Appalachian Trail Planner What is is the Appalachian Trail? The Appalachian Trail (the Trail, the AT) is a National Scenic Trail following the crest of the Appalachian Mountains over 2000 miles from Springer Mt in Georgia to Mt Katahdin in Central Maine. The Trail was formally proposed in 1921 by Boston planner, Benton McKaye in an article published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects. A network of individuals and local hiking clubs began work on the Trail in 1922. The final section of the Trail was completed by Civilian Conservation Corp crews on Sugarloaf Mountain, ME in 1937. Although intially considered impossible, in 1948 a Pennsylvania hiker and WWII vet, Earl Shaffer, became the first person to complete (thru-hike) the Trail in a single season. A number of hikers followed in Mr. Shaffer's footsteps in the next 3 decades. In the 1980s however, what had been a trickle of annual attempted thru-hikes jumped into the hundreds. The trend peaked in 2000 with almost 3,000 hikers setting out from Georgia.

Numbers have declined by 15% each year since with about 2,100 starters in 2002. Traditionally, 15-20% of those attempting a thru-hike succeed in any given year. Provided, this figure likely omits at least several changes included in the as-walked but not yet official tally. How long did it take you to hike it? I reached Springer 201 days (or 6 1/2 months) after I first walked out my back door and 196 days after I left Harpers Ferry. Of that time, I was completely off the Trail (at home or in transit) for 31 days. As such my effective hiking time on the AT was about 5 1/2 months (including 15 zero days). More generally: At 20 mi/day, the Trail will take 108.5 days or just under 4 months. At 15 mi/day, the Trail will take 144.5 days or a little more than twenty weeks.

Add in some zero days, some slack days and one trip home and the Trail can take anywhere from 4 to 6 months (and in most cases well over 100 nights in the woods). How far did you walk each day? There were 154 days in which I hiked at least some distance on the Trail. These include a large number of "slack" days in which I hiked 5-10 miles in and/or out of a town for resupply or stopped up short to spend the night at particularly compelling spot or feature. That noted, my average distance for the Trail overall (both northern and southern sections) was 14.5 miles for each day of hiking or about 100 mi/week. I walked my share of 20+ mile days. My longest day was 23.5 miles. I also walked my share of 11 and 12 mile days. My most typical day was 15-17 miles. Some thru-hikers do the Trail in regular 25-35 mile days. Some thru-hikers plug along at 10-12 mi/day, day in day out.

Most thru-hikers find a sweet spot somewhere in the range of 15 - 20 mi/day. Where did you sleep? Did you take a tent? Although I packed a tarp, and initially imagined I would pitch it most every night, I mainly slept in AT shelters. These are usually three sided wood, log or concrete structures, but sometimes include retired fire wardens cabins and barns. Shelters are most typically spaced every 5-10 miles along the Trail. Spacing can, however, vary wildly from section to section, and in some areas spacing is 12-15 miles which greatly complicates planning. Shelters are for the most part located near a reliable water source. This fact is among their chief attractions. Shelters can be designed to sleep as few as 4 people and as many as 20. Heading north it was rare to find an empty shelter. Heading south the crowd was a little thinner and I spent a good 10-15 nights alone in the woods. Did you hike by yourelf? I hiked the Trail by myself in the sense that I had no day in day out partner. This is in fact the most common approach to thru-hiking.

That said, I very rarely hiked alone. I became a member of 15 mile/day "affinity group" shortly out of Harpers Ferry. We rarely hiked hand-in-glove, but we generally hiked the same distances each day and shared more than the occasional lunch spot for the first 400 odd miles of my hike. Between Bear Mt, NY (mi 1384.6) and Hanover, NH (mi 1728.4) I hiked pretty much day in and day out with one person (the Woodman), and was also rejoined in VT with one of my original group (Choo Choo) who more or less kept up with me until she was forced to leave the Trail in the White Mountains. Between Andover, ME (mi 1913.8) and Mt Katahdin, ME (mi 2168.8) I again hiked with a regular partner (Crusader) completing the first half of the trip.

For the last 800 odd miles of my hike (from Rockfish Gap, Va to Gooch Mt, Ga) more through pleasant happenstance than actual planning, I shared innumerable shelters and town stops with a Maine to Georgia thru-hiker named Brother. But I almost always walked alone and frequently went for several days without bumping into him. Both heading north and south, I frequently shared shelters and the Trail with a regular set of fellow thru-hikers. We shared campsites. We exchanged notes through the trail registers. We shared town adventures and became fast friends. How did you get food? How much did you carry? I obtained food through mailed resupply (or drop) boxes as well as in grocery and convenience stores in towns near to, and sometimes literally on, the Trail. Although the vast majority of the Appalachian Trail is routed over ridges and through wilderness, in the course of its 2170 odd miles the Trail necessarilly crosses several hundred roads (including any number of major highways). There are some 88 US Post Offices and towns within 15 miles of an AT roadhead. Some towns are within easy walking distance. More typically towns require a 3-5 mile hitch-hike.

With your backpack visible, getting a ride near the Trail is usually pretty painless. Most (or at least some) folks will recognize that you are an AT hiker, and at least one will want to hear your story. I typically scheduled resupplies (by whatever method) about every 75 miles, which at my pace (15-20 mi/day) required 4-5 days worth of food. I was frequently able to carry less in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast where town crossings were somewhat more frequent. How did you get water? Did you treat it? I took water from springs, streams and on very rare ocassions ponds. It was possible in some spots (e.g. the Shenandoahs) to get water from developed sources. This was always inferior to a good spring but quite welcome during lean times. In some particularly lean spots trail angels have left H 2 O in gallon jugs near a roadhead. This was always welcome.

The best springs were "piped" at the source, meaning a steel, copper, wood or pvc pipe had been inserted in or near a flowing source to channel the flow (marginally decreasing the risk of contamination and greatly increasing the ease of collection) The worst springs were mere trickles collecting in a silt filled basin (a/k/a mud puddles). I spent better than half my hike treating water with chlorine dioxide (and a bandana). This treatment comes in two parts that, when combined, yield chlorine gas. The entire process requires 25 minutes. I typically treated 2 quarts at a time but sometimes as much as a gallon. In late September the quality of the water sources had declined to a point where filtering was necessary to make it palatable -- not to say safe, and I sent home for my water filter (an MSR Miniworks). I continued to filter until mid-October when chronic precipitation had more than adequately recharged the aquifer. For my last 445 miles I went totally cowboy. Although I was selective about the sources (and there were many high-volume springs to choose from) I fairly gulped down H 2 0 whenever and wherever I found it. Did you take showers?

Did you wash your clothes? I took showers in at least 15 of the 88 towns I passed by in the course of the hike. I did my wash about as often. I dreamed of a bath but never got one. I switched out my clothes 3 times -- more for weight loss than for wear or stink. And I did stink most of the time. Fortunately, thru-hikers cannot smell themselves or each other. It is very much like being French. What did your carry? What did your pack weigh? My total packload, including my baseload, 5 days worth of food and two quarts of H 2 O, ranged from a low of 22 lbs. at the height of Summer, to a high of 35 lbs. in the depths of Fall. My packed baseload (excludes food and water) ranged from 12 lbs to an all time high of 20 lbs (including the pack itself).

My most basic packload included: 55° sleeping bag (22 oz) self-inflating ground pad (16 oz) tarp (24 oz) 1 pair dry sock liners thermal bottoms alcohol stove & 16 oz fuel titanium cookset toilet paper dop/medical kit This was filled out by a heavyweight fleece, an extra set of thermals and my 20° bag (37 oz) in cold weather The cold weather also significantly increased my appetite and by extension food load requiring three or four additional pounds of food between stops. How did you find your way? The pathway of the Appalachian Trail is marked by 2 x 6 inch white blazes. These typically appear on trees but can appear on telephone poles, rocks, fenceposts, guardrails and -- at the Kennebeck River near Caratunk, ME -- on the bottom of a canoe. The quality of the blazing varies greatly from section to section. In some sections blazes appear at least once every .25 miles, southbound blazes are spaced halfway between each northbound blaze, and confusing trail and road crossings are clearly marked with one blaze immediately visisble from the next.

In some places a hiker can go a good mile and past many forks without the reassurance of a single blaze. In addition, I carried topographical maps (useful but not necessary) as well as pages from two guidebooks (very necessary) that indicated not only the location of trail features (water, shelters, significant elevation change) but town services on and near the Trail as well. And yes, I did get lost. I lost the path for a hundred yards or so too many times to count. I went seriously awry (1+ mile) three times, once for over 5 1/2 miles (managing to hike a loop back to an earlier lunch spot). Georgia Appalachian Trail Hiking Guide atlanta trails shirt shop Georgia Appalachian Trail hiking guide Hike, trail run or backpack the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, climbing to mountain summits, diving into mossy creek valleys and catching some seriously stunning views. GEORGIA OUTDOOR DESTINATION GUIDES The Appalachian Trail’s rectangular, white blazes – over 100,000 in total, pepper the length of the trail.

They’re painted on trees (and, occasionally, on rocks on tree-barren mountain summits) to guide hikers along the AT’s mammoth stretch through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine. The AT starts its northbound trek to Maine’s Mount Katahdin – a 2000+ mile journey – in the rolling southern Appalachians of North Georgia. The Appalachian Trail hikes 78.6 miles in Georgia from the southernmost blaze at Springer Mountain , where the trail’s start is commemorated with a bronze plaque. There’s also a Springer Mountain trail log in a vault, inscribed by hikers beginning their journey to Maine – or enjoying a summit celebration at the finish of their epic hike. Departing Springer, the AT winds through the southern Appalachian Mountains, meandering through North Georgia’s rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. The AT crests its highest elevation at Blood Mountain – one of the most popular day hikes on the trail in Georgia. Wildflowers, rhododendron, laurel, shady deciduous trees and towering pine line the trail in an ever-changing mix of plant and tree life. Catch an explosion of blooming wildflowers, including the beautiful trillium, on the AT’s high elevations in Spring.

And traveling over, under and through the lush North Georgia foliage, wildlife frequent the trail, including wild turkey, black bear, deer, wild hog and songbirds. The AT crosses wind-swept summits, rolling ridgelines, and mossy, creek-filled valleys as it arcs northbound to the Georgia border. Georgia Appalachian Trail: our favorite hikes These are our favorite AT day hikes and backpacking trips in Georgia, listed south to north. While they vary in length and difficulty, they pay off the effort with stunning views from lofty mountain summits, rushing waterfalls and boulder-filled creek valleys in shady North Georgia forest. Looking for a shorter hike? Check out our favorite day hikes on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia , all under six miles. Springer Mountain to Woody Gap These hikes trail the southernmost end of the AT. Hike to the final southern AT blaze on Springer Mountain’s summit , backpack through the shady, creek-filled Three Forks valley and climb to beautiful views at Ramrock Mountain and Woody Gap. Click here to view map in fullscreen 1. Springer Mountain, Georgia 75 miles (eight days) This part of the trail at the southern end of the A.T.

may not get as much attention as others, but it is no less impressive. From northern Georgia to southern North Carolina , forests of mountain laurel lead to grassy peaks which drop into quiet, shady valleys of oak. The Benton MacKaye Trail is less than a hal-mile from Springer's summit and is actually the original A.T. footpath . Although this section is a longer journey, it is generally the first one for thru-hikers who prefer to enjoy milder southern climates in spring and can begin to fully prepare for the most challenging sections at the northern end. 2. Nantahala Mountains, North Carolina 29-mile hike (three days) Although this section features some of the best fire tower views in the East, it remains one of the more solitary jaunts. From Winding Stair Gap at US 64, head north to pass through the Nantahala Gorge, Little Tennessee River Valley and Fontana Lake before arriving at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Blanketing this crest of the Nantahala Range and Cowee Ranges is the Southern Nantahala Wilderness , which also has a few side trails for shorter trips, like Lower Ridge Trail (4.1 miles), Big Indian Loop (8 miles) and Beech Gap (2.8 miles). Our SAWS Wilderness Conservation Corps worked on tread restoration this summer near Beech Gap. 3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee (four days) As the country's most visited national park , this is a classic Southern backpacking trip. Reservations are required for shelters and campsites, and weekdays are generally less crowded. Hiking routes travel along ridges and streams, offering fire tower vistas, icy swimholes and a climb to the highest point on the trail at Clingman’s Dome (6,600 feet). Trails are steeper, longer, and higher here than in Shenandoah National Park. Weather in spring can include rainstorms, snowstorms and even hailstorms. 4. Iron Mountain Gap to Cross Mountain, Tennessee 17 miles (overnight) Tennessee's Iron Mountain ridgeline careens through the wild Cherokee National Forest.

You will encounter an apple orchard near Weedy Gap and may stay at the Roan High Knob Shelter, the highest elevation shelter on the Appalachian Trail. This area has been improved in the past by our Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards ' (SAWS) BOOT Crew and Wilderness Conservation Corps. 5. Mau-Har Loop, Virginia 14 miles (overnight) With plenty of scenic views and 40-foot waterfalls coupled with swimming holes, this could be the ideal overnight hike. But such delights require a more difficult hike - up about 7,000 rocky feet. Hikers will pass through Three Ridges Wilderness and observe amazing vistas like Hanging Rock Vista on Bee Mountain, Chimney Rocks Vista on Three Ridges mountain and Flat Rock Vista. You can set up camp right by a stream for easy access to water too. Details on the route can be found here . 6. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia 100 miles (ten days) Although this is a longer journey, it is the easiest part to hike, presenting stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley as it runs parallel to Skyline Drive .

You can stop into Big Meadows Lodge, spot wildlife like black bears and white-tailed deer and stay overnight in a hut. With less climbs, lots of nearby shops and hundreds of miles more of additional side-trails in the park, this section may be the ideal lengthy one for beginners. 7. Blue Mountains, Pennsylvania 40 miles one way (four days) Blue Mountain's ridge offers glorious views of Pennsylvania's farm landscapes at numerous points of interest including the Cliffs, Bake Oven Knob, and the notable Pinnacle. At the heart is Hawk Mountain , known for hosting thousands of migrating raptors every fall, and an excellent day trip for Philadelphia-area Wilderness lovers. The section from Port Clinton to Lehigh GapBreak has five designated shelters and campsites if you're planning a multi-day adventure, or it can be hiked in shorter parts. 8. Delaware River, New Jersey/Pennsylvania 15.9 miles one-way (two days) The Kittatinny Ridge towers over a thousand feet above the Delaware River , offering rich views of the area. Dip your toes into Sunfish Pond, the southernmost glacial lake on the A.T., or take a side trip to Mount Tammany.

There are over a dozen hikes off the A.T out of the hundreds of miles of trails in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, but of course none compare to the A.T. If you want to get a slice of " trail magic ," plan to hike this section in June, when most thru-hikers are passing through and can regale you with their tales of awe. 9. Anthony's Nose, New York 2.2 miles round-trip The A.T. reaches its lowest point where it crosses the Hudson River, just before a rugged climb up Anthony's Nose . This is a short but very steep section of the trail, able to be hiked in a single day or afternoon. For a side trip, the 3.7-mile Camp Smith Trail connects the A.T. to panoramic views, including of the faraway skyline of New York City. 10. Taconic Highlands, Massachusetts 16.9 one way (two days) This stretch of the trail, from Salisbury to Jug End (pictured at left), winds through old-growth forest, by waterfalls and over Mount Everett. You can camp at one of the eight designated shelters or camping areas.

If you want a shorter glimpse of this area, you can access dayhikes from Route 41 in the Housatonic Valley, including the six-mile Race Brook Falls Trail. If you want a lengthier journey, this area also hosts the long-distance Taconic Crest and the Taconic Skyline trails. 11. Presidential Range, New Hampshire 88 miles (nine days) By contrast, this section is one of the most difficult, but efforts are rewarded by some of the most beautiful surroundings. The White Mountain National Forest (pictured at right) is known for the nation’s greatest network of hiking trails which boast the famous Mount Moosilauke, Mount Washington, and rugged Kinsman range. Proper preparation is vital as some of these areas are tundra. As you pilgrimage from Kinsman Notch to Gorham, you will pass dramatic vistas of valley lakes as well as six huts available for rest. 12. Best 30 of the 100-mile Wilderness, Maine 29.9 miles one way (three days) Starting at Monson, Maine, the A.T.

careens through its esteemed 100-Mile Wilderness , the longest stretch that doesn’t cross a paved road. The first 30 include the 60-foot Lower Wilson Falls, sugar maple forests, rocky rivers, and panoramic views of the Barren-Chairback Range. Four shelters and numerous campsites offer plenty of places to stay overnight. This stretch ends a short distance from Gulf Hagas, a slate gorge filled with waterfalls. Go in late summer to avoid bugs, or plan for a nine to 12 day adventure to experience the entire span. Photos above right: Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance (credit: flickr, marklarson), Three Ridges Wilderness (credit: flickr, Lost Vegas), Shenandoah National Park (credit: flickr, Compass Points Media), Sunfish Pond (credit: flickr, kxp130), Presidential Range (credit: flickr, iandavid). See also: Appalachian Trail partying raises ire - The Boston Globe Jackson Spencer via AP ‘‘I wanted the solitude. I wanted to experience nature,’’ said Jackson Spencer.

BAXTER STATE PARK, Maine — When Jackson Spencer set out to tackle the Appalachian Trail, he anticipated the solitude that only wilderness can bring — not a rolling, monthslong frat party. Shelters where he thought he could catch a good night’s sleep while listening to the sounds of nature were instead filled with trash, graffiti and people who seemed more interested in partying all night, said Spencer, who finished the entire trail last month in just 99 days. Advertisement ‘‘I wanted the solitude. I wanted to experience nature,’’ he said. ‘‘I like to drink and to have a good time, but I didn’t want that to follow me there.’’ Spencer, or ‘‘Mission’’ as he is known to fellow thru-hikers, confronted what officials say is an ugly side effect of the increasing traffic on the Georgia-to-Maine footpath every year: More people than ever causing problems. Get Fast Forward in your inbox: Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email. Sign Up Thank you for signing up!

Sign up for more newsletters here At Maine’s Baxter State Park, home to the trail’s final summit on Mount Katahdin, officials say thru-hikers are flouting park rules by openly using drugs and drinking alcohol, camping where they aren’t supposed to, and trying to pass their pets off as service dogs. Hundreds of miles away, misbehaving hikers contributed to a small Pennsylvania community’s recent decision to shutter the sleeping quarters it had offered for decades in the basement of its municipal building. With last year’s release of the movie ‘‘Wild,’’ about a woman’s journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, and what experts call a growing interest in outdoor activities, the number of people on the Appalachian Trail has exploded. And the numbers are only expected to climb further after ‘‘A Walk in the Woods’’ — a movie based on the 1998 Bill Bryson book about the Appalachian Trail— hits theaters this week. More than 830 people completed the 2,189-mile hike last year, up from just 182 in 1990, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, based in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

At Baxter, the number of registered long-distance hikers grew from 359 in 1991 to more than 2,000 in 2014. Advertisement The growing number of hikers is becoming a management nightmare at Baxter, where officials say they also believe the culture and attitude of the people using the footpath is changing. Jensen Bissell, director of the park, said in a letter to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy late last year that AT hikers are ‘‘open and deliberate in their desire for freedom from all rules and regulations.’’ He warns that the trail may need to end somewhere besides Katahdin if something doesn’t change soon. ‘‘If we have 2,000 hikers now, how will it be when we have 3,500 or 4,000 hikers?’’ Bissell said. Some say there appears to be a growing sense of entitlement among thru-hikers, many of whom are just out of college or have enough money to leave work for months at a time.

‘‘We had to take off half a year of working, and not a lot of people can do that,’’ Karl Berger, a 24-year-old Maine resident known on the trail as GQ, said from a camp site in Baxter, where he was resting with his father behind finishing the hike up Katahdin. ‘‘I don’t think a lot of hikers acknowledge that it’s a privilege to be out here.’’ Many hikers said they believe the concerns are being overblown. ‘‘There is always a bad apple or two, but these are people that spend four to six months for a year on the trail, on their feet, experiencing the wilderness. I can’t imagine them wanting to do things that would violate the wilderness,’’ said Scott Jurek, an ultramarathoner from Colorado who last month completed the trail in a record time of 46 days, eight hours. After celebrating with a bottle of champagne at Katahdin’s summit, Jurek received citations for consuming alcohol, hiking with a large group and littering. He argued that the citations were unfair and that Baxter officials were using him to send a message to problem hikers. Policies regarding alcohol vary by state and park.

Dogs are allowed along most of the trail except for a few places, including Baxter. Ron Tipton, executive director of the Conservancy, said the vast majority of thru-hikers are respectful and on the trail for the right reasons. He said he believes that the sharp increase in hikers has simply made it more challenging to deal with the behavior of a few. His group has implemented several initiatives to deal with the surge in trail use, such as encouraging people to start the path at different spots to better distribute hikers. It also recently held a meeting with Baxter officials to address the concerns about hiker behavior and is dedicated to resolving the issues, Tipton said. With the end of the trail in jeopardy, there’s much at stake, officials and hikers say. ‘‘Katahdin is such an icon; it’s such a prize that it motivates all kinds of people,’’ said Lester Kenway, president of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. ‘‘Having the trail end somewhere short of that would be a disappointment for many of us.’’ You're reading 1 of 5 free articles.

Get UNLIMITED access for only 99¢ per week Subscribe Now > You're reading1 of 5 free articles.Keep scrolling to see more articles recomended for you Subscribe now Appalachian Trail Conservancy Take a walk with our official blog The Monson Visitor Center Life: A Reflection from ATC’s Northernmost Outpost (?) Kim Rosenbaum reflects on her role as a representative for the Monson, Maine Appalachian Trail Visitor Center. (?) December 2 Update on the A.T. and the Southern Fires (?) Over the last few weeks, fires have raged across the southern Appalachian Mountains and the Appalachian Trail from Georgia up to central Virginia, and many major fires are still burning. (?) Why the ATC is Opting Outside on Black Friday (?) Tell your family to "Take a hike" — #OptOutside this Black Friday instead of getting caught up in the holiday shopping chaos. (?) The Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Thru-Hiking Thru-Hiking Estates and Planned Gifts Thru-Hiking The adventure of a lifetime. But trekking the 2,190 miles of the A.T. is no easy feat, so make sure you're prepared.

what to expect Completing the entire 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in one trip is a mammoth undertaking. Each year, thousands of hikers attempt a thru-hike; only about one in four makes it all the way. A typical thru-hiker takes 5 to 7 months to hike the entire A.T. After deciding when and where to begin and then registering your thru-hike, you will need to plan your resupply points and know the camping regulations along the A.T. Learn the camping regulations along the A.T. and the ATC's expectations for hikers who want to be officially recognized as a 2,000-miler. In addition to these logistics, physical and mental preparations become important factors in a successful thru-hike. Learn more about all these subjects below. where to start Northbound Starting at Springer Mountain has long been the most popular place to start a thru-hike. But "popular" has led to "crowded" between March 1 and April 15. During this peak starting period, the southern end of the A.T. becomes a continuous stream of hikers during the day, with dozens of hikers clustered around campsites at night.

READ MORE Alternative Increasingly, hikers are choosing to start somewhere in the middle of the Trail. Generally, these alternative itineraries offer a gradual progression from easier to more difficult terrain and more frequent resupplies. You can also avoid crowds and the party atmosphere, follow favorable weather conditions and reduce crowding and minimize resource damage to the Trail. READ MORE Southbound Maine has never been a popular place to start a thru-hike, and may never be. Katahdin is regarded as the most difficult mountain on the entire A.T. and the route through Maine is, in places, not so much a path as a climb or scramble over rocks and roots. It's no place for anyone who is inexperienced or out of shape to start a long-distance hike. READ MORE voluntary thru-hiker registration for 2017 The voluntary thru-hiker registration is a tool that helps prospective thru-hikers share their start dates with other thru-hikers and plan their itinerary in order to avoid the social and ecological impacts of overcrowding. REGISTER your 2017 hike NOW Camping Whether you're pitching a tent in a designated campsite or you're dispersed camping, minimize your impacts and know the camping regulations on the A.T.

READ MORE Shelters There are more than 250 backcountry shelters located along the Trail for backpackers on a first-served basis. Not only are they the best places to stay dry, but they reduce hikers’ impact on the Trail environment. READ MORE Permits & Regulations No fees or paid permits are required to access the A.T. for simply walking, but some New England campsites impose fees, and you must obtain permits for backcountry camping in two national parks on the A.T. READ MORE Physical Preparation A thru-hike is a great adventure, and anyone who can walk and has the time and desire can do it. But thru-hiking is a demanding endeavor and requires rigorous physical preparation. Mental Attitude While physical fitness will certainly give you an edge and make your first weeks on the Trail easier, in the long run, mental attitude is more important. READ MORE Advice & Workshops 2,000-milers who are willing to share their experiences and advice, as well as conduct workshops about thru-hiking, can offer valuable opportunities to learn about long distance hiking and help you avoid common mistakes. READ MORE Equipment The most predictable mistake thru-hikers make when they start is carrying too much stuff.

Put as much effort into determining what you don't need as what you do. READ MORE Food & Resupply There's no need to carry more than 3 to 6 days of food on most parts of the A.T. Thru-hikers have techniques for resupplying in towns along the way. READ MORE ​appalachian ​trail ​community™ There are over 40 communities along the Appalachian Trail's corridor that have been recognized in The Appalachian Trail Community™ program. These towns and cities are considered assets by all that use the A.T., and many of these towns act as good friends and neighbors to the Trail. As a visitor on the Trail, you can enjoy special events and promotions in these designated areas. When planning your hike, look to designated A.T. Communities for services such as shuttles, lodging, resupply and a warm welcome​! Leave No Trace - A Conversation with Experienced Hikers Close trail magic What is trail magic? Trail magic can be any experience on the Appalachian Trail that inspires intense awe or gratitude. It's random acts of kindness by strangers, a mesmerizing sunset after days of soaking rain, or a wildlife sighting so thrilling it makes your heart pound.

What are "trail angels" and how can I become one? Hikers call the people who provide trail magic "trail angels." A trail angel is the person offering a hiker a cold drink, but trail angels are also the volunteers who maintain and look after the Trail. To find out what help the Trail and hikers need most, contact the local trail club, and make sure you practice Leave No Trace . Thru-hikers may think coolers of food and drink in the woods are awesome, but coolers are an eyesore when empty and filled with trash. Left unattended they can lead to habituation of wildlife. Accumulated trash gets scattered through the woods by wind or animals. That’s not so magical. Anyone can be a trail angel anytime by picking up trash. Although the A.T. itself is amazingly free of litter, trailheads and shelters tend to be trash magnets. Many are in need of some serious love from trail angels. There are no trash cans along the Trail, so bring some extra trash bags with you the next time you hit the Trail! ​ What are hiker feeds? “Hiker feeds” are picnics or barbeques set up at roads crossings or off-trail locations.

They are usually intended for northbound thru-hikers by those who get gratification from “feeding the hungry hikers.” Long-distance hikers are usually so hungry for "real food" after eating dehydrated food and burning mega-calories that they are ecstatically happy to encounter these offerings. Unfortunately, the collective effect of so many of these ever-larger and expanding number of "feeds" is that it fosters a party culture among long-distance hikers, especially in the "bubble" of northbound thru-hikers. All this special treatment can lead hikers to feel they are exempt from regulations, or don't need to be concerned with the impacts of their actions. The end result can be a loss of privileges for all A.T. hikers by local businesses, communities, and parks. ​ Appalachian Trail Planner CAMPMOR Even if you are out for a "quick" 200 mile section, a long distance AT hike requires some planning as to how far you'll walk each day, where you'll sleep at night, what you will carry, and how and whether you will need to resupply.

PLANNING MILEAGE & NAVIGATION: Owing to ongoing reroutes the length of the AT can vary by several miles from year to year. In 1948 when Earl Schaffer completed the first continuous, solo thru-hike, the Appalachian Trail was officially 2044 miles long. In 2002 the Appalachian Trail was officially 2,168.8 miles long. In 2004, following recent reroutes in Tennessee, Maryland and Vermont, the official length came to 2174.6 total miles. Chances are that this figure excludes one or more minor changes that will make it into the growing total sometime in the next several years, but are in fact already part of the Trail as hiked. That said, based on the current official length: At 20 mi/day, the Trail will take 108.5 days or just under 4 months. At 15 mi/day, the Trail will take 144.5 days or a little more than twenty weeks.

Add in some zero days, some slack days and one trip home and the Trail can take anywhere from 4 to 6 months (and in most cases well over 100 nights in the woods). Northbound Hikers typically leave Georgia late February through April and begin reaching Katahdin in late July through September. Owing to declining weather, thru hikers must reach the northern terminus by October 15 in order for a realistic chance to summit Katahdin as, access thereafter is rare to non-exisitent. Southbound Hikers: typically start from Katahdin June through August and begin to reach Springer in October through early December. There is no hard wall for reaching Springer as there is for Katahdin. However, the bulk of Southbound Hikers arrive mid November through early December, and portions of the Trail (particularly in the Smokies) can become impassible at high altitudes as early as November in some years -- and not at all in others. Flip-flop Hikers: (i.e.

hikers completing the Trail in discontinuous sections) typically leave from an approximate mid-point heading north (Rockfish Gap VA, Harpers Ferry WV, and Delaware Water Gap PA being popular starting points) in May through mid June, arriving with the bulk of Northbounders at Katahdin late August through September. After summiting Katahdin, most, flip-flop hikers return to their mid-point and hike south towards Springer, typically arriving with the bulk of the Southbounders in late October through early December. FINDING YOUR WAY: The pathway of the Appalachian Trail is marked by 2 x 6 inch white blazes. These typically appear on trees but can appear on telephone poles, rocks, fenceposts, guardrails and -- at the Kennebeck River near Caratunk, ME -- on the bottom of a canoe. Topographical maps are interesting but less than practical on a marked trail under heavy canopy. Profiles, map details showing elevation cross sections typically over 20-30 miles, on the other hand, are extremely useful for evaluating the difficulty of an approaching section as well as estimating position. Guidebooks are an essential tool for long distance AT hikers.

The ATC's Annual Databooks are efficient, inexspensive ($5.95) and provide at least the minimal details necessary to a successful hike. The ATC's annual Thru Hiker's Companion provide more detail (and bulk) than you are likely to want to carry on the Trail (at least as a complete volume). However, the information provided for shelters, towns, feature and springs make a useful planning tool. Dan Bruce's Thru Hiker's Handbook includes additional, useful anecdotal details and is generally 6-8 months more current than the official volumes. PLANNING PACK & GEAR: The AT Hiker's watch phrase is "Leave it Home" Lighter is simply better. With a pack under 35 pounds you will hike farther and feel better at the end of the day. With a pack under 25 lbs. you can make some truly big miles while saving your body a world of hurt. There are limitless lightweight backpacking techniques available to help cut pack weight. More tips and links to resources can be found Here , but here are some good tips to get you started on planning your trip.

WHAT TO TAKE: The first step to a light pack is establishing a light baseload, this includes the Big Three: Pack, Bag, and Tent (tarp). These three items typically make up 1/3 to 1/2 of the hiker's kit and often add up to 15 lbs. BACKPACK (1-3 lbs.): The first rule is that your backpack should never weigh more than its contents. The second is that smaller is better. 3500-4000 cubic in. is big enough to hold a properly designed load. If it's not: you are taking too much! SLEEPING BAG (2-2.5 lbs.): You can't get much lighter and packable than down (which is highly recommended for non-summer months), but there are also many summer-weight (40°) synthetic options under $100, around 2 lbs., and adequate to conditions 6-8 out of 12 months of the year -- and a sensible option on 80° nights in July. SHELTER (2-3 lbs.): Wether you carry a tarp or a light-weight tent your portable shelter should never exceed 2.5 lbs.

per occupant. There are any number of, not inexpensive, ultralight solo tent options (think sil-nylon), but a cheap, lightweight tarp and a pair of hiking poles will take you through at least the summer months. Note that in addition to your portable shelter, the Appalachian Trail includes 384 lean-to/shelters and fixed camping sites (see, below ). THINGS YOU ONLY THINK YOU NEED: We've talked about what to take, now here's a brief list of things you are better off leaving home: Anything made of cotton An MSR Superfly and Canister or a 6 oz. Alcohol Burner-stove PLANNING SUPPLIES & RESUPPLIES: Hikers typically resupply (by whatever method) about every 75 to 100 miles, or about once every 4-5 days. Hikers are frequently able to carry less in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast where town crossings were somewhat more frequent. There are three basic methods of resupply: Drop Boxes, Bump Boxes and Trail Resupply. Each is set out in greater detail below.

Drop Box: A package mailed from the hiker's "home" base, a drop box typically contains the bulk of a hiker's food supply for the coming leg of the hike. A drop box may also contain maps or alternative equipment. Hikers frequently assemble their dropped supplies prior to departing. The boxes are then mailed (and sometimes supplemented) by a person supporting the hiker. Pros: Hikers are provided with a secure, reliable supply source · Supplies can generally be acquired at a substantial savings in bulk, at the hiker's home base as compared to Trail sources · Resupply can include speciality items (e.g. organic and natural foods) difficult to find on the trail. Cons: Requires a reliable and constant support person · Requires timing arrival in towns on weekdays and/or prior to noon on Saturday · Frequently locks in inappropriate quanities of resupply items (typically on the high side) · Postage will add $100 - 200 to the cost of the trip (although some of this can be made up in lower food cost).

At least limited use of supply drops and are recommended for the following towns: Fontana Dam, NC · Newfound Gap, NC · Hot Springs, NC · Big Island/Glasgow VA · Harper's Ferry WV · Glencliff NH · Monson ME A list of 112 Trail accessible Post Offices and more information about preparing, addressing, and mailing resupply boxes can be found Here . Bump Box: A package mailed from point to point by a hiker, a bump box typically contains extra and/or alternative equipment, maps and town items. A bump box can also be used to forward supplies from a town with good services to a subsequent stop with limited resupply opportunities. Pros: Allows the hiker to trade out equipment, maps and guidebook pages without requiring a permanent support person. Allows the hiker some comfort items (clean clothes, toiletries) for town. Allows an unsupported hiker to resupply in tough spots such as e.g Fontana Dam, NC where town service are minimal to non-existent. Cons: Requires timing arrival and depatures around Post Office hours. Box may get at least temporarilly mis-directed (with all your vital maps). Adds $100 - 200 to the cost of the trip.

Trail Resupply: Supplies acquired on or near the Trail, trail resupplies generally consist of the hiker's food supplies for the coming leg of the hike (although extra and/or alternative equipment is frequently acquired along the Trail). The quality of resupply opportunities vary greatly from town to town. Pros: Buying as you go allows maximum flexibility in your planning. You never have to plan hitting a town by a certain day and rarely by a certain hour. Moreover you are likely to have the best idea of your supply needs in real time. Cons: Supplies along the Trail, often in convenience stores, can be expensive and unreliable. Not only will you pay $1 for a package of Ramen noodles, you will find only one last package when you desperately need at least three. PLANNING ACCESS: GETTING THERE: The Trail's southern terminus (Springer Mt, GA) is located in Amicalola Falls State Park about 2 hours northwest of Atlanta. The northern terminus (Mt Katahdin, ME) is in Baxter State Park located about 2 hours north of Bangor, ME.

In addition, the Appalachian Trail passes within 100 miles of pretty much every major metropolitan area on the East Coast (within 30 miles of NYC). THRU HIKE ACCESS: For more information about access to Springer, visit Amicalola's Homepage . Hikers leaving from Springer are advised to avoid the uncredited approach trail from the Amicola visitor's center and instead to seek access from the upper forest road parking lot .9 south of the Springer summit (directions available on Amicola's site). Additional resources, including shuttle services for thru hikers, can be found on the ATC's Homepage . For more information about access to Katahdin, as well as important imformation concerning park regulations visit Baxter's Homepage . Additional resources can be found on the ATC's Homepage SECTION HIKE ACCESS: The Appalachian Trail is accessible from hundreds of road-trail heads strung from Georgia to Maine. An overview of the Trail and surroundings is avaialable in this Big Map (1.2 Meg PDF) . General maps and information concerning regional access can be found on the state and national park and forest sites below.

Additional details, including regional maps and guides as well a current trail conditions can be found via the list of local maintaining clubs that follows. Information concerning regional shuttle services can be found in this list of AT Hostels & Service Providers . PARKS AND FORESTS Healthy Maine Walks | Find a Walk Welcome ! Want to take a walk but you need to know where to go? Looking for new routes to take on your lunchtime break? New to town and you want to roam around? If that's the case, Healthy Maine Walks is just the place for you. Healthy Maine Walks is the most comprehensive listing of walking routes in the state. A Healthy Maine Walk is an accessible indoor or outdoor walking route that most people can walk in one hour or less at a brisk pace. Walking routes may be a local high school track, a downtown "museum in the streets" trail, or a portion of a larger trail system. This website is designed specifically to provide information about where to find a place to walk in your community or in the town you are visiting, to help you lead an active healthy lifestyle.

Show Me: 12 things you may not have known about the Appalachian Trail - CNN.com 12 things you may not have known about the Appalachian Trail By Michael Ryan, CNN STORY HIGHLIGHTS The length of the Appalachian Trail is constantly changing It's possible to hike this year's full 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail without a tent An estimated 12,000 people have hiked the full length of the trail since 1937 The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is maintained by volunteers Editor's note: Michael Ryan is an assignment producer with CNN.com. He, along with two buddies from childhood, John Vertal and Marty Raffay, hike a section of the Appalachian Trail each year -- and still remain friends. (CNN) -- The length of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail is constantly changing. In 2010 the Appalachian Trail was officially 2,179.1 miles long. This year it's 2,181. In 2004 it was 2,173.9. The added distance is due to upgrades and repairs.

(Not because your group had to backtrack a half-day because one of you left the keys to the vehicle parked at the end of the section in the vehicle parked at the start of the section.) The Appalachian Trail stretches from Springer Mountain, in north Georgia, to Katahdin, in central Maine, crossing 14 states and five national parks. The route is marked by white blazes on trees, posts and rocks. It's possible to hike the Appalachian Trail without a tent. There are more than 250 garage-size shelters "roughly a day's hike apart" along the length of the Appalachian Trail, according to Brian King of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the nonprofit corporation that leads efforts to maintain the trail. That's a shelter about every 8 miles on average. They're free. So "thru-hikers," people who walk the full distance in a continuous hike, often leave the tent at home, saving as much as 5 pounds from their backpacks. That's good, because that "day's hike" can be up to 30 miles, since shelters are built near sources of fresh water, King said. What's in an Appalachian Trail hiker's backpack?

You won't see nearly as many animals as you'd expect. That's because most can hear, see or smell you long before you hear, see or smell them, and they'll flee. In the case of bears, wild pigs, raccoons and snakes, that's good. On hikes from Georgia through Connecticut, I have seen hundreds of birds, chipmunks and squirrels, spiders, a few deer, two wild turkeys as big as a washer and dryer, a wild pig, the backside of a bear running into the brush, and a rattlesnake lying across the trail warming itself in the morning sun. (Hint: It's less upsetting for all involved to hike around a timber rattler than to try to encourage it to move on by bouncing even a small stone off it.) Not wearing your glasses increases the number of animal sightings. But keep in mind that while without your glasses a tree stump can look like a bear, a bear also can look like a tree stump. But you might experience mice -- and it will be your fault. They congregate at shelters to feast on scraps left by hikers who don't follow the No. 1 rule of the Appalachian Trail: Leave no trace.

And don't think that stowing your food in your pack means it's safe. We were awakened one night by a mouse that had gnawed through the pocket of a backpack and was wrestling with the wrapper of a snack bar inside. That's why shelters have ropes to hang packs up and away from small critters. Some also have "bear boxes," lockers that keep food safe from larger beasts. The alternative is to hang your food in a stuff-sack from the branch of a tree. It's hard. Literally. Most of the Appalachian Trail is strewn with rocks. That makes sense, since the Appalachian Trail, for the most part, follows the ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. Still, it seems there are more rocks on the trail than off the trail. A running joke among our hiking group was that if you lose the trail, look for rocks; it'll be there. There are rocks you must climb over, rocks that stick out from the ground to slam your toes into or trip over, irregular rocks that force you to use foot and leg muscles to maintain balance with each step and rocks covered with mud or muck that are as slick as ice.

It's a good idea to stow anything breakable, like a smartphone, at the top or to the back of your pack to keep it from breaking when you fall on your rear end. Downhill is worse than uphill. Hiking uphill carrying 20-30 pounds is strenuous, especially when it's a half-mile climb up large rocks. You've sweated out so much salt and potassium that you're experiencing the onset of hyponatremia, a condition in which you have difficulty using your muscles and may even experience some confusion (different from "Why am I doing this? What was I thinking?" which are coherent thoughts). Resting and a salty snack with water help. But on a steep downhill, your knee takes more impact. After some distance, each step is painful. Trekking poles and walking slowly can ease some of the discomfort. But knee damage is possible. An estimated 12,000 people have hiked the full length of the Appalachian Trail since it was completed in 1937. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's King says it usually takes from five to seven months.

The numbers are derived from sign-in sheets at either end of the trail and at conservancy headquarters at the unofficial midway point in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, as well as from "ridge runners," who keep an eye on logbooks at shelters in their area. But there is no requirement to sign in or out, and many don't. "So who knows what the variable is?" King said. Those who have hiked the Appalachian Trail "know they've done it," King said. Hikers usually are known by "trail names" they give themselves or earn, like Marty "Wounded Knee" Raffay (See "Downhill is worse than uphill"). Detailed maps, books and other information about the trail are available through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website . The trail is maintained by volunteers. Last year some 6,200 volunteers, led by members of 31 official Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs, worked 210,000 hours repairing trails, painting blazes and maintaining shelters, privies and wells, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The conservancy is staffed by 44 paid workers year-round and 12 to 15 seasonal workers, King said.

Volunteers often give up some of their vacation so hikers can use some of theirs on the Appalachian Trail. "Trail magic" comes from" trail angels." Trail magic is an unexpected act of kindness or generosity. It can be as simple as a day hiker giving a thru-hiker a candy bar or as grand as volunteers setting up a grill near a road crossing and passing out hot dogs. The little things are missed most. Anne Sharp, aka "Margolo," and Travis Olson, aka "Chaco Taco," are thru-hiking with Willett, a German shepherd, unofficially aka "Dog Quixote" (he occasionally chases imaginary threats in the woods, Sharp said). "We feel an immense appreciation for the simple experiences we rarely get these days," she e-mailed from the Appalachian Trail somewhere in New England. "Drinking coffee from a mug, having a chair to sit on, dry clothes after a storm. ..." Follow "Margolo," "Chaco Taco" and Willett's thru hike . One day hiking is better therapy than a year of visits to the shrink.

After an hour of wisecracks ("Are we there yet?" "Oh, good, more rocks." "Did you bring the beer?") as the day's hike begins, we settle into a quiet time alone in the woods with our thoughts. (Are we there yet? Oh, good, more rocks. I wish I had a beer.) It's also better than a day in the gym. At my weight, 127 pounds soaking wet (which is what I was after a 16-mile hike in 14 miles of rain), carrying a 30-pound pack burns about 450 calories an hour. You can trap thru-hikers with beer. "Samurai" was planning to catch up with some buddies at the next shelter when he ran into our group at the Wiley Shelter near Webatuck, New York. We had just come back from a 6-mile round-trip excursion into town to buy, um, supplies. Instead of hurrying to his friends, he spent the next few hours sitting with us around the "backpackers' TV," roasting marshmallows and singing Irish pub songs.

If a shelter is near enough to a road and to a town, it's not unusual to see a pizza delivery or two. That's why a smartphone with GPS is essential; you can use it to find towns near the trail and supplies. The world is your toilet ... as long as it's a "cathole" at least 6 inches deep and 200 feet from a trail, campsite or water source. Please pack out the paperwork or file it away at the site and cover it all with dirt. Remember: Leave no trace. Most shelters have privies. The more pleasant of these are composting outhouses, which require users to do a bit of yard work before use. They work by adding a handful of dirt after each visit. The dirt, called "duff," is the layer of soil and mold just beneath the layer of leaves on the forest floor. Share this on:

Question: On what trail can one walk from Maine to Georgia?
Answer: Appalachian Trail