However, these parts of the trail tend to be the most strenuous, rocky, repetitive, and steep. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, out of the 1,500 to 2,000 hikers who try to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail every year, only 200 to 300 hikers succeed. This hike on the blue-blazed AT Approach Trail departs from the summit of Amicalola Falls, rolling through a beautifully diverse forest t… You'll find a very different lifestyle on the trail than anything … It traverses 14 states from Maine's Mount Katahdin to Georgia's Springer Mountain … One of the significant battles that a thru-hiker will encounter is knowing how far they can hike each day. Our Tax ID number: 526046689. The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a National Scenic Trail extending from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine, and protected by federal- and state-owned lands as well as public rights-of-way. This section is seen as one of the most difficult due to exceedingly eroded trail areas, imaginably difficult to travel terrain, and crossing the Mahoosuc Notch (AKA the slowest mile on the AT). While fewer thru-hikers choose to start heading southbound, the northern parts of the trail are extremely popular section hiking and day hiking destinations. Campfires are prohibited along the AT in Connecticut and camping is allowed only at designated sites. The summer months of your thru-hike are hot and you won’t have to carry as many layers as usual. Another common psychological halfway point for many hikers is Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania. Required fields are marked *. Not to mention depending on the time of year, water may be scarce on these legs. The Appalachian Trail will span 554 miles across the state of Virginia. Planning a thru-hike can be part of the excitement of the trip. The plant species along the trail vary since the trail passes through different biomes and the climate changes. That means some speedsters use a support team while others choose to be self-supported, much like that of a thru-hiker. Measuring in at approximately 2,200 miles, this exhausting excursion will take you through 14 states and put around five million steps on your pedometer. You will be ascending for about 5 miles. This can be a vital aspect, as many hikers have set up drop points and only carry enough food to get them from one drop point to another. That is very far from the truth. In addition to the length, the direction of travel can also affect how long it takes thru-hikers to complete the entire Appalachian Trail. Simply choose a selection from each of the list boxes below, then click on the submit button. Our original plan was to hike this section (around 100 miles) in a full 9 days, starting out on a Sunday and hiking out on the follow Monday. When you’re choosing to start your thru-hiking journey, you will first want to determine if you plan to travel north or southbound on the trail. This year, 2015, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) Data Book, the AT is 2,189.2 miles. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,180+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. When you’re considering hiking the Appalachian Trail end to end, you may be wondering how long it will take you. You will cross many halfway markers as you make your way through Pennsylvania. When you’re going over a mountain on the AT, you can expect to be taking a straight shot at it. Like it’s west coast cousin, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail (AT) is a bucket-list journey of epic length. While access to the trails southernmost end is available at the Springer Mountain trailhead, the AT Approach Trail also offers access to Springer Mountain from Amicalola Falls, Georgias tallest waterfall. The trail is, at 2,190 miles (3,510 km) long, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. This program calculates the approximate walking distance in miles between two points along the Appalachian Trail. This can lead to overcrowding at campsites, trampled vegetation, sanitation issues, and degraded trail quality. The trail passes through other states and cities including Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and ends at Maine. You’ll also want to keep in mind that different legs of the trail are more difficult than others. The trail reached the Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine in 1937, with the ATC shifting its objective to preservation of the trail. 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