Appalachian Trail

城市概覽

The Appalachian Trail began as a vision of forester Benton MacKaye and was developed by volunteers, opening as a continuous trail in 1937. It became the first national scenic trail under the National Trails System Act of 1968. The trail passes through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia, and is protected along more than 99% of its course by federal or state land ownership or rights-of-way. Each year, more than 4,000 volunteers contribute over 185,000 hours to maintaining it, coordinated by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The trail's history is as much about the people who've walked it as the land itself. Every year, thousands attempt to hike it in a single continuous journey, known as thru-hiking, typically starting at the southern terminus on Springer Mountain, Georgia. Only about 3 in 20 who attempt a thru-hike make it all the way to Katahdin. Far more hikers tackle shorter day or multi-day stretches as "section-hikers." Some short sections are fully accessible to people with disabilities, and the trail has been completed by hikers who are blind or hearing-impaired. One of the most famous early thru-hikers was Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, who in 1955, at age 67, became the first woman to solo thru-hike the entire trail, carrying only a homemade sack and wearing Keds sneakers. Her feat drew national attention and inspired countless others; she went on to hike the AT twice more, in 1957 and 1964. The trail's fame grew further with Bill Bryson's 1997 book A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, later adapted into a 2015 film. The trail's popularity owes much to its scenery and its accessibility to major population centers — for residents of the densely populated Northeast, it's typically within a three-hour drive. That proximity has left some sections feeling overdeveloped, particularly where construction has

如何抵達

By car By far the most common mode of transport for getting to the trail is by car. There is ample parking along the trail (at trailheads leading to the trail proper). In the more populated areas there is usually an entrance parking lot every 10 mi (16 km) or so. Be sure not to leave anything valuable/visible in your car while gone (especially nice hiking equipment!). The Appalachian Trail is not set up for many circular routes, so you may want to arrange transportation to and from the trail at your start and end points. You can try to get off the trail near a town and try to pay someone to take you back to your car, but it's a much better plan to have a good friend or relative responsible for your transport!

By train There are two train stations on the trail. In West Virginia, the Harpers Ferry Amtrak station is easily accessible from the trail and the town of Harpers Ferry. Amtrak and MARC trains provide daily service to Washington, D.C. in under two hours. In New York, the Appalachian Trail station (an uncovered platform) on the Metro-North railroad can connect you with New York City and beyond (service on weekends and holidays only).

順遊推薦

International Appalachian Trail - The International Appalachian Trail (IAT) is an extension of the Appalachian Trail that continues from Maine into Canada, passing through New Brunswick, Quebec, and Newfoundland & Labrador.