The Appalachian Trail
- Lee John
- Mar 28, 2015
- 3 min read
The Appalachian Trail is a long-distance walk in the United States of America that is on many a person's adventure bucket list. Thru-hiking this trail (walking it in one go from beginning to end) is seen as one of the foremost hiking challenges in the country and those who have hiked this trail along with the Pacific Crest Trail and Great Continental Divide Trail are said to have walked the 'triple crown' of American hiking. This is a challenge that only a few hundred people have accomplished.
Photo Courtesy: http://appalachiantrials.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/McAfeeKnobAppalachianTrail115075.jpeg
The Appalachian Trail, in the Eastern United States, is around 2,200 miles long and extends between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The majority of the trail is through wilderness and forested areas, though there are sections which route through farmland, by roads and through towns. The trail is maintained by 31 clubs and trail partnerships and managed by the National Park Service and the non-profit organisation, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Walking this trail is essential for those with an interest in flora and fauna. The trail is home to thousands of plants and animals including 2,000 species that are rare and endangered, which is one of the reasons why it is vital that the trail's conservation measures continue.
Though black bears do live along the trail, they rarely confront people. Bear sightings on the trail are not all that common except in one or two sections in which the bear population has increased steadily since the 1980s. Shenandoah National Park is one such stretch and if you are going to be lucky enough to see a bear while on the trail then this is likely where you will see it. It is very unlikely that a black bear would ever pose a threat to walkers, though you should watch out for venomous stakes which are found along drier sections. To be frank, you are more likely to be plagued by mosquitoes, ticks and black flies along the route, and by the mice that live in shelters.
This trail is not to be undertaken lightly, and it is absolutely essential to have the right gear – especially footwear. On particular stretches in Pennsylvania the trail is very rocky and is hard to walk on for any period of time without proper hard-soled walking boots. Bear in mind also that this trail is mountainous in sections – the Presidential Range rise higher than anything else east of the Rockies. On Mount Washington the trail climbs as high as 1,917m and you will be up above the treeline for around 13 miles in an important and beautiful alpine environment.
Most people who choose to walk this beautiful trail do so from south to north, begin in March or April and end in the autumn of the same year. This trail is very much set up for hikers and was designed with walkers in mind. There are excellent, clear way-markers along the whole route and there are huts, camping facilities and Adirondack shelters along the whole route. Unlike other long-distance American trails which tend to stick to absolute wilderness, the Appalachian trail crosses quite a few roads so is easier for less-experienced hikers because you can hitchhike into and out of town to pick up supplies. Kindly assistance from people living in trail towns is often given unexpectedly to weary walkers.
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