Hiking the Appalachian Trail

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Recommended: Navigating hiking the Appalachian Trail

One wonderful ability that people have always been able to do is walk thousands of miles through tough terrain to get where they want/need to go. The exercise known as hiking was practiced all over the world, including the famous Appalachian Trail, approximately 2,184 miles long. The A.T. was “Conceived in 1921, built by private citizens, and completed in 1937, today the trail is managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers”, as stated on the National Park Services website. The trails path runs along the Appalachian Mountains and through 14 different states stretching from Maine to Georgia. The formation of the trail went through several stages beginning with Benton MacKaye’s idea and planning of a super trail in late 1921. A committee was formed, followed by a conference which years later became the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The A.T. is a great trail to hike for the courageous individuals that are looking for a great time and adventure.
With the A.T. running through fourteen mountains, the landscape alters and so does the experience. The degree of difficulty ranges from flat and smooth to rough and rocky, requiring a lot of hand use for hanging, feet for stability, and jolting movements for the more physically fit hikers. The A.T. can be broken into five sections: Northern New England, Southern New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southern Appalachians, and The Virginias. To find out more about each section, a hiker would want to refer to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website under the “About the Trail” module. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, “Each year, thousands of hikers attempt a thru-hike; only about one in four...

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...red. Through out the A.T. backpackers experience wildlife and challenges that help them in various ways. Self-confidence is a great skill accomplished as well and self discovery and commitment. The time it takes gives travelers a time to discover themselves while walking the beautiful trail. The hikers who hike for a hobby and/or exercise also take away experiences from a trail traveled by many. Whether traveled non stop or by sections, the Appalachian trail is a great adventure for almost any hiker to concur.

Works Cited
"Appalachian National Scenic Trail." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 26
Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
"Appalachian Trail Conservancy." About the Trail. ATC, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Woolf, Marcus. “Increased Bear Activity Leads to Food Canister Rule.” WhiteBlaze Appalachian
Trail RSS. WhiteBlaze, 2002. Web. 21 Mar. 2014

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