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Appalachian Trail

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Ranked #5,860 in Sports & Recreation, #145,884 overall

The "A.T.," as it's called by hikers, is much more than just a path through the woods. It is a national scenic trail, part of the same national park system that includes Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Its official name is the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. But, unlike those famous parks, it's not a concentrated preserve, with campgrounds and paths within its boundaries. As the longest, skinniest part of America's national park system, the A.T. stretches over 14 different states and passes through more than 60 federal, state, and local parks and forests. Hundreds of roads cross it. In some parts, the Trail "corridor" is only a few hundred feet wide.

(The previous introduction, the following bullet points, and the map to the left are graciously borrowed from the ATC's web site - Please Support the ATC and BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!)

The Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937:

* Is a unit of the National Park Service.

* Is the nation's longest marked footpath, at approximately 2,175 miles.

* Is the first national scenic trail, designated in 1968.

* Houses more than 2,000 occurrences of rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species.

* Crosses six national parks.

* Traverses eight national forests.

* Touches 14 states.

* Is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships.

Fun facts about the Appalachian Trail:

* Lowest elevation: 124 feet.

* Highest elevation: 6,625 feet.

* There are 165,000 blazes along the length of the Trail.

* More than 8,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.

* It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.

Appalachian Trail Web Sites

The journey is the destination

Appalachian Trail Conservancy: The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based, private nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the 2,175-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a 250,000-acre greenway extending from Maine to Georgia.
The Appalachian Trail Home Page: The original and still the best source of info for the AT. Look for links regarding AT connections on the north and south as well here. Get inspired by links from this site to journals of hikers.
Trailplace: Trailplace is an Appalachian Trail Resource Site and Community Information Center that focuses on the A.T. exclusively and is designed to help people have the best possible backcountry experience while hiking on it.
WhiteBlaze.net: A Community of Appalachian Trail Enthusiasts: All hikers and backpackers of the Appalachian Trail are welcome to give their point of view, tell about their hikes, ask any questions that they need answers to. We want to share the wonder and the beauty of the AT to any that would like to learn about this awe inspiring Trail.
The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association: The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association began in 1983 as an off-trail family of fellow hikers who've all shared similar experiences, hopes and dreams on the Appalachian Trail and other trails. Membership in this nonprofit group is open to all.
International Appalachian Trail (IAT): The IAT is the idea of Dick Anderson, a fisheries biologist and former commissioner of Maine's Department of Conservation. Dick had a dream, much like Benton MacKaye's dream of the Appalachian Trail. Dick dreamed of connecting the bioregion of the Northern Forest, on both sides of the US-Canada border.
National Park Service's Map of the Appalachian Trail: An incredible PDF Map of the Appalachian Trail!