About 99 percent of the route is on publicly owned lands, and no fee is charged. No special permission is needed to hike anywhere on the trail itself, though in some high-use areas people must register for overnight stays and fees may be charged for use of shelters and other facilities. It takes four to eight months, depending on how fast you hike, to walk the whole trail. More than 4 million people travel through the Appalachian Trail each year. About 2,500 people, called through-hikers, attempt to backpack the entire Appalachian Trail each year, while others go on day hikes along parts of the trail.
Most people say they through-hike for a deeper reason than just being outside.
Walsh has been back from the trail for four months.