.org, appalachiantrail.org, or FarOut before your hike. The planner gives you the structure and starting point; verify the details closer to your start date.
Where does the survey data in Pages 9–10 come from?
The stats are drawn from publicly available sources: the Halfway Anywhere PCT Hiker Survey (halfwayanywhere.com), The Trek AT Thru-Hiker Survey (thetrek.co), the PCTA's official visitor use statistics (pcta.org), and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's official thru-hiker FAQs. Each page cites its sources.
Can I use this on my phone or tablet on trail?
Yes. The fillable PDF works in most PDF apps on iOS and Android. For best experience on iPad, open in GoodNotes or Notability — both support typed text and stylus annotation. The layout is optimized for US Letter size (8.5 × 11 in).
What if I'm section hiking, not thru-hiking?
The planners work well for section hikes too — just use the relevant section pages and leave others blank. The resupply and permit pages are especially useful for section hike planning because the data is already there.

Ready-to-Use Etsy Listings

Copy your Etsy listings below.

Titles are optimized for Etsy search. Descriptions are front-loaded with keywords. Tags are the full 13 Etsy allows. Click any block to copy.

ETSY TITLE (140 chars max)
PCT Planner PDF Fillable | Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike Planner | Resupply Tracker Permit Log Mileage Pacing | Instant Download
DESCRIPTION
▲ PCT THRU-TRAIL PLANNER — The only Pacific Crest Trail planner built specifically for thru-hikers, not vacation hikers. This is a 10-page fillable PDF planner for the Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO or SOBO). Every page is designed around what PCT thru-hikers actually need to track — not what looks good on a shelf. Type directly into every field in Adobe Acrobat (free) or import into GoodNotes / Notability on iPad. ━━━ WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT ━━━ Most PCT planners on Etsy are generic hiking journals with a trail name on the cover. This one has real PCT data built in — so you spend your planning time planning, not researching. ✦ 34 resupply towns pre-filled with access method, seasonal availability, and notes (Kennedy Meadows, Agua Dulce, Mammoth, Stehekin, and all major stops) ✦ 8 PCT-specific permit entries with exact how-to-get, cost, and deadlines (PCTA long-distance permit, JMT quota, Yosemite NP, Desolation Wilderness, and more) ✦ 16 trail sections with real mile markers, recommended windows, and key hazards ✦ Desert water carry planning — the Mojave section has carries up to 25 miles; the planner accounts for this ✦ Sierra snow season checklist and ice axe protocol fields ✦ Washington rain and daylight tracking fields ━━━ PAGES INCLUDED ━━━ Pg 1 — Cover & hiker profile (trail, direction, dates, permit #, emergency contact) Pg 2 — Trail sections overview (16 PCT sections, pre-filled) Pg 3 — Permit tracker (8 PCT permits, pre-filled with details) Pg 4 — Resupply master plan (34 towns, ship/pickup columns, notes) Pg 5 — Water & weather by section (seasonal windows pre-researched) Pg 6 — Mileage pacing planner (20-week log, pacing calculator) Pg 7 — Daily trail log (2 per page, end-of-day PCT checklist) Pg 8 — Post-trail debrief (PCT-specific reflection prompts) Pg 9 — Trail stats dashboard + Trail Wisdom by section (real PCT survey data) Pg 10 — Common mistakes log (8 data-backed mistakes with prevention notes + checkboxes) ━━━ ABOUT THE DATA ━━━ Pages 9–10 are built from publicly available PCT hiker survey data: • Halfway Anywhere PCT Hiker Survey (halfwayanywhere.com) • PCTA Visitor Use Statistics (pcta.org) Survey data includes: completion rates (14–34% depending on year), average daily mileage (20.6 mi/day for finishers), average total cost ($10,149 in 2024), #1 quit reason (injury, every year), and more. ━━━ INSTANT DOWNLOAD ━━━ PDF file delivered immediately after purchase. Works in: → Adobe Acrobat Reader (free, Mac/PC/mobile) — fully fillable → GoodNotes or Notability (iPad) — type or annotate with stylus → Any PDF app (Android/iOS) — basic fill support → Print at home or at a copy shop (US Letter / 8.5×11 in) ━━━ ALSO AVAILABLE ━━━ → AT Planner (Appalachian Trail, 2,194 miles) → CDT Planner (Continental Divide Trail, ~3,100 miles) → Triple Crown Bundle — all three planners, save $14 Personal use only. Not for resale or redistribution.
TAGS (13 max — copy all)
PCT plannerPacific Crest Trailthru hike plannerPCT printablehiking planner PDFthru hiking giftPCT resupplylong distance hikingbackpacking plannerfillable PDF plannerPCT permit trackerhiking journal printablePCT digital download
PRICING NOTES
List at $22. PCT has the largest search volume of the three trails — it's your lead product and can carry a slight premium. Offer a 20% launch discount for the first 2 weeks to build reviews. Target: 5 reviews before removing the discount. Category: Paper & Party Supplies → Paper → Printable Paper
ETSY TITLE
Appalachian Trail Planner PDF Fillable | AT Thru Hike Planner | Resupply Tracker Permit Log Katahdin Deadline | Instant Download
DESCRIPTION
▲ AT THRU-TRAIL PLANNER — The only Appalachian Trail planner built for thru-hikers who want real data, not decorative journal pages. This is a 10-page fillable PDF planner for the Appalachian Trail (NOBO or SOBO). Every page is built around what AT thru-hikers actually need to track. Type directly into every field in Adobe Acrobat (free) or use on your iPad in GoodNotes / Notability. ━━━ WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT ━━━ Only 1 in 4 people who start the AT finish it. 60% of dropouts quit before Damascus, VA (mile 471). This planner is built around the data — not the highlight reel. ✦ 33 resupply towns pre-filled with access method, hours, and notes (Damascus, Harpers Ferry, Hanover, Shaw's, Monson, and all major stops) ✦ 8 AT-specific permit entries with exact how-to-get and deadlines (Smokies shelter reservations, Baxter State Park, Shenandoah NP, and more) ✦ 15 trail sections by state with key hazards and strategy notes ✦ Katahdin deadline tracker — Baxter SP closes mid-October, no exceptions ✦ 100-Mile Wilderness food carry planning (8–10 days, no road crossings) ✦ Virginia Blues mental strategy section ✦ White Mountains terrain warning and AMC hut work-for-stay notes ━━━ PAGES INCLUDED ━━━ Pg 1 — Cover & hiker profile (trail, direction, dates, permit #, emergency contact) Pg 2 — Trail sections overview (15 AT sections by state, pre-filled) Pg 3 — Permit tracker (8 AT permits pre-filled with details + booking info) Pg 4 — Resupply master plan (33 towns with access, seasonal notes, ship column) Pg 5 — Water & weather by section (seasonal reliability by state, pre-researched) Pg 6 — Mileage pacing planner (20-week log + Katahdin deadline calculator) Pg 7 — Daily trail log (2 per page, AT end-of-day checklist incl. bear hang, shelter registration) Pg 8 — Post-trail debrief (AT-specific prompts: Katahdin moment, Virginia Blues, 100MW) Pg 9 — Trail stats dashboard + Trail Wisdom by section (real AT survey data) Pg 10 — Common mistakes log (8 data-backed AT mistakes + prevention checkboxes) ━━━ ABOUT THE DATA ━━━ Pages 9–10 are sourced from publicly available AT hiker survey data: • The Trek AT Thru-Hiker Survey (thetrek.co) — annual • Appalachian Trail Conservancy official Thru-Hiker FAQs (appalachiantrail.org) Data includes: ~25–30% ATC completion rate, avg 14.3 miles/day, avg 153 trail days, injury as #1 quit cause, 60% dropouts before mile 471. ━━━ INSTANT DOWNLOAD ━━━ PDF file delivered immediately after purchase. Works in: → Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) — fully fillable → GoodNotes or Notability (iPad) → Any PDF app (Android/iOS) → Print at home (US Letter / 8.5×11 in) Personal use only. Not for resale or redistribution.
TAGS
Appalachian Trail plannerAT thru hikehiking planner PDFAT printablethru hike plannerAT resupply trackerKatahdin hiking giftlong distance hikingbackpacking plannerfillable PDF plannerAT permit trackerhiking journal printableAT digital download
ETSY TITLE
Continental Divide Trail Planner PDF | CDT Thru Hike Planner Fillable | Resupply Permit Log Navigation | Instant Download
DESCRIPTION
▲ CDT THRU-TRAIL PLANNER — Built for the hardest of the Triple Crown. The Continental Divide Trail is only 70% officially marked. This planner accounts for that. This is a 10-page fillable PDF planner for the Continental Divide Trail (NOBO or SOBO). Type directly into every field in Adobe Acrobat (free) or use on your iPad in GoodNotes. ━━━ WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT ━━━ The CDT has a lower completion rate than the AT or PCT. Navigation gaps, water mismanagement in New Mexico, and permit complexity at Yellowstone and Glacier are the leading causes. This planner addresses all three. ✦ 21 resupply towns pre-filled (Pie Town Toaster House, Dubois WY, East Glacier MT, and all major stops) ✦ 8 CDT-specific permits with booking details (Yellowstone campsite permits, Glacier NP backcountry — both fill within minutes of release) ✦ 15 sections with NM water carry notes, CO altitude strategy, WY grizzly protocol ✦ Navigation decision log — for the 30% of trail that is unmarked or alternate-only ✦ Grizzly bear encounter protocol checklist (WY & MT) ✦ Glacier NP permit release date tracker ━━━ PAGES INCLUDED ━━━ Pg 1 — Cover & hiker profile Pg 2 — Trail sections overview (15 CDT sections, pre-filled) Pg 3 — Permit tracker (8 CDT permits with booking details) Pg 4 — Resupply master plan (21 towns with access method and notes) Pg 5 — Water & weather by section (NM water carries, CO thunderstorms, MT rain) Pg 6 — Mileage pacing planner (20-week log) Pg 7 — Daily trail log (CDT-specific checklist: grizzly protocol, nav check, water plan) Pg 8 — Post-trail debrief (CDT-specific: Gila detour, Wind Rivers, Glacier finish) Pg 9 — Trail stats dashboard + Trail Wisdom by section (CDT hiker data) Pg 10 — Common mistakes log (8 CDT-specific mistakes + prevention checkboxes) ━━━ INSTANT DOWNLOAD ━━━ PDF file delivered immediately after purchase. Works in Adobe Acrobat (free), GoodNotes, Notability, or print at home (US Letter). Personal use only. Not for resale or redistribution.
TAGS
CDT plannerContinental Divide Trailthru hike plannerCDT printablehiking planner PDFCDT resupply trackerTriple Crown hikinglong distance hikingbackpacking plannerfillable PDF plannerCDT permit trackerhiking journal printableCDT digital download
ETSY TITLE
Triple Crown Hiking Planner Bundle | PCT AT CDT Thru Hike Planner PDF Fillable | Resupply Permit Mileage | Instant Download
DESCRIPTION
▲ TRIPLE CROWN BUNDLE — All three ThruTrail Planners in one download. PCT + AT + CDT. ~8,000 miles of trail. 30 pages of fillable planning tools. Save $14 vs buying each planner separately. One purchase, three instant downloads. ━━━ WHAT'S INCLUDED ━━━ ✦ PCT Planner (10 pages) — Pacific Crest Trail, 2,653 miles → 34 resupply towns · 8 permits · Desert/Sierra/WA-specific planning ✦ AT Planner (10 pages) — Appalachian Trail, 2,194 miles → 33 resupply towns · 8 permits · Katahdin deadline · 100MW food planning ✦ CDT Planner (10 pages) — Continental Divide Trail, ~3,100 miles → 21 resupply towns · 8 permits · Grizzly protocol · Navigation log ━━━ ACROSS ALL THREE PLANNERS ━━━ • 88 resupply towns pre-filled with access method, seasonal notes, and ship column • 24 permit entries with how-to-get, cost, and booking details • 45+ trail sections with mile markers, seasonal windows, and key hazards • 6 Trail Wisdom pages (2 per trail) with real survey data • 6 Common Mistakes pages (2 per trail) with prevention checklists • 60 daily trail log entries (20 per trail, print more as needed) • Fully fillable — all 30 pages work in Acrobat, GoodNotes, or Notability ━━━ WHO THIS IS FOR ━━━ → Triple Crown aspirants who want one system across all three trails → Section hikers who use multiple trails across multiple years → Gear/planning nerds who want the full reference set → Gift for a serious hiker who is planning a long trail ━━━ INSTANT DOWNLOAD ━━━ Three PDF files (one per trail) delivered immediately after purchase. Works in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), GoodNotes, Notability, or print at home (US Letter / 8.5×11 in). Personal use only. Not for resale or redistribution.
TAGS
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BUNDLE PRICING STRATEGY
List at $48 (PCT $22 + AT $20 + CDT $20 = $62 separate). That's a genuine $14 saving — show the math in your listing. In the first few weeks, discount to $38 to drive early reviews. The bundle listing also helps your individual listings rank because Etsy rewards shops with multiple listings in the same category. Add a "frequently bought together" note at the bottom of each individual listing pointing to the bundle.