The Appalachian Trail

 

This truly is a trails amongst trails. I have been in awe of any courageous hiker who can actually hike this entire path. The Appalachian Trail is the nation's longest trail expanding 2,181 miles. Of course, this trail will take you months to hike it in it's entirety but there are many entrances along the way so the traveler can choose much shorter hikes if desired.

Here are some interesting facts about the Appalachian Trail:

The Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937:

• Is a privately managed unit of the national park system.
• Is the nation's longest marked footpath, at approximately 2,181 miles.
• Is the first completed national scenic trail, designated in 1968.
• Crosses six other units of the national park system.
• Traverses eight national forests.
• Touches 14 states. Houses more than 2,000 occurrences of rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species at about 535 sites.
• Crosses numerous state and local forests and parks.
• Is maintained by 31 trail clubs and multiple partnerships.

Fun facts about the Appalachian Trail:

• Lowest elevation: 124 feet – near the Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain, New York
• Highest elevation: 6,625 feet – on Clingmans Dome in Tennessee
• Approximately 165,000 white paint blazes mark the Trail's route.
• More than 10,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.
• It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.
• More than 6,000 volunteers contribute about 200,000 hours to the Appalachian Trail every year.



For a great description of what it is like to actually hike the Appalachian Trail, I recommend this funny and informative book by Bill Bryson entitled "A Walk In The Woods."