Appalachian Trail

Understand

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 diverted the trail onto roadways. Elsewhere, a federally protected corridor preserves a wilder experience; in the Hundred Mile Wilderness of northern Maine, for instance, hikers go 100 mi (160 km) wi

Prepare

The trail is open only to foot travel — no bicycles or motorized vehicles. Dogs are permitted on most of the trail (on leash) but are generally barred from national parks. Within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, at least 50% of the trail is also open to horses. For anything longer than a day hike, prepare for rough conditions underfoot: the trail's constant elevation changes and East Coast humidity mean your feet will take the brunt of the punishment. Beginners in average shape shouldn't expect much more than 8–10 miles a day. Thru-hikers, by contrast, typically ramp up to 18–25 miles a day within a week or two, regardless of the shape they started in. It takes roughly five million footsteps to complete the trail, and only around 10,000 people have ever reported doing so. Most who fail to finish do so because they weren't ready, physically or mentally, for the trail's demands — so train your mind as deliberately as your body. Start months in advance with easy, low-weight day hikes, gradually adding distance, hilly terrain, and multi-day trips with a full pack of food, water, and gear. Consistently pushing your current limits builds both the strength and the mental toughness the trail demands. Once underway, accept that physical discomfort is part of the process; hikers who let every setback get to them rarely last long. Many keep a journal, since the days tend to blur together, and it's a useful way to track what's working and what isn't. Buy your gear well before your start date and test it thoroughly — break in boots, adjust packs, and weed out anything broken or impractical. Hikers range from "lean and fast," minimizing weight above all, to "slow and comfortable," trading speed for comfort. Talk to as many hikers as possible and experiment with different gear loads until you find your own balance. More detailed general safety tips can be found in the Wilderness backpacking section. No fees or permits are needed for most of the trail. Exceptions include Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park, where fees are low and permits flexible given how unpredictable thru-hikers' schedules are; Baxter State Park in Maine, which requires regis

Get in

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).

Walk

Every northbound journey begins here. The Appalachian Trail's official southern terminus sits atop 1 Springer Mountain (mi 0), marked by little more than a bronze plaque and a metal box holding a trail register — a modest starting line for a path that stretches over 2,000 miles to Maine. Most hikers don't arrive here by road at all, but on foot: the 8.8-mile blue-blazed Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park, which climbs past Georgia's tallest waterfall before delivering hikers to the summit, has become something of a rite of passage in its own right, an early test of both legs and pack weight before the "real" trail even begins. From Springer, the route follows a series of wooded ridges, steady climbs, and scenic gaps — including Blood Mountain, the highest point on the Georgia AT at 4,461 feet — before crossing into North Carolina. Along the way, hikers pass through 2 Neels Gap (mi 32), home to Mountain Crossings, one of the few places anywhere on the entire trail where the AT literally runs straight through the middle of a building, an outfitter and hostel where countless first-timers have paused to rethink what's really necessary in their packs. Most thru-hikers spend about a week in Georgia. This stretch has 17 shelters, spaced an average of 4.4 miles apart — among the closest spacing anywhere on the trail, a small mercy for legs still adjusting to life on the AT. Farther north, hikers reach 3 Hwy 348 Crossing 1 (mi 52) and 4 Hwy 348 Crossing 2 (mi 69), both of which provide access to Hiawassee (Georgia). Hiawassee is a common early resupply stop and a useful place to rest before the trail climbs toward the North Carolina border — one last taste of small-town hospitality before Georgia's rolling ridgelines give way to the taller, wilder mountains ahead.

The North Carolina and Tennessee section carries hikers into some of the most rugged and memorable terrain on the southern Appalachian Trail. The route climbs through the Nantahala and Cherokee highlands — Nantahala meaning "land of the noonday sun" in Cherokee, a nod to how little daylight reaches the bottom of its steep gorges — crosses Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and alternates between

Stay safe

While the AT is well-established and relatively close to civilization, it still presents serious risks, especially in its more remote stretches. Proper planning, awareness of seasonal hazards, and respect for the terrain are essential. Lear