FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Trail

How long is the Appalachian Trail?

The estimated length of the A.T. varies a bit each year due to updated measurements and a few minor trail relocations here and there.  According to the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy), the trail's governing body, the official length of the A.T. in 2013 is 2,185.9 miles.

Where does it start and end?

The trials southern terminus is at Springer Mountain in Georgia, and its northern terminus is in Maine, at Baxter Park on Mount Katahdin.  Moving north from Springer, it crosses through fourteen states: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

What is the highest/lowest point on the trail?

Highest - 6,625 ft (Clingmans Dome, Tennessee)

Lowest - 124 ft (near Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain, New York)

When was the trail built?  How?  By whom?

The original idea for a long distance trail through the Appalachians belonged to Benton MacKaye, who in 1921 published a proposal for a 1,200-mile wilderness footpath connecting two of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi: 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell in North Carolina and 6,288-foot Mount Washington in New Hampshire (these termini were eventually relocated to Springer and Katahdin, respectively).

Benton MacKaye and Myron Avery

Construction on the trail began in 1923, but for the first seven years progress was exceedingly slow and fragmented.  In 1930, Myron Avery took control of the project.  It is largely to him that the A.T. owes its existence.  Over the next seven years, Avery personally mapped hundreds of miles of trail and oversaw the construction of many hundreds more.  By the time the final section of the trail was completed in 1937, Avery had personally walked the entire trail - and had pushed his trusty measuring wheel over every inch.  At the time of its completion, the A.T. was the longest continuously marked hiking trail in the world.

Myron Avery with measuring wheel on Katahdin.

I also think it is worth mentioning that the majority of the trail's construction was undertaken by volunteers, most of them from regional hiking clubs whose members were recruited to the project by Avery.  Today, the A.T. is maintained entirely by volunteers from 31 different regional hiking clubs.

Who was the first person to hike the entire length of the A.T.?

The first person to successfully thru-hike the A.T. (to hike it all at once) was Earl Shaffer, who completed the feat over a four-month span in 1948.

Earl Shaffer on summit of Katahdin after
completing his first thru-hike, August 5, 1948.

Today, more than 10,000 people have reported hiking the entire length of the trail.  This number includes both thru-hikers and section-hikers.

How many people attempt to thru-hike the A.T. every year?

Between 1,500 and 1,800 by most estimates.  As many as 10% quit within the first week, less than half make it to the halfway point, and only one in four hikers starting from Springer makes it to Katahdin.  This means that roughly 375-450 people succeed in thru-hiking the A.T. each year.

About my hike

Are you going alone?

I may get a ride to Georgia with a backpacker from Cincinnati. If I do, I will most likely hike for a few days with that person until they leave the trail. After that I will be on my own. There will be other people starting around the same time as me, and chances are good that I will eventually run into some other hikers going my pace that I can hike with at times.

Why do people have trail names?

Trail names on the Appalachian Trail came about as the number of hikers on the trail increased and there came a need to distinguish Joe from Ohio from Joe from Georgia. These days, most hikers seem to feel a need to have a trail name. My trail name is Blazer. I was given that name because I tend to hike at a pretty fast pace. When I'm in front, I end up way out front. Like a trail blazer.

What will you eat?

Predominantly lightweight foods that can be prepared in a single pot: oatmeal, pre-cooked bacon, and Pop Tarts for breakfast; granola bars, peanut butter, cheese, and beef jerky throughout the day; pasta and rice based meals, instant mashed potatoes for dinner. I will eat as much fresh food as I can when I go through towns, and I will be taking multivitamins daily.

How will you resupply?

The AT goes through relatively populated areas for most of its length.  This means that I will have opportunities to resupply every three to five days in towns near the trail. When I get to a road crossing, that's not too far from a town, I'll walk or try to hitch a ride into town. Pick up 3-4 days worth of food and get back on trail. There will be a handful of times that I have will have food mailed to a location near the trail.

Where will you sleep?

There are around 250 three-sided shelters - referred to as shelters, lean-tos, and huts, depending on the area, that are more or less evenly spaced across the length of the trail (every eight to ten miles or so).  I plan to stay at these shelters as often as possible. I will be carrying a lightweight single-person tent that I will use if a shelter is full, or if I decide to stop in between shelters. I'll also stay at hostels, located close to the trail, perhaps 10-12 times. Most of these have rooms full of bunks to sleep on. Many of them just ask for a donation. Others cost $10-$20. Some even include breakfast! In most cases you can take a much needed shower, and even wash clothes.

What about water?

Water sources are abundant on most parts of the trail.  Because water is very heavy (about 2.2 pounds per liter), I will be limiting the amount I carry to 1/2 - 1 liter in areas where it's practical.  Backcountry water sources can be unsafe for human consumption, necessitating the use of some kind of water treatment.  I will be using a water filter.

How long will it take?

The average NOBO (northbound) thru-hiker begins in late March or early April and takes 5 to 6 months to complete his/her thru-hike. I hope to complete it within five months.

How many miles per day will you have to hike?
My daily mileage will vary from ten miles to over twenty-five miles per day. If I take one zero day (a day in which no AT miles are hiked) about every two-three weeks, I should be able to complete the trail in five months, if I average around fifteen miles per day.  When on the trail, my daily mileage will vary from day-to-day depending on weather conditions, the location and frequency of resupply points, and the terrain of the trail.  In addition, some resupply points are further from the trail than others (as much as twenty miles round trip), thereby requiring more travel time between them and the AT.  Finally, certain areas of the trail are simply more difficult than others: while the Maine wilderness and the White Mountains in New Hampshire are very difficult, other areas such as Maryland and the Virginia highlands tend to be more conducive to long mileage days.
 

Are you carrying a gun?

No.

But aren't you worried about bears?

Not really.  Black bears are relatively common along the entire trail, although hikers seldom see them.  While black bears can be dangerous, they are generally non-confrontational towards humans.

How will you navigate?  GPS?  Maps?
I will be carrying a guide book and compass. The guide book I will use a lot. I may use the compass occasionally, but it's mostly for emergency situations. The AT is very well-marked, with white blazes painted on trees about every hundred yards or so. It is also well traveled and maintained, so it's pretty easy to follow. I will also have a smartphone to use if I need to look something up or call someone. Of course cell service will not always be available.

How will you get back?
I haven't put much thought into that yet. I guess I'll try to get a ride with someone to the nearest town where I can rent a car or get to an airport. I'll figure that out when the time comes.