Chapter 1: Backbone of the Blue Ridge
In October of 1921, a little-known forester and regional planner from Connecticut put forth a revolutionary idea.
“What is suggested is a ‘long trail’ ...
Travis Hall
Chapter 2: The Green Tunnel
The oldest mountain range in all of North America, the Appalachians have been molded by a half-billion years of geology, and the 2,189 miles of the A.T. showcas...
Chapter 3: Thru-Hikers
“I wasn’t just hiking for myself anymore. I was hiking for a community that believed in defying the odds, striving for your fullest potential, and helping o...
Chapter 4: Conservation and Use
Since Benton MacKaye first conceived the notion of a continuous Appalachian footpath 94 years ago, the AT has changed and evolved immensely.
In its...
Chapter 5: Technology and the Appalachian Trail
Times have changed since Earl Shaffer set out to complete the A.T.’s first ever thru-hike. Today’s hikers enjoy a myriad of technological advancements to he...
Chapter 6: Trail Towns
While an Appalachian Trail hike is first and foremost a wilderness experience, there are many windows of civilization that exist alongside the trail. Trail town...
Appalachian Trail Map
The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) interactive map, built cooperatively by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and National Park Service using Google's mapping te...
