Handling of money on trail

[Heliotrope]

You'll need roughly $5000 for the hike. Just get it all in small bills and carry it in your pack. Post a photo of yourself and your pack before you leave.

I carry all of my cash on trail in a locked Halliburton case, along with an Uzi and two body guards. And a Doberman.


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[Uncle Cranky]

On the trail I usually carry a debit/credit card and don't carry much more than $40 to $60 cash. In town it's easy to get cash back at a grocery store when making a resupply. In a small burgs without a major chain grocery that has a Post Office just use the card and purchase one postage stamp and they will give up to $50 cash back.

[Uncle Cranky]

On the trail I usually carry a debit/credit card and don't carry much more than $40 to $60 cash. In town it's easy to get cash back at a grocery store when making a resupply. In small burgs without a major chain grocery that has a Post Office just use the card and purchase one postage stamp and they will give up to $50 cash back.

[steve0423]

I carried around $100 cash and a debit card in my “hiker wallet” and a separate credit card hidden in my pack in case I lost the wallet.I also used the “cash back” option whenever possible to avoid ATM fees.
I made it from Springer to Port Clinton before my bank temporarily blocked my card while I was replacing my shoes at Cabelas.My wife tells a funny story about her conversation with the bank rep who wanted to know when I’d be traveling through additional states and what was my scheduled return date.

[English Stu]

Cash is king as has been said. If you are not from the US get two good ID. A bank looked at my GB passport as if I had just made it and smiled at my UK driving licence; took them around the back to show everybody for future reference. In some of those small towns and distant States my strange ID and seemingly dodgy accent aroused suspicion. Trying to get some cash from a drive thru bank completely freaked me and them.

[kayak karl]

I carried a debit card and had an auto transfer of $100 a week. If I lost card there was never more then $200 on it. If I needed more I did a one time transfer. Cash back in stores and post office was the best for pocket cash

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[Miner]

Have 2 cards and always have enough cash to be able to get what you need from town in case you were robbed, card gets damaged, or card cancelled by bank due to fraudulent activity. It takes time to get a replacement sent to you on the trail.

Don't carry them all together for the same reason. All it takes is one theft to leave you in dire straits. I carry a debit card in one place, my credit card elsewhere and cash spread out over multiple places including the hidden pocket in my hat. That way I will always have something if the worst happens.

[pauly_j]

For people carrying cash in their packs, do you not **** your pants when leaving your pack on the trail to get water etc?

[Christoph]

I only carried around 50 bucks cash. Almost everywhere has a card machine or card reader for their cell phone that I ran into.

[steve0423]

That $100 cash is a drop in bucket compared to the value of your kit, real or intrinsic. Some people become pretty at ease with leaving their stuff around, some are extremely hawkish. I landed somewhere in the middle, there were circumstances where I’d leave it and some when I would not.

[steve0423]

For people carrying cash in their packs, do you not **** your pants when leaving your pack on the trail to get water etc?

That $100 cash is a drop in bucket compared to the value of your kit, real or Intrinsic. Some people become pretty at ease with leaving their stuff around, some are extremely hawkish. I landed somewhere in the middle, there were circumstances where I’d leave it and some when I would not.

[StubbleJumper]

For people carrying cash in their packs, do you not **** your pants when leaving your pack on the trail to get water etc?

No, I don't worry about it one bit. On a day to day basis, I accept the risk that I could be robbed in the city or on the trail. If I am carrying even $300 or $400 and get robbed, it's not the end of the world. That modest sum of money is easily replaceable and that type of theft is only a nuisance (just like your pack getting torn would be a nuisance, or a bear shredding your tent would be a $300 nuisance). Protect yourself against BAD circumstances, like death, serious injury or catastrophic financial loss. But don't sweat the small stuff.

When I hike I usually carry between $200 and $800 dollars, depending on where I am hiking and the likely availability of cash machines. I like to have lots of small denominations for hitchhiking so that I can offer gas money to people who pick me up and give me a ride. If you are only carrying 20-dollar bills, you probably won't want to offer gas money, but if you have two or three $5 bills and a bunch of singles, you can put some small stuff in your pocket as you approach the trailhead and then you are well positioned to offer a modest contribution for gas.

[Trail Ponderer]

I like to carry a credit card and some cash usually under $100. I keep that on my person at all times, not in my pack. I can see where it might be a good idea to have a backup cash stashed elsewhere just in case like some have said previously. I prefer to use mail drops for my supplies and have placed cash in the mail drops.

[xnav]

Some park showers only take quarters. It's a bummer to be short some change and looking at a coin box that only takes quarters.

[evyck da fleet]

I usually took out about $200 in cash maybe once a month and carried about half on me with my driver's license(ID) credit card and ATM card. I'd have less than $100 socked away in my pack in someplace like a spare clothes bag or first aid kit in case I lost my hiker wallet. The ATM is useless without the PIN, the credit card has fraud protection and the spare cash is worst case scenario in case I have to get to town to call the credit card/bank to report the cards are stolen and wait new new ones to arrive.

I probably carried more than most but it was more so I wouldn't have to worry about getting cash in town and wouldn't be inconvenienced if a credit card machine was down at a restaurant/hostel. And in the unlikely event theft does occur I'm either going to be thankful my gear is still there and I'm only out the cash or not notice an extra $50 if I had to replace everything.

[BillyGr]

That $100 cash is a drop in bucket compared to the value of your kit, real or Intrinsic. Some people become pretty at ease with leaving their stuff around, some are extremely hawkish. I landed somewhere in the middle, there were circumstances where I’d leave it and some when I would not.

The only thing being that in the places where people would generally leave a pack 99 of 100 people won't know what it is worth. On the other side approximately 100 of 100 people would know what cash is worth.

[BillyGr]

That $100 cash is a drop in bucket compared to the value of your kit, real or Intrinsic. Some people become pretty at ease with leaving their stuff around, some are extremely hawkish. I landed somewhere in the middle, there were circumstances where I’d leave it and some when I would not.

The only thing being that in the places where people would generally leave a pack 99 of 100 people won't know what it is worth. On the other side approximately 100 of 100 people would know what cash is worth.

[redseal]

Here is my strategy. Works well for me. I carry my ID, credit card, ATM card and less than $100 I used credit card whenever possible. I carry it all in a tyvek wallet.

[Puddlefish]

The only thing I have to add is be cautious with lightweight/tyvek wallets. When I first got one, I quickly noticed that cards/licenses tend to just slide right on out of them at the most inconvenient times.

My license officer? I imagine it's right where it always is, in my driveway.