Appalachian Trail, Long-distance hiking trail in the eastern United States
The Appalachian Trail is a long-distance hiking trail running along the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, passing through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. White blazes painted on trees, rocks, and posts mark the route throughout, while blue blazes point toward side paths leading to shelters or viewpoints.
The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937, about 20 years after Benton MacKaye, a forester and conservationist, first proposed the idea of a long footpath running along the Appalachian Mountains. Since then, volunteer groups and the National Park Service have worked together to keep it open and maintained.
Hikers often share stories, meals, and shelter with strangers who become friends along the way. Locals known as trail angels volunteer to offer food, water, or rides to support those passing through.
Those planning to walk the entire trail at once usually start in Georgia in early spring and should allow five to seven months to complete it. Along the way, three-sided shelters are spaced a few hours apart, but carrying a tent is a good idea in case a shelter is full or noisy.
Many people who walk the full trail give themselves a trail name, an informal nickname often inspired by something that happened in the first days of their hike. These names travel ahead through shelters and word of mouth, so other hikers may already know someone by their trail name before ever meeting them in person.
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