THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Designated as America's first National Scenic Trail in 1968, The Appalachian Trail is a 250,000-acre greenway and marked hiking trail in the eastern United States. Extending between the Southernmost starting point of Springer Mountain, in Fannin Couny, Georgia, to the Northernmost point on Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, located in Millinocket, Maine, the Trail is approximately 2175 miles long. Most of the Appalachian Trail is in wilderness, with parts in towns, woods, and crossing rivers.

Many hikers, known as thru-hikers, attempt to completely hike the Appalachian Trail in one season. Along the way the Trail passes through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusettes, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

On October 7, 1923, the first section of the Appalachian Trail was opened from Bear Mountain, west through Harriman State Park, to Arden, New York. In August 1937 the Trail was completed to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. The first, recognized, thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail occurred in 1948, a 121-day journey from Maine to Georgia.

The National Trails System Act of 1968 paved the way for a series of National Scenic Trails within the National Park and National Forest systems. In 1971 a permanent route for the Appalachian Trail was marked. Today, the National Park Service owns all but a few miles of the Trail's span.

THE INTERNATIONAL APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

The International Appalachian Trail continues North into Canada, to the end of the Appalachian range, and ends at the North Atlantic Ocean. This is a 690-mile extension running from Maine into New Brunswick and Quebec, Ontario, and is not an official extension of the Appalachian Trail. There is also an extension to Newfoundland.

SPRINGER MOUNTAIN:

On Springer Mountain's peak is a bronze plaque with the Appalachian Trail logo that reads "The Appalachian Trail is a footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness". It is at Springer Mountain, in the Chattahoochee National Forest of north Georgia, that the Southernmost starting point of the Appalachian Trail begins.

The most popular approach trail to Springer Mountain starts at the Visitor's Center of Amicolola Falls State Park located off Georgia Highway 52. This trail is 8.3 miles long. There is a hikers registry to sign, a benchmark, and an open-front trail shelter with a raised first floor and a sleeping loft found there. A fire circle and picnic tables are provided at Springer Mountain and water is obtained by a piped spring.

Two cables in trees near the shelter, equipped with pulleys and hoisting lines, haul food and backpacks out of the reach of the bears, raccoons, and rodents found in the area. Tent-pitching in the meadow located between the Appalachian Trail and the spur trail to the shelter is plentiful and the meadow also has a fire circle.

PINHOTI TRAIL:

In 2008 an extension from Springer Hill, Georgia, to the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, known as the Pinhoti Trail, was added to the Benton Mackaye Trail leading off Springer Mountain. This trail was named for the Massachusettes forester and regional planner who first had the idea for the Appalachian Trail in 1921, and is the Trail that connects the Pinhoti Trail to the Appalachian Trail.

BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL:

The Benton MacKaye Trail, leading North, is 300 miles long and blazed by a 5-inch by 7-inch white diamond. The Trail runs from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Davenport Gap, Tennessee, passing through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and eight United States Wilderness areas. The Hiawassee River in Tennessee is the Trail's lowest point, and Mt. Sterling, in the Great Smokey Mountains, in North Carolina, is its highest point.

ANIMALS FOUND ALONG THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Animals found along the Appalachian Trail include black bears, which are plentiful in all regions of the Trail. Bear sightings and encounters on the Appalachian Trail are rare because black bears avoid humans and loud noises usually scare them away. The Eastern Timber rattlesnake and copperheads, two highly poisonous snakes, are common trailmates for hikers exploring the Appalachian Trail. Found in drier, rocky sections along the Trail, copperheads range North to about the New Jersey-New York stateline and rattlesnakes are common up through Connecticut and Massachusettes. Deer and elk can be found in the Smokey Mountains, and moose may be seen in Maine.

Other animals encountered on the Appalachian Trail include beavers, chipmunks, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, groundhogs, porcupines, bats, weasels, shrews, minks, muskrats, frogs, lizards, salamanders, bass, trout, bream, sunfish, catfish, crayfish, water moccasins,a variety of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, and dogs.

Pests such as the mice that inhabit the Trail shelters, ticks, mosquitos, black flies, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, Africanized bees, black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders, and chiggers are bothersome as well and may lead to insect-borne diseases contracted by Trail hikers.

GEORGIA:

75 miles of rugged wilderness hiking through the Chattahooche National Forest awaits hikers on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. The Trail remains elevated between 2510 and 4461 feet with highway crossings a moderate day's journey apart. Many steep ups and downs can be found on the Georgia portion of the Appalachian Trail that has a hiking difficulty rating of six. April and May are the best suggested times to travel the Trail in Georgia.

Spring hikers may encounter cold rain, sleet, and snow. Many Spring Break hikers enjoy the Georgia Trail in March and April, and there may be as many as 40 thru-hikers daily starting their trips North on Springer Mountain during this time.

The rugged, rocky terrain of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia exits the Peach State at Bly Gap. Along the way the Trail winds past Blood, Tray, and Big Cedar Mountains, as well as through Addis, Neels, and Woody Gaps.

The Georgia portion of the Appalachian Trail follows the high eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wildflowers are common including bloodroot, trillium, and azaleas. Laurel and rhodedendrons bloom in the Summer and the forests are mainly hickory, oak, and poplar second-growth hardwoods.

Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail, and Georgia's sixth tallest mountain, at 4458 feet. The mountain is located in Union County and offers waterfalls as well as hiking trails with scenic views from the rock formations atop the mountain. There is a hiker's shelter on the mountaintop. DeSoto Falls Recreation Area and Campground, Vogel State Park, and the Sobee Cove Scenic Area are nearby Blood Mountain.

Tray Mountain provides a 360-degree panaramic view of the Georgia mountains. The total distance to the top of the mountain is 10.2 miles with three summits over 1000 feet, a very rugged hike beginning hikers of the Appalachian Trail may struggle with.

The rocky overlook at Big Cedar Mountain provides excellent views from an elevation of 3721 feet.

Campsites are located at Addis Gap and the Tray Mountain Wilderness ends here. The climb out of Addis Gap is a steep up, a short rest, and another steep up to the side of Kelly Knob.

Neels Gap is a fairly easy hike to the top of Blood Mountain and through the breezeway of the Walasi-yi Center, a stone structure for supplies, showers, mail, laundry facilities, and an outfitters store. A hostel is also located at Neels Gap.

Woody Gap's elevation is 3000 feet with scenic vistas of Yahoola Valley. Chestatee Overlook and Dockery Lake are the "must see" attractions found at this harsh ridge top gap that also provides excellent bird watching opportunities for warblers, grouse, and wild turkeys. Dahlonega is the closest town 17 miles away.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Springer Mountain Shelter, 3730 Fannin, Georgia, Stover Creek Shelter, 2870, Fannin, Georgia, Black Gap Shelter, 3300, Gilmore, Georgia, Hawk Mountain Shelter, 3200, Union, Georgia, Gooch Mountain Shelter, 3000, Union, Georgia, Woods Hole Shelter, 3600, Union, Georgia, Blood Mountain Shelter, 4450, Lumpkin, Georgia, Whitley Gap Shelter, 3370, White, Georgia, Low Gap Shelter, 3050, White, Georgia, Blue Mountain Shelter, 3900, Towns, Georgia, Plumorchard Gap Shelter, 3050, Towns, Georgia, Tray Mountain Shelter, 4200, Habersham, Georgia, and Deep Gap Shelter, 3550, Rabun, Georgia.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL FORESTS:

Plant life on the Appalachian Trail varies from South to North and on the climates of each region. Southern lowland forests are mainly second-growth as almost the entire Trail has been logged at one time or another. The Sages Range in Massachusettes, and the Hermitage, near Gulf Hages, Maine, contain first-growth forested areas.

The Southern Hardwood Forest is a mixed deciduous forest that dominates the Appalachian Trail south of New England and the southern mountain foothills. Oaks, hickories, and tulip trees, (yellow poplar), are the most common large trees, with maples and birches more prominent in northerly sections, Chestnuts, redbuds, dogwoods, striped maples, and American hollies are found in this forest as well. The shrubs witch hazel, pawpaw, and pepperbushes will be seen, too.

The Great Smokey Mountains are a sub-alpine environment at 6000 feet. The Unaka and Roan ranges on the North Carolina-Tennessee border are sub-alpine below 6000 feet. Mount Rogers and Grayson Highlands, in Virginia, are alpine above 5000 feet. Many of the South mountains are balds due to fires, grazing, or thin, sandy soils.

The Transition Forest is wetter and more northerly extending across the lowlands of the North into the southern Appalachian high country, with spruce, fir, hemlock, pine, birch, maple, basswood, and beech forests. The shrubs elderberry, hazel, and honeysuckle are found in this forest. Evergreens and conifers are located in higher elevations of this forest with spectacular foilage for hikers to enjoy. While most of the Northern mountain foilage is sub-alpine, coniferous trees grow in Maine at low elevations.

The Northern Brocal Forest is the largest North American forest. Hikers meet this forest in the highest ridges of the southern Appalachian Trail and the uplands of northern New England. Pines and hemlocks are found in the South and drawfed spruces and krummholz and taiga firs in New Hampshire and Maine. White pine, red pine, white spruce, balsam fir, black spruce, and jack pines dominate with aspen and birch found, too. Blueberry bushes, mountain maple, and ash shrubs are located in this forest as well.

NORTH CAROLINA:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina ranges from 1725 to 5498 feet and the Trail has a hiking difficulty rating of three to six. Mid-May through October is the best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina.

Most of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina is shared with Tennessee along the state line. The 88 miles of the Trail in North Carolina are mostly well-graded, however, the Trail is remote with long, strenuous climbs. The high ridges on the North Carolina-Tennessee portion of the Appalachian Trail are prone to severe winter weather and lightning strikes in the Summer.

Pisgah National Park is located here, and because of the heavy rainfall and snowfall levels that can be reached in the Great Smokey Mountains, hikers must obtain a Permit to stay overnight. Unless thru-hiking, reservations are needed to use the shelters found there.

The Stecoach-Cheoah Gaps, and the Nantahala Mountains, with their 4000 foot gaps and 5000 foot peaks, are found here. Cheoah Bald Mountain offers panaramic views of western North Carolina on this section of the Appalachian Trail. Stecoach Gap provides Brown Fork Shelter and Cable Gap Shelter.

The Appalachian Trail section from Georgia to the Nantahala River in North Carolina features the best-graded trail at high elevations in the Deep South. The Trail follows the Cherokee National Forest and the high country along the North Carolina-Tennessee state line, also containing the highest mountains found on the Trail.

The Roan Highlands, a 22-mile massif shared by North Carolina and Tennessee, with five mountain peaks divided by Carver's Gap, contains Clingman's Dome's 6625 foot summit, the Appalachian Trail's highest point. Roan High Bluff and Roan High Knob are west of Carver's gap and are thick with coniferous forests. High Bluff and High Knob, with Tollhouse Gap between them, contains the Rhododenrum Gardens, the largest of its kind in the world.

The Grassy Ridge section of Roan Mountain is east of Carver's Gap and the longest stretch of grassy bald in the Appalachian Mountains. Round Bald, Jane Bald, and Grassy Ridge Bald are the three mountain peaks atop Grassy Ridge with 1000 acres of bald covering the summits of all three peaks.

The Nantahala Mountains run between Cherokee and Maggie Valley in North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds down to end in these mountains and the headwaters of the Savannah River start here.

Bartram Trail is the winding path up Cheoah Bald Mountain and climbs out of the Nantahala Gorge into Ledbetter Creek valley. A hardwood forest shades many waterfalls in this area. Ledbetter Creek runs out of water as Bartram Trail reaches the high country.

The Appalachian Trail in North Carolina traverses Iron Mountain, crosses Hughes Gap and Tollhouse Gap, turns east across Roan High Knob, Carver's Gap, Grassy Ridge, Yellow and Hump Mountains, and descends White Rocks Mountain. Roan Mountain, North Carolina is the only area where the Appalachian Trail rises above 6000 feet.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Muskrat Creek Shelter, 4600, Clay, North Carolina, New Carter Gap Shelter, 4540 Clay, North Carolina, Standing Indian Shelter, 4760, Macon, North Carolina, Old Carter Gap Shelter, 4540, Macon, North Carolina, Big Spring Shelter, 4940, Macon, North Carolina, Rock Gap Shelter, 3760, Macon, North Carolina, Siler Bald Shelter, 4600, Macon, North Carolina, Wayah Shelter, 4759, Macon, North Carolina, Cold Spring Shelter, 4920, Macon, North Carolina, Wesser Bald Shelter, 4115, Macon, North Carolina, A. Rufus Morgan Shelter, 2300, Swain, North Carolina, Sassafras Gap Shelter, 4330, Swain, North Carolina, Spence Field Shelter, 4915, Swain, North Carolina, Silers Bald Shelter, 5460, Swain, North Carolina, Double Spring Gap Shelter, 5505, Swain, North Carolina, Icewater Spring Shelter, 5920, Swain, North Carolina, Kephart Shelter, 3660, Swain, North Carolina, Pecks Corner Shelter, 5280, Swain, North Carolina, Tricorner Knob Shelter, 5920, Swain, North Carolina, Brown Fork Shelter, 3800, Graham, North Carolina, Cable Gap Shelter, 2880, Graham, North Carolina, Fantana Dam Shelter, 1775, Graham, North Carolina, Laurel Gap Shelter, 5420 Haywood, North Carolina, Cosby Knob Shelter, 4740, Haywood, North Carolina, Groundhog Creek Shelter, 2850, Haywood, North Carolina, Roaring Fork Shelter, 3590, Madison, North Carolina, Deer Park Mountain Shelter, 2330, Madison, North Carolina, Little Laurel Shelter, 3620, Madison, North Carolina, Jerry Cabin Shelter, 4150, Madison, North Carolina, Flint Mountain Shelter, 3520, Madison, North Carolina, Hogback Ridge Shelter, 4255, Madison, North Carolina, Stan Murray Shelter, 5050, Avery, North Carolina, and Overmountain Shelter, 4550, Avery, North Carolina.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL WILDFLOWERS:

Wildflowers abound on the Appalachian Trail and can vary widely based on the four Seasons of the year. The first flowers to bloom during the late Winter, through January and February, are the maroon-colored cowl and foul-smelling skunk cabbage. March and April on the Appalachian Trail see bloodroots appear in high. dry ridges. Squaw roots, dogtooth violets, saxifrages, drawf irises, hepaticas, anemones, phacelias, and arbutuses bloom on the Appalachian Trail during this time.

During May and June there are too many blooming wildflowers to keep track of on the Appalachian Trail including flame azaleas, mountain laurels, rhododendrons, jack-in-the-pulpits, columbines, pink lady's-slippers, trilliums, viper's buglosses, spiderworts, black coboshes, labrador teas, and bog laurels.

The late Summer months of July and August produce a number of mountain shrubs, shade plants, and meadow plants on the Appalachian Trail. These include wintergreen shrubs, meadow rues, sundews, mountain cranberries, oxeye daisies, wild sarsaparillas, wood nettles, and jewelweeds.

From September, through the Fall and early Winter, certain wildflowers bloom late along the Appalachian Trail including goldenrods, Queen Anne's laces, asters, wood sorrels, monkshoods, and butter-and-eggs. These late blooming wildflowers tend to disappear from the Trail about the same time hikers do.

The Leave No Trace policy of the Appalachian Trail will ensure these annually blooming wildflowers remain for future hikers to enjoy in coming years. Do not pick them.

TENNESSEE:

The elevation of the 293 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee ranges from 1326 to 6625 feet, and has a hiking difficulty rating of five to six. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee is late May through October. .

Dennis Cove provides spectacular views of Laurel Falls, a 60 foot high cascade. On the Roan Mountain side of Tennessee the vistas, grassy balds, and marvelous campsites make the Appalachian Trail a classic. Steep accents and descents abound with some difficult footing and exposed campsites that can make this section of the Trail rather challenging for novice hikers.

Cosby Gap requires a strenuous 2.5 mile access climb from Cosby Campground to Low Gap. Scenic views offered include a rebuilt fire tower perched on massive rocks. Pond Mountain is covered with rich forest and steep climbs up and down many switchbacks. Lemon Gap is an irregular range between the Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers, and Max Patch is a sheltered winding valley.

Low Gap to Demascus is a long ridgetop hike through second-growth forests and fields and a long descent from the Tennessee state line. Spring Gap to the Nolichucky River valley is full of steep climbs and rock scrambles between Flattop Mountain and No Business Knob. Tanyard Gap offers views of the Rich Mountain fire tower, white pine stands, and sheltered creek valleys.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Tennessee section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Mollies Ridge Shelter, 4570, Blount, Tennessee, Russell Field Shelter, 4360, Blount, Tennessee, Derrick Knob Shelter, 4880, Sevier, Tennessee, Mt. Collins Shelter, 5870, Sevier, Tennessee, Mount Le Conte Shelter, 6440, Sevier, Tennessee, Davenport Gap Shelter, 2600, Cocke, Tennessee, Walnut Mountain Shelter, 4260, Cocke, Tennessee, Spring Mountain Shelter, 3300, Greene, Tennessee, Bald Mountain Shelter, 5100 Unicoi, Tennessee, No Business Knob Shelter, 3180, Unicoi, Tennessee, Curly Maple Gap Shelter, 3070 Unicoi, Tennessee, Cherry Gap Shelter, 3900 Unicoi, Tennessee, Clyde Smith Shelter, 4400, Carter, Tennessee, Roan High Knob Shelter, 6275, Carter, Tennessee, Apple House Shelter, 3000, Carter, Tennessee, Mountaineer Falls Shelter, 3200, Carter, Tennessee, Moreland Gap Shelter, 3825, Carter, Tennessee, Laurel Fork Shelter, 2450, Carter, Tennessee, Watauga Lake Shelter, 2130, Carter, Tennessee, Vandeventer Shelter, 3620, Carter, Tennessee, Double Springs Shelter, 4060, Carter, Tennessee, Iron Mountain Shelter, 4125, Johnson, Tennessee, and Abingdon Gap Shelter, 3785, Johnson, Tennessee.

RARE AND ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Carolina flying squirrels, Virginia northern flying squirrels, rock voles, Allegheny wood rats, eastern wood rats, water shaws, fence lizards, zig-zag salamanders, northern cricket frogs, triangle floater mussels, Jefferson salamanders, Appalachian brook crayfish, wood turtles, broadhead skinks, pigmy salamanders, shovelnose salamanders, Shenandoah salamanders, Weller's salamanders, and squawfoot mussels can all be found roaming the Appalachian Trail.

VIRGINIA:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia ranges from 265 to 5500 feet and has a hiking difficulty rating of two to six. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Virginia for the Southwest section of the state is May through October, for the Shenandoah and Central Virginia areas it is April through June or September and October, and for Northern Virginia it is April through June or September through early November. Summer heat and humidity can be oppressive in northern Virginia and bearable for the remainder of the state except during heat waves.

One-fourth of the Appalachian Trail, 550 miles, is consumed by Virginia, with an additional 20+ miles extending along the Virginia/West Virginia state line. The Appalachian Trail in Virginia varies from very easy to extremely difficult hiking over rock scrambles, through busy National Parks, and isolated wildernesses.

The Appalachian Trail in Virginia can be broken down into four regions, including Southwest Virginia and the Mt. Rogers highland meadows, which offers some of the Trail's best opportunities for solitude. Damascus, Virginia, in this region, is known as Trail Town. Southwest Virginia covers 166 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus to Pearisburg.

Central Virginia contains the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Shenandoah section of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia has 104 well graded miles of Trail and the Shenandoah National Park. The Northern Virginia region has the long, low ridge, famously notorious Snickers Gap rollercoaster section of the Appalachian Trail.

Mt. Rogers receives snowfall from October to May making it colder, wetter, and more snowier than any of the other Virginia areas. Located in Grayson and Smyth counties, in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, and in the Jefferson National Forest, Mt. Rogers is the highest point of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia with a summit of 5729 feet. Volcanos were once a part of the Mt. Rogers landscape and volcanic rocks can be found there. Proterozoic glaciation evidence is also preserved there. The Grayson Highlands are home to wild ponies.

Damascus, a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is known as Trail Town, USA, because of the four scenic Trails, including the Appalachian Trail, that converge there, with many other trails located nearby. Damascus is becoming a major tourist destination for seeking an entry way into the wilderness. Damascus is located at the northern end of Holsten Mountain and the Appalachian Trail crosses the TransAmerica Trail there where they parallel, and intermingelly cross for 225 miles northeast to Rockfish Gap. Damascus is the largest single gathering place of Appalachian Trail hikers anywhere along the Trail and celebrates an annual Trail Days festival held around the end of May.

Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Afton Mountain, separating the Shenandoah Valley from the Piedmont region of Virginia, with an elevation of 1900 feet. Rockfish Gap is one of the lowest gaps between the Manassas Gap and the James River. The Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway meet at Rockfish Gap.

Skyline Drive is a 105 mile road that runs the length of the Shenandoah National Park along the ridge of the mountains and is very popular in the Fall because of the changing colors of the leaves. It is also a National Historic Byway.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway known for its scenic beauty. It is 469 miles long along the Blue Ridge Mountains chain, which is the longest, narrowist, National Park in the world. Some features of the Blue Ridge Parkway include the Ravens Roost vistas of Torrey Mountain, the Shenandoah Valley, the George Washington National Forest, the James River, the Roanoke River Gorge, the Roanoke Valley, the Rock Castle Gorge, Groundhog Mountain, and Pilot Mountain. Thomas Jefferson's Father, Peter Jefferson, was one of the surveyors that explored and mapped the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the North Carolina-Virginia state line.

The Shenandoah National Park's 104 miles of well graded and well maintained Appalachian Trail seldom exceeds 500 to 1000 feet and is an excellent trail for beginning hikers. Park facilities are shut down from late November through March because of snowfalls. Backcountry Permits are required when camping in the Park.

The Appalachian Trail in central Virginia covers 226 miles and parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway becoming increasingly more difficult, although well graded, and includes many 2000 and 3000 foot climbs.

The George Washington National Forest contains spectacular views, mature timberlands, and high summits, north of Roanoke. The Great Valley through the Jefferson National Forest and the Allegheny Plateau is splendid wilderness.

Humpback Rocks, Three Ridges, the Priest, McAfee Knob, and Dragon's Tooth mountain peaks are more rugged than the Shenandoah, but easier than the Appalachian Trail in southwest Virginia, offering noteworthy views from unusual rock formations, outcroppings, and some of the northernmost balds on the Trail.

The northern Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail runs 54 miles from the Shenandoah National Park to the Virginia/West Virginia state line. It is a long, low ridge, including Snickers Gap, that is less heavily traveled, and is one of the best places on the Trail for Spring Break hikers.

Snickers Gap is a Blue Ridge Mountain wind gap on the border of Loudoun County and Clarke County, with an elevation of 1018 feet. Bear's Den and Raven Rocks are adjacent to the gap. Snickers Gap is 300 to 600 feet below the ridge line and 400 to 600 feet above the surrounding countryside because of the dwindeling height of the Blue Ridge Mountains as they near the Potomac River. Many small American Civil War battles, and part of the Battle of Cool Spring, were fought at Snickers Gap.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

The Place Shelter, 1928, Washington, Virginia, Saunders Shelter, 3310, Washington, Virginia, Lost Mountain Shelter, 3360, Washington, Virginia, Thomas Knob Shelter, 5400, Grayson, Virginia, Wise Shelter, 4460, Grayson, Virginia, Old Orchard Shelter, 4050, Grayson, Virginia, Hurricane Mountain Shelter, 3850, Grayson, Virginia, Raccoon Branch Camp Shelter, 3570, Smyth, Virginia, Trimpi Shelter, 2900, Smyth, Virginia, Partnership Shelter, 3360, Smyth, Virginia, Chatfield Shelter, 3150, Smyth, Virginia, Davis Path Shelter, 2840, Smyth, Virginia, Knot Maul Branch Shelter, 2880, Bland, Virginia, Jenkins Shelter, 2500, Bland, Virginia, Helveys Mill Shelter, 3090, Bland, Virginia, Jenny Knob Shelter, 2800, Bland, Virginia, Chestnut Knob Shelter, 4409, Tazewell, Virginia, Wapiti Shelter, 2640, Giles, Virginia, Docs Knob Shelter, 3555, Giles, Virginia, Rice Field Shelter, 3375, Giles, Virginia, Pine Swamp Branch Shelter, 2530, Giles, Virginia, Bailey Gap Shelter, 3525, Giles, Virginia, War Spur Shelter, 2390, Giles, Virginia, Laurel Creek Shelter, 2720, Craig, Virginia, Niday Shelter, 1800, Craig, Virginia, Pickle Branch Shelter, 1845, Craig, Virginia, Sarver Hollow Shelter, 3000, Montgomery, Virginia, Johns Spring Shelter, 1980, Roanoke, Virginia, Catawba Mountain Shelter, 2580, Roanoke, Virginia, Campbell Shelter, 2580, Roanoke, Virginia, Lamberts Meadow Shelter, 2080, Botetourt, Virginia, Fullhardt Knob Shelter, 2670, Botetourt, Virginia, Wilson Creek Shelter, 1830, Botetourt, Virginia, Bobblets Gap Shelter, 1920, Botetourt, Virginia, Cove Mountain Shelter, 1925, Botetourt, Virginia, Bryant Ridge Shelter, 1320, Botetourt, Virginia, Cornelius Creek Shelter, 3145, Botetourt, Virginia, Thunder Hill Shelter, 3960, Bedford, Virginia, Matts Creek Shelter, 835, Bedford, Virginia, Johns Hollow Shelter, 1020, Amherst, Virginia, Punchbowl Shelter, 2500, Amherst, Virginia, Brown Mountain Creek Shelter, 1395, Amherst, Virginia, Cow Camp Shelter, 3160, Amherst, Virginia, Seeley-Woodworth Shelter, 3720, Nelson, Virginia, The Priest Shelter, 3840, Nelson, Virginia, Harpers Creek Shelter, 1800, Nelson, Virginia, Maupin Field Shelter, 2720, Nelson, Virginia, Paul C. Wolfe Shelter, 1700, Nelson, Virginia, Calf Mountain Shelter, 2700, Augusta, Virginia, Blackrock Hut Shelter, 2645, Albermarle, Virginia, Hightop Hut Shelter, 3175, Rockingham, Virginia, Pinefield Hut Shelter, 2430, Greene, Virginia, Bearface Mountain Hut Shelter, 3110, Greene, Virginia, Rock Spring Hut Shelter, 3465, Page, Virginia, Pass Mountain Hut Shelter, 2690, Rappahannock, Virginia, Gravel Springs Hut Shelter, 2480, Rappahannock, Virginia, Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter, 1900, Warren, Virginia, Virginia, Jim n Molly Denton Shelter, 1310, Warren, Virginia, Manassas Gap Shelter, 1655, Fauquier, Virginia, Dicks Dome Shelter, 1230, Fauquier, Virginia, Rod Hollow Shelter, 840, Clarke, Virginia, Sam Moore Shelter, 990, Clarke, Virginia, Bears Den Hostel Shelter, 1350, Clarke, Virginia, Blackburn Trail Shelter, 1650, Loudoun, Virginia, and David Lesser Shelter, 1430, Loudoun, Virginia.

BIRDS ENCOUNTERED ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Many species of birds may be found along the Appalachian Trail including whipperwills, flycatchers, swallows, ovenbirds, kinglets, veeries, pewees, red-eyed vireos, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, ruffled grouse, spruce grouse, ravens, vultures, hawks, eagles, falcons, Bicknell's thrush, hermit thrush, grey-cheeked thrush, northern ravens, olive-sided flycatchers, black-billed cuckoos, bay-brested warblers, ceruleon warblers, blackburnian warblers, magnolia warblers, blackpall warblers, alder flycatchers, rusty blackbirds, Swainson's warblers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, winter wrens, red-breasted nuthatchers, sharp-skinned hawks, northern saw-whet owls, golden eagles, Peregrine falcons, merlins, Cooper's hawks, and bald eagles.

WEST VIRGINIA:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia is 265 to 1200 feet and the Trail has a hiking difficulty rating of two to three. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia is mid-April through mid-June or September and October.

Four miles is the total distance of the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia proper. The Trail straddles the Virginia/West Virginia state line several hundred miles South near the New River. It also straddles the Virginia/West Virginia state line for fifteen miles before descending the Blue Ridge at Loudoun Heights, crossing the Shenandoah River, passing through Harpers Ferry by way of a footbridge across the Potomac River, and exiting into Maryland.

The New River is a tributory of the Kanawha River and much of its course through West Virginia is designated as the New River Gorge National River, an American Heritage river. The New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville, West Virginia, is open for BASE jumping on Bridge Day. BASE jumping uses an unopened parachute, or a wingsuit, when jumping off a fixed object. Bridge Day is a one day festival held annually in Fayetteville on the third Saturday in October, an 876 foot jump into the New River Gorge. YEE-HAW!!!

Historic and scenic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County, is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, where Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland meet, and is wellknown for John Brown's raid on the Armory in 1859, and for its role in the American Civil War.

The lower portion of Harpers Ferry is located in the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. The B and O Railroad Potomac River Crossing and Saint Peter's Roman Catholic Church, two National Register of Historic Places sites, adjoin the town as does the Harpers Ferry Historic District.

The Headquarters for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy are located at Camp Hill, in Harpers Ferry, and the town is one of only a very few the Appalachian Trail passes directly through.

A new relocation of the Appalachian Trail in Harpers Ferry, beginning in June 2009, will have the Trail cross High Street, pass a courtyard to Potomac Street, and continue to "The Point" above the meeting location of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. This new relocation of the Trail in Harpers Ferry passes backyards of antebellum buildings and major Park exhibits.

TRAIL MAJIC ON THE APPALACIAN TRAIL:

Thru-hikers coined the term "Trail majic" to describe unexpected, small, remarkable, unforgetable, events that lift a hiker's spirits and inspire gratitude. Trail majic comes in two forms, the majic created by nature in something such as allowing hikers to observe animals that are rarely, if ever, seen, or in the kindness of strangers that may be something like handing out food to a passing hiker.

Trail majic is a memorable part of hiking the Appalachian Trail thru-hikers never forget and helps bring them back to the Trail to share some more Trail majic of their own with the next Season's crop of hikers. Curiousity seekers, and well wishers, wanting to hear thru-hikers stories also hit the Trail to spread a little majic as well.

Done correctly, Trail majic should be kept on a small scale, and follow the Leave No Trace principles of conserve and maintain the Appalachian Trail. Several suggested ways of doing this include keeping events small and located in developed areas on durable surfaces, as well as preparing and serving food safely and only in appropriate, landowner approved, locations. Permits may be required to serve food, and charging a fee, or asking for donations may not be allowed. Do not leave food, drinks, and their containers unattended where wildlife can get to them. Restore the site where Trail majic is provided. Advertising is prohibited on the Appalachian Trail, even non-commercial advertising is not allowed. Eliminate all alcoholic beverages from Trail majic plans, and be hospitable to all hikers, even those who prefer not to be disturbed by Trail majic, or any other reason, and are hiking the Appalachian Trail for the solitarity it provides.

One of the best ways to provide Trail majic is to become a Trail Volunteer helping to maintain the Appalachian Trail for future hikers enjoyment.

MARYLAND:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland ranges from 230 to 1880 feet and has a hiking difficulty rating of two to three. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Maryland is mid-April through Mid-June or September and October.

South Mountain's North-South ridge extends from the Potomac River to Pennsylvania. The Appalachian Trail follows this 41-mile route along the mountain's backbone. On the Appalachian Trail in Maryland hikers are required to stay at the designated shelters and campsites provided which are located about a day's travel apart.

South Mountain borders Frederick and Washington Counties. The Appalachian Trail in Maryland is considered fairly easy by Appalachian Trail standards, with only a 1650 foot elevation increase, from the low point at the Potomac River, to High Rock's 1900 foot elevation. This section of the Trail has fewer steep climbs and fewer rocks compared to other parts of the Appalachian Trail.

Annapolis Rock, located in Howard County, has a popular campground for Appalachian Trail hikers. The one mile backcountry loop trail is listed on the National Recreation Trails System. Once heavily damaged by excessive use the area has been rejuvenated and offers camping, rock climbing, and hiking opportunities on the Appalachian Trail.

Annapolis Rock offers spectacular views of Greenbriar Lake and the Cumberland Valley. Weverton Cliffs provides scenic views of the Potomac River and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Greenbriar Lake, a Maryland State Park multi-use park, with a 42-acre man-made lake, and a beach, provides swimming, canoeing, nature studies, and hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Known as "Cow Valley" by the locals residing there, the Cumberland Valley lies between South Mountain, Maryland, and the Ridge and Valley Province of central Pennsylvania. Bounded on the northeast by the Susquehanna River. Cumberland Valley is a natural lowland with fertile agricultural land that lies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary with a free connection to the Atlantic Ocean, going north through Chesapeake and the Deleware Canal in Cecil County, Maryland, and south through the mouth of the Bay between the Virginia capes. The first English settlement in America was founded in Chesapeake Bay.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Crampton Gap Shelter, 1000, Frederick, Maryland, Rocky Run Shelter, 970, Washington, Maryland, Ed Garvey Shelter, 1100, Washington, Maryland, Pine Knob Shelter, 1360, Washington, Maryland, Ensign Cowall Shelter, 1430, Washington, Maryland, and Devil's Racecourse Shelter, 1480, Washington, Maryland.

SHELTERS ALONG THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

The Appalachian Trail contains approximately 250 backcountry shelters with a shingled or metal roof, a wooden floor, three walls, and one side that is open to the elements. Most of these shelters are near a spring or creek water source and are occupied on a first come first served basis. Large groups should not plan to sleep in these shelters allowing individual hikers to use them instead.

These shelters can be dirty and rodent-infested because many hikers do not clean up after themselves or when they leave the shelters. They may also be very crowded by the number of hikers who use them at any given time. Appalachian Trail hikers need to carry a tent to pitch in case shelters are not available.

In wet weather shelters provide a dry place for hikers. Shelters are a good meeting place for hikers to talk to other hikers and staying at these shelters reduces hiker impact on the Appalachian Trail environment. Good Leave No Trace policies should be followed in shelter areas. Practices that concentrate heavy use in small areas around shelters lessen the affects of hiker traffic on the natural vegetation found in these areas. Other Leave No Trace practices hikers should follow at shelters include keeping the location litter-free, not cutting down trees, and not vandelizing shelters.

For hikers who can not use shelters, tent pitching near shelters is permitted in designated campsites along the Appalachian Trail. These locations usually have flat, cleared places designed for hikers to pitch their tents in.

In some places in the National Forests of the Virginias, and the southern Appalachian Mountains, dispersed camping is allowed by Appalachian Trail hikers. Dispersed camping allows hikers to choose their own places to pitch their tents but carries special Leave No Trace responsibilities for hikers to follow that do so.

Appalachian Trail hikers who disperse camp should choose locations with no signs of previous use and set up their tents on durable surfaces like dead leaves or grass. These hikers should pitch their tents well apart from other hikers, avoid trampling vegetation in the area, and pitch their tents at least 70 steps from water sources, all to help protect the natural environments of the Appalachian Trail at these campsites.

Leave No Trace principles encourage hikers not to build fires at their campsites but to use a backpacking stove instead. Some areas along the Appalachian Trail do not allow fires to be built to help guard against the possibilities of forest fires especially in the early Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons.

Hostels, motels, inns, and bed and breakfasts are other options hikers may consider for sleeping arrangements and are available in some towns along the Appalachian Trail. They are usually 50 to 100 miles apart at the northern and southern regions of the Trail, and 30 to 50 miles apart in the middle areas. Inn-to-inn opportunities on the Appalachian Trail exist in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park and in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

PENNSYLVANIA:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania ranges from 320 to 2080 feet and has a hiking difficulty rating of two to four. The suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania is mid-April through mid-June or September and October.

The Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania is 229 miles long, and has many sections in the southern region that are gentle and grades that are easy, which makes this region one of the simplest on the Appalachian Trail.

Ten miles north of the Blue Ridge Mountains, after crossing the Great Valley of the Appalachian Mountains, the Trail reaches the Susquehanna River. Upon turning north of the Susquehanna River the Appalachian Trail is defined by long, flat, rocky ridges and treacherous climbs in and out of mountain gaps. These gaps are famous for foot-bruising, boot-destroying, difficult rocks that hikers must climb before reaching the Alleghany Mountains.

Water on the Pennsylvania section of the Appalachian Trail can be hard to find and many roads are crossed by the Trail. Some of the hikers shelters are near roads and safety awareness is a good practice to follow. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has a Field Office located in Boiling Springs, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Childrens Lake, in Boiling Springs, was formed by the partial damming of the brook fed by 30 natural springs, including the "Bubble," one of many artesian wells found in this area. The year around temperature of the water in Childrens Lake is 52 degrees

The Great Valley of the Appalachian Mountains is a chain of valley lowlands and is the central feature of the Appalachian Mountains. The Great Valley stretches 700 miles and includes the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Taconic Mountains, the Hudson Highlands, Schunemush Mountain, Ramapo Mountain, and South Mountain of Pennsylvania.

The Adirondack Mountains, the Catskill Mountains, Shawangunk Ridge, Kittatinny Mountain, Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania Wind Gap, Lehigh River Gap, Schuylkill River Gap, Swatara Gap, Susquehanna River Gap, Big Gap, and the Potomac River Gap are part of the Great Valley of the Appalachian Mountains region.

The Susquehanna River runs 444 miles long, making it the longest river on the American east coast, and the sixteenth longest in the United States. The West Branch rises in Pennsylvania, and is the principal tributary of the Susquehanna River, joining the North Branch near Northumberland, Pennsylvania.

The Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania runs through St. Anthony's Wilderness, which is the second largest roadless area in Pennsylvania, and contains several coal-mining ghost towns like Yellow Springs and Rausch Gap. The largest of these ghost towns that flourished and then disappeared between 1830 and 1910 was Rausch Gap.

Composed of sandstone and bedrock of the Shawangunk Formation, Mount Minsi is the eastern extent of Blue Mountain. The Lake Lenage trailhead of the Appalachian Trail, near the Deleware Water Gap, is the easiest route to Mount Minsi's summit.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Pennsylvania section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Birch Run Shelter, 1795, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Toms Run Shelter, 1300, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, James Fry Shelter, 805, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Alec Kennedy Shelter, 850, Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Darlington Shelter, 1170, Perry, Pennsylvania, Thelma Marks Shelter, 1120, Perry, Pennsylvania, Clarks Ferry Shelter, 1180, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Peters Mountain Shelter, 970, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Rausch Gap Shelter, 970, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, William Penn Shelter, 1300, Berks, Pennsylvania, 501 Shelter, 1460, Berks, Pennsylvania, Windsor Furnace Shelter, 880, Berks, Pennsylvania, Eckville Shelter, 535, Berks, Pennsylvania, Eagles Nest Shelter, 1510, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, Allentown Shelter, 1350, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, Bake Oven Knob Shelter, 1380, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, George W. Outerbridge Shelter, 1000, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, Leroy A. Smith Shelter, 1410, Monroe, Pennsylvania, and Kirkridge Shelter, 1480, Northampton, Pennsylvania.

THRU-HIKERS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Thousands of hikers attempt the grueling 2175 mile hike of the Appalachian Trail annually. About one in four successfully complete the hike. One suggested early preparation step when planning a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail is to spend a couple nights out on terrain that assimilates the part of the Trail the hiker is planning to start out on.

No formal registration process is required to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, however, somebody, friends or familymembers of the hiker, should know their location, itinerary, and "Trail name". Hikers must plan on some States along the Appalachian Trail charging for permits, fees, or reservations required to stay overnight in shelters or campsites in the numerous State and National Parks, forests, and public lands along the Trail.

Thru-hiker pack weight is suggested to range from 25 to 40 pounds of necessities required while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Talking to previous thru-hikers provides a wealth of knowledge about what gear should be packed for the hike, and resupply is generally available for hikers needs in the nearby towns along the Trail. Outfitters, spaced about every week or two apart along the Trail are available for hikers resupplies with the first location being 30 miles outside Springer Mountain, Georgia, the southernmost starting point for hikers beginning the Appalachian Trail hike.

Although the Appalachian Trail is well marked, and maps provide a vast amount of information for hikers who need to know terrain features, how to best get off the Appalachian Trail in case of an emergency, or how far hikers have traveled, many skilled thru-hikers follow the blazes along the way and do not carry maps.

Thru-hikers should carry one week's worth of food when beginning hiking the Appalachian Trail. Nearby towns can restock hikers food needs along the way of the Trail. Some hikers ship food supplies to post offices, hostels, and businesses near the Trail. Many hikers combine these two methods together to ensure food needs are met while out on the Appalachian Trail.

Thru-hikers typically require about $3000 to $5000 to complete the 2175 miles of the Appalachian Trail's five to seven-month long hike, and another $2000 or more for gear. Most of this money will be spent in towns for restaurant food, hot showers, supplies, postage, laundry, equipment repair and replacement, and motel beds after days of deprivation from these items spent out on the Trail.

Thru-hikers need to take some prior training hikes before embarking on the Appalachian Trail trip. They need to thoroughly and completely break in new boots that are at least 1/2 size larger than the hikers feet. They need to practice carrying heavily loaded backpacks and seek out mountainous terrains to get a real taste of what the next 6 months on the Appalachian Trail holds in store for them.

Approximately 8 miles daily the first week of Appalachian Trail hiking is a reasonable distance for a thru-hiker starting out on the Trail, then gradually increasing the mileage to help decrease injuries. Hikers should allow 2 to 4 weeks to get into Trail shape if they are physically fit and 6 to 8 weeks if they are not.

Knee and foot injuries, stress fractures, and shin splints are common ailments that can force thru-hikers off the Appalachian Trail. These risks can be minimized by lightly packing gear and mileage conservation in the beginning of their hikes.

Thru-hikers must be dedicated to completing the task at hand awaiting them on the Appalachian Trail in spite of all the obstacles they may encounter on their journies. Some days on the Trail can seem like constant drudgery. Hikers knowing their gear is soaking wet from the rains they will encounter can be disheartening. Traipsing endlessly over rugged mountains just to find another one waiting for them to climb in front of them can dampen hikers spirits. But, it is the realization that only one in four hikers who start out on the trip, get to say how rewarding and memorable a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail was, that makes thru-hikers complete the Trail.

NEW JERSEY:

The Appalachian Trail in New Jersey is 72 miles of moderate to very rugged mountain climbing, with a hiking difficulty rating of two to five. The Trail's elevation ranges from 350 to 1685 feet. The suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey is late April through early June or September and October.

Relatively flat terrain gives way to short, steep, rocky pitches on the Appalachian Trail in the southern section of New Jersey. The Trail crosses bogs, wetlands, a wildlife sanctuary featuring several bird species, and the Deleware River at the scenic Deleware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Glacial Sunfish Pond, on the southern section of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey, is a noted highlight of the Trail. Sunfish Pond is a 44-acre glacial lake surrounded by a 258-acre hardwod forest, located on the Kittatinny Mountain Ridge, within Worthington State Forest, in Warren County.

The Appalachian Trail runs along the eastern edge of Sunfish Pond and the pond is a National Natural Landmark created by the Wisconsin Glacier. A Leave No Trace policy is in effect at Sunfish Pond, that does not permit any swimming in the pond, with black bears that are very active in the area of this popular hiking destination.

The Appalachian Trail along the Kittatinny Mountain Ridge is rugged, and more remote, with abundant wildlife present, than it's general location to populated areas may suggest. At 1803 feet, High Point is the highest mountain in the Kittatinny Mountain range, and the highest point in New Jersey. The Deleware River flanks much of the Kittatinny Mountains, and Sunrise Mountain, New Jersey's second highest mountain, located in Stokes State Forest, then cuts across the ridge to the Deleware River Gap, south of Mount Tammany.

The Kittatinny Mountains are part of the Ridge and Valley province of the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains mark the western edge of the Great Appalachian Valley. Rattlesnake and Bird Mountains are the most remote and wild sections of the 43-mile Kittatinny Mountain Ridge.

The Wallkill and Vernon Valleys offer diverse variety unequalled on the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey. The Warwick Turnpike to Mount Peter section of the Trail is a 9.5 mile strenuous hike providing some of the most scenic views per mile than almost any other area of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey.

Wawayanda State Park is a 13,000-acre wildland remote plateau covered by rhododendron bogs where bears forage for food, craggy cliffs with coyote and bobcat dens, hemlock ravins with fast-flowing streams, and a habitation history 12,000 years old.

Worthington State Forest contains some of the most rugged terrain found in New Jersey and is the southern part of the Kittatinny Mountain Ridge. Dunnfield Creek Natural Area and Waterfall, and Mount Tammany, are located in Worthington State Forest. The Appalachian Trail runs through the middle of the forest connecting to many other trails.

The New Jersey Palisades, steep cliffs on the western side of the lower Hudson River, stretch from Bergen Hill, New Jersey, for 20 miles to Nyack, New York. Rising vertically the palisades range in height from 350 feet to 550 feet. Lenage, New Jersey sits on top of the cliffs across from Manhattan, New York.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Gren Anderson Shelter, 1320, Sussex, New Jersey, Brink Road Shelter, 1110, Sussex, New Jersey, Mashipacong Shelter, 1425, Sussex, New Jersey, Rutherford Shelter, 1345, Sussex, New Jersey, High Point Shelter, 1280, Sussex, New Jersey, Pochuck Mountain Shelter, 840, Sussex, New Jersey, and Wawayanda Shelter, 1200, Sussex, New Jersey.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE NATIONAL PARKS ALONG THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

The Great Smokey Mountains National Park probihits pets in the backcountry. Hikers using the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies must obtain permits for overnight stays and are required to reserve space at designated shelters and campsites in the Park. Appalachian Trail thru-hikers must have permits that allow them seven consecutive nights and eight days to travel the Park, which are available in Hot Springs, North Carolina and Fontana Dam, North Carolina. Only the first three thru-hikers arriving at the shelters on the Appalachian Trail in the Park are allowed to stay in the shelters, all others must pitch their tents outside the shelter. Hikers can only remain one night in the shelters. The Backcountry Reservations Office, Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738, can provide the necessary permits for Appalachian Trail hikers in the Smoky Mountains.

The Shenandoah National Park requires backcountry camping permits for hikers on the Appalachian Trail. There are no fees charged for hikers entering the Park by way of the Trail. Dogs must remain on leashes at all times and are prohibited on some of the posted trails in the Shenandoah National Park.

The White Mountains National Forest has backcountry use concentrated at specified developed overnight sites. Camping is prohibited in all Forest Protection Areas of the White Mountains National Forest found above the treeline, around shelters, huts, and other locations where camping could create problems, places such as along roadsides, ponds, and fragile ecosystems of the Forest. Advanced reservations are recommended for the huts that serve breakfast, lodging, and dinner during the Summer and Fall seasons of the year. Some shelters in the White Mountains charge a fee to stay in them and may be off the Appalachian Trail by as much as a mile, like in the Presidential Range. A steep climb off the ridge may be required to reach these shelters.

Baxter State Park is a wilderness park that is only open annually from May 15 to October 15. Appalachian Trail sections above the treeline in Baxter State Park are typically closed for the Winter weather conditions that can occur in June and October, and when the Park capacity is full in July and August. Dogs are not permitted in Baxter State Park. The Appalachian Trail up Mount Katahdin normally opens May 31, or later, if heavy snow is present. This is also the hardest five miles on the entire Appalachian Trail. All hikers must register at one of the three entry gates or the nearest campground to Baxter State Park. An overnight fee and advanced reservations are required for hikers to stay at the campsites located there. Thru-hikers can stay at the Birches campsite without needing advanced reservations if they have hiked 100 miles or more to get there and are not Southbound thru-hikers, or flip-flop thru-hikers. Reservations can be arranged at Baxter State Park, 64 Balsam Drive, Millinocket, Maine 04462, or at baxterstatepark-authority.com.

NEW YORK:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in New York ranges from 124 to 1433 feet and has a hiking difficulty rating of two to five. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in New York is late April through early June, or September and October.

The Appalachain Trail in New York consists of 88 miles of Trail that are much less secluded, but more woody and remote from civilization, than may be expected given it's location to large population areas in New York. The Trail crosses the Hudson River less than 50 miles North of New York City.

Elevation changes along the Appalachian Trail in New York are moderate and varied, from relatively gentle and flat terrains, to short and steep rocky pitches. Water sources on this section of the Appalachian Trail in New York are scarce.

Above Greenwood Lake the Appalachian Trail enters New York soon arriving at Harriman State Park. Turning East the Trail brings hikers through one of the most heavily populated areas of the Appalachian Trail in the Fahnstock State Park, then along the Toconic State Parkway, and with a trip over Schaghticoke Mountain, hikers on the Applachian Trail arrive in New England.

Many visitors tour the Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks where the first section of the Appalachian Trail was completed in 1923. The Trailside Museum, and the Zoo at Bear Mountain, drop the Appalachian Tail to it's lowest elevation in New York, of 124 feet.

18.8 miles of the Appalachian Trail are contained within Harriman State Park, New York's second largest State Park, with 46,613 acres. The Park is located 30 miles north of New York City, in Rockland and Orange Counties. Harriman State Park provides 32 lakes, many streams, public camping areas, 9 other hiking trails in addition to the Appalachian Trail, and scenic vistas. Harriman State Park borders Bear Mountain State Park and is home to many species of wildlife. White-tailed deer, red efts, otters, ducks, and a variety of snakes, including black snakes and rattlesnakes, can be found there.

Located on the west side of the Hudson River, Bear Mountain State Park offers a zoo, trailside museums, Bear Mountain Inn, a carousel, and a dining facility, along with hiking, biking, swimming, cross-country snow skiing, picnicking, and ice skating opportunities. Hessian Lake, a 45-acre lake and dam, are in the local vicinity of Bear Mountain State Park.

Bear Mountain State Park is the site of the Deleware Water Gap National Recreation Area in the Kittatinny Ridge. The Deleware Water Gap is the first location the Appalachian Trail brings hikers North out of New Jersey into.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the New York portion of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Wildcat Shelter, 1180, Orange, New York, Fingerboard Shelter, 1300, Orange, New York, William Brien Memorial Shelter, 1070, Orange, New York, West Mountain Shelter, 1240, Rockland, New York, RPH Shelter, 360, Dutchess, New York, Morgan Stewart Memorial Shelter, 1285, Dutchess, New York, Telephone Pioneers Shelter, 910, Dutchess, New York, and Wiley Shelter, 740, Dutchess, New York.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY:

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's main office, and official Trail Visitors Center, are located in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The Conservancy has regional Field Offices found in North Carolina, Virginia, Pensylvania, and Massachuesettes. The Conservancy is focused completely on the preservation and management of the Appalachian Trail's natural, cultural, historic, and scenic resources.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based organization with 30 Member Clubs, that coordinates the efforts of Federal and State agencies, about 40,000 members, and 40 regular Staff and Seasonal employees dedicated to providing primitive recreational and educational opportunities for all hikers and visitors to the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Trail Management Programs are their efforts to acquire lands necessary to protect the Appalachian Trail and its structures. Through Trail Stewardship the Conservancy monitors the Trail's path keeping it clear of overgrowth, storm debris, building and repairing shelters as needed, and constructing footbridges along the Trail.

Trail Stewarship also includes finding and monitoring the health of the threatened, rare, or endangered animal species that reside within the confines of the Appalachian Trail. Providing Ridgerunners along the high-use areas of the Trail to help hikers as required is also a part of the Conservancy's Trail Stewardship Program.

Poorly planned developments, broadcast towers, highways, utility lines, housing, and recreational developments can all pose a variety of potential threats to the protected areas of the Appalachian Trail. The Conservancy provides land acquisition and other efforts to minimize these threats to the Trail.

Connecticut:

The Appalachian Trail in Connecticut consists of 52 miles through the northwest corner of the Constitution, or Nutmeg State, with an elevation ranging between 260 and 2316 feet, and a hiking difficulty rating of four to five. The best suggested time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut is May through October.

In Connecticut the Appalachian Trail crosses the worn-down remainder of an eroding mountain. Trail hiking is moderate with steep, challenging, short sections and scenic views throughout the state, especially the Houstatonic River Valley in eastern Connecticut, and the Taconic Mountain Range in western Connecticut.

Falls Village, with its miles of stone canals along the Houstatonic River, and the Great Falls nearby, remains much as it existed in 1851.

Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, often referred to locally as Falls Village, and offers a 300-acre Sports and Adventure Park in Litchfield Hills, located in the Berkshire Mountains.

The Berkshire Mountains are bordered by the Taconic Mountains, the Hoosic River, the Houstatonic River, and the Metacomet Mountain Ridge. The highest point in the Berkshire Mountains is Crum Hill, with an elevation of 2841 feet, located in Monroe, Massachuesettes. The average height of the Berkshire Mountains in Connecticut ranges from 700 to 1200 feet.

The Houstatonic River runs 149 miles long in western Massachuesettes and western Connecticut draining into Long Island Sound. Five dams in Connecticut impound the river, they are the Falls Village Dam, the Bulls Bridge Dam, the Shepaug Dam, the Stevenson Dam, and the Derby Dam.

Shepaug Dam, Stevenson Dam, and Derby Dam form Lake Lillinonah, Lake Zoar, and Lake Houstatonic from New Milford to Shelton.

The Houstatonic River is a popular whitewater paddling destination from Weatague to Gaylordsville, and is mostly quickwater and whitewater. Dangerous locations on the river where paddling may not be possible are found at the Great Falls in Canaan/Falls Village, and in Bulls Bridge.

Fly fishing on the Houstatonic River is also very popular with some of the best trophy trout fishing in the eastern United States, especially between Falls Village and Cornwell Bridge.

The Metacomet Mountain Range extends from New Haven and Bransford to Long Island Sound. Metacomet Mountain is a narrow, steep, fault-block ridge known for extensive cliff faces, scenic views, microclimate ecosystems in a local atmospheric zone that differs from the surrounding areas, and plants that are considered rare or endangered.

There are more than a dozen parks and recreational areas located in the Metacomet Mountains, as well as several nationally historic sites, ongoing conservation efforts, and miles of ideal Raptor habitats and seasonal migratory corridors for these birds.

The Taconic Mountain Range runs along northwest Connecticut to western Massachuesettes. Mount Equinox, at an elevation of 3816 feet, is the highest peak in the Taconic Mountains. Mount Frissell's elevation of 2454 feet makes it the highest point in Connecticut.

There are more than 60 designated land areas of the Taconic Mountains protected by Federal, State, County, or Municipal government agencies.

Mount Fray, located in the South Taconic Mountain Range, is the home of the Catamount Ski Area. Due to its extensive forest the South Taconic Mountain Range is listed by the Nature Conservancy as one of the "Last Great Places in America".

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Connecticut section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Ten Mile River Lean-To Shelter, 290, Fairfield, Connecticut, Mt. Algo Lean-to Shelter, 655, Litchfield, Connecticut, Stewart Hollow Branch Lean-To Shelter, 425, Litchfield, Connecticut, Pine Swamp Branch Lean-To Shelter, 1075, Litchfield, Connecticut, Limestone Spring Lean-To Shelter, 980, Litchfield, Connecticut, Riga Lean-To Shelter, 1610, Litchfield, Connecticut, and Brassie Brook Lean-To Shelter, 1705, Litchfield, Connecticut.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Appalachian Trail Volunteer opportunities exist for Trail maintenance, conservation, environment monitoring, advocacy, and many more necessary areas. Volunteer Trail Crewmembers spend a week or more helping build and maintain the Trail. No previous experience required to volunteer on the Appalachian Trail.

Volunteer projects on the Appalachian Trail can be available for people with many diverse talents, interests, experiences, and skills. Volunteers originally helped build the Trail and Volunteers help keep the Appalachian Trail what it still is today.

Projects for Volunteers range from Trail relocations, constructing bridges and shelters, and Trail rehabilitation, to whatever is needed to be done on the Appalachian Trail. Work projects are coordinated, planned, and completed under the cooperation of Trail agencies such as the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, and the Appalachian Trail Maintaining Clubs.

Ongoing Appalachian Trail projects Volunteers can become involved with include the Konnarock Crew Project, in Sugar Grove, Virginia, during May through August, that covers the Trail from Rockfish Gap, Virginia, South to Springer Mountain, Georgia. This is a joint venture with 12 Appalachian Trail Clubs, the US Forest Service, and the National Park Service.

The Maine Trail Crew Project, in Garland, Maine, during June to August, that is based in Central Maine and located along the 280 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Project is for rock removal and reconstruction work.

The Smokies Wilderness Elite Project, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, during June to August, scheduled to complete maintenance required on the Appalachian Trail in the Smokey Mountains.

The Vermont Long Trail Patrol project, in the Green Mountains National Forest, at the Mount Tabor Work Center, during July and August, with work scheduled on heavy construction of the hiking trails in Vermont.

The Rocky Top Project, during September and October, working on the 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail through the Smokey Mountains National Park from Davenport Gap to Fontana Dam. Volunteers will work 8 days on and 3 days off. This is a long backpack to work sites with 8 days of backcountry camping.

The Mid-Atlantic Project, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, during September and October, working on the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap, Virginia to the New York-Connecticut state line.

The Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachuesettes Project, working on the Appalachian Trail in these locations. The Potomac Project, working on the Trail in the Shenandoah National Park, the George Washington National Forest, and the Thomas Jefferson National Forest, are other ongoing Volunteer opportunities.

Certification Workshops are conducted for Volunteers in maintenance, chainsaw safety, rock work, winch skills, Trail first aid, environment monitoring, stone splitting, stone step construction, crib wall construction, crosscut saw operation, exotic plant control, and plant monitoring, among other skills Volunteers may need while working on the Appalachian Trail.

Volunteer Managers lead more than 6000 Volunteers annually in projects on the Appalachian Trail. They recruit new Volunteers with the assistance of the Appalachian Trail Volunteer Database, provide successful Volunteer opportunities, give tips and guidelines to new Volunteers, recognize Volunteers and their efforts to help encourage them to return again to work on the Appalachian Trail, they help ensure Volunteer safety, and that all necessary Trail first aid is provided to anyone injured while working on the Trail.

Volunteer opportunities on the Appalachian Trail include Corridor stewardship, monitoring, and boundary maintenance to help protect public lands that preserve the Trail, Environment and Natural Heritage Monitors who gather information about air quality, wildlife habitat, rare vegetation, and forest health along the Trail, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy Program Support Volunteers, at their headquarters in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, who provide a wide variety of assistance as needed.

New Volunteers wishing to get involved with these projects, or any other Appalachian Trail programs that need assistance can contact the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 540-953-3571, email them at crews@at.org, apply online, or download the 2009 Trail Crew Application. Trail Crew Alumni can contact crews@at.org.

Get involved with the Appalachian Trail in a very special way. Volunteer.

MASSACHUESETTES:

The Appalachian Trail in Massachuesettes is 90 miles of wooded hills and valleys, with an elevation ranging from 650 to 1349 feet. The Trail has a hiking difficulty rating of three to six through the pleasant stretches covered. The best time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Massachuesettes is May through early October.

Mount Greylock, located in the northwest corner of the State, in Berkshire County, has an elevation of 3491 feet and is the highest point in Massachuesettes. Mount Greylock is known for scenic views of five different states and has the only taiga/boreal forest in Massachuesettes. The five states that can be seen from Mount Greylock, as far as 70 to 100 miles away, include Massachuesettes, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

On the summit of Mount Greylock stands the 93-foot tall Massachuesettes Veterans War Memorial Tower and Mount Greylock State Reservation, a 12,500-acre park for forest preservation.

Saddle Ball Mountain, Mount Fitch, Mount Williams, Mount Prospect, Stoney Ledge, and Ragged Mountain join with Mount Greylock to form the north-south Central Ridge. Mount Greylock forms an 11-mile long, 4.5-mile wide, island range between the Hoosac Mountain Range and the Toconic Mountains, joining with Berlin Mountain and Brodie Mountain in the Toconic Mountain Range, East Mountain and Pine Cobble Mountain in the Green Mountain Range, and Berkshire Mountain in the Hoosac Range.

Mount Greylock is a National Register of Historic Places site that rises an average of 2000 feet above the surrounding river valleys and 1000 feet above the Berkshire and Toconic Mountains. Mount Greylock is primarily composed of metamorphic rock and marble. Quarried marble has been extracted from the neary towns of Adams and North Adams

The Hopper, a National Natural Landmark, and a cirque, or amphitheater-like valley, is located on the west side of Mount Greylock. Glacial erratic, or rock pieces different from the size and type of rocks native to the area where they are found, are also part of Mount Greylock. The most famous one of these located on the mountain is a balanced rock sitting on the west side of Mount Greylock.

Mount Greylock's lower slopes are northern hardwood forests. The upper summits are dominated by boreal balsom firs and red spruces, and there are 555-acres of old growth forest on Mount Greylock. 350-year old northern hardwood forest biome species can be found on the mountain's steep western slopes as well as a 120-foot tall red spruce tree.

The Visitors Center at the Mount Greylock State Reservation Park is located in Lanesborough. Bascom Lodge and the Thunderbolt Ski Shelter are prominant features found in the Park. Bascom Lodge was constructed between 1933 and 1938 and displays rustic architectural designs.

Greylock Glen is a 1063-acre State Park located in Adams adjoining the Mount Greylock State Recreation Park. There are three radio and television transmitting towers standing below the summit on Mount Greylock.

Mount Everett, with an elevation of 2624 feet, is the highest peak in the South Toconic Mountain Range in Massachuesettes, and is known for its expansive scenic views of the southern Teconic and Berkshire Mountains, its fragile ecosystems of old growth, pitch pine and scrub oak trees, and the rare plants and animals found there.

Guilder Pond is a highland lake located in the cirque ravine, with old growth forest, between Mount Everett and Undine Mountain. Race Brook Falls cascades between Mount Everett and Mount Race.

The summit of Mount Everett is found in the town of Mount Washington. Parcels of Mount Everett are a part of the Mount Washington State Forest, and much of Mount Everett is contained in the Mount Everett State Reservation Park.

The Mount Everett State Reservation Park is a 1356-acre reservation from which panaramic views of Massachuesettes, Connecticut, and New York can be seen. There are 530-acres of old growth forests in the Reservation, consisting of Eastern hemlock, Eastern white pine, sugar maple, red maple, Northern red oak, American beech, sweet birch, and yellow birch trees. Mount Everett's summit possesses a dwarf forest of pitch pine and bear oak trees that have not been disturbed for centuries.

Bass Bish Falls State Park contains Massachuesettes highest single-drop waterfall, gorges, forests, Timber rattlesnakes, Peregrine falcons, bobcats, black bears, and porcupines. The Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area, an 1158-acre park for passive recreation and environmental research, with open fields, northern hardwood forests, and Eastern Hemlock woodlands, located in black bear country, also borders the Mount Everett State Reservation Park.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Massachuesettes section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

The Hemlocks Lean-To Shelter, 1880, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Glen Brook Lean-To Shelter, 1885, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Tom Leonard Lean-To, 1540, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Mt. Wilcox South Lean-To Shelter, 1720, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Mt. Wilcox North Lean-To shelter, 1950, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Upper Good Pond Cabin Shelter, 1483, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, October Mountain Lean-To Shelter, 1930, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Kay Wood Lean-To Shelter, 1860, Berkshire, Massachuettes, Mark Noepel Lean-To Shelter, 2750, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, Bascom Lodge Shelter, 3491, Berkshire, Massachuesettes, and Wilbur Clearing Lean-To Shelter, 2325, Berkshire, Massachuesettes.

TRAIL CLUBS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

More than 6320 members belong to Appalachian Trail Clubs. These Clubs produce more than 202,000 hours of labor on behalf of the Trail yearly maintaining the Appalachian Trail, its cabins and shelters, teaching Leave No Trace principles to hikers, publishing maps and guidebooks about the Appalachian Trail, and a wide variety of other projects as needed.

Appalachian Trail Clubs offer their members many recreational activities such as mountaineering trips, ski-weekends, family hikes, canine hikes, long distance hikes, and many other events and excursions.

30 Appalachian Trail Clubs can be found along the Trail. Volunteers and new members are welcome to join the Club of their choosing. The current list of Appalachian Trail Clubs include these:

Georgia Appalachian Trail Club based in Atlanta. Maintains the southernmost 75 miles of the Trail between Springer Mountain and Bly Gap and the 8 mile approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain. Trips are held every third Saturday of each month.

Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club based in Kingsport. Maintains 132 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Damascus, Virginia and Spivey Gap, North Carolina, as well as 20 miles South of Erwin, Tennessee. Tuesdays are new Volunteers joining the Club days.

Carolina Mountain Club based in Asheville, North Carolina. Maintains 93 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Spivey Gap, North Carolina to Davenport, Tennessee. Quarterly Saturday work trips as well as trips scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Smokey Mountain Hiking Club based in Gatlinburg. Part of the Smokies Wilderness Elite Club. Maintains 102 miles of the most inaccessible areas of the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies from Davenport Gap, through the Smokey Mountains National Park, to Wesser, North Carolina.

Nantahala Hiking Club based in Franklin, North Carolina. Maintains 58 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Nantahala River at Wesser to Bly Gap. Trips are the second Fridays of each month, with hikes on Wednesdays, and monthly hikes the last Saturdays of each month April through October.

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club based in Vienna, Virginia. Maintains 239 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania to Rockfish Gap, Virginia, with five mid-Atlantic Chapters.

Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club based in Richmond, Virginia. Maintains 19 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap, at the South end of the Shenandoah National Park, to Reed's Gap. Trips are the third Wednesdays of certain months.

Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club based in Norfolk, Virginia. Maintains 10 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Reed's Gap to Tye River. Trips are the second Wednesdays of each month.

Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Maintains 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Tye River to Black Horse Gap. Trips are every Wednesday and Saturday.

Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club based in Roanoke. Maintains 121 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Black Horse Gap to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter and Pearisburg to Bland County.

Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech based in Blacksburg. Maintains 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Pine Swamp Branch Shelter to New River and Virginia Highway 611 to Interstate 77. Club meets bi-weekly September to May with trips throughout the year scheduled.

Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers Club based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Maintains 64 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Bland Gap to the South Fork of the Holston River. Trips are every third Saturday of each month.

Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club based in Abingdon, Virginia. Maintains 55 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Sugar Grove to Damascus. Trips are Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Appalachian Mountain Club of Maryland based in Baltimore. Maintains 12 miles of the Appalachian Trail south of the Susquehanna River to the Darlington/Tuscarora Trails, the 16 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Center Point Knob to Pine Grove Furnace State Park, and the 10 northernmost miles of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland. Trips are on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Wilmington Appalachian Trail Club based in Wilmington. Maintains 7 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Deleware River to Fox Gap. Trips are scheduled as needed in the Spring, Summer, and early Fall Seasons.

Batona Appalachian Trail Club based in Philadelphia. Maintains 8 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Fox Gap to Wind Gap. Trips are scheduled as needed.

AMC - Deleware Valley Appalachian Trail Chapter Club based in Deleware. Maintains 15 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Wind Gap to Little Gap. Trips are scheduled as needed.

Philadelphia Appalachian Trail Club based in Philadelphia. Maintains 10 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Little Gap to Lehigh Furnace Gap. Trips are Saturdays and Sundays except for July and August.

Blue Mountain Eagle Appalachian Trail Climbing Club based in Reading. Maintains 61 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Lehigh Furnace Gap to Bake Oven Knob Road, and from the Tri-County Corner to Rausch Gap Shelter. Trips are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Allentown Appalachian Trail Hiking Club based in Allentown. Maintains 10 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Rausch Gap Shelter to west of Pennsylvania Highway 443 to Pennsylvania Highway 225 north of Harrisburg. The Club holds four annual meetings.

York Appalachian Trail Hiking Club based in York. Maintains 7 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Pennsylvania Highway 225 at Peters Mountain to the Susquehanna River. Trips scheduled as needed.

Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club based in Boiling Springs. Maintains 17 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Cumberland Valley's Darlington Trail on Blue Mountain to Center Point Knob. Trips are the third Saturdays of each month.

New York - New Jersey Appalachian Trail Conference based in Mahwah, New Jersey. Maintains 160 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Connecticut state line to the Deleware River and Bear Mountain. Trips are weekly as needed.

AMC - Berkshire Appalachian Trail Chapter based in the Berkshire Mountains. Maintains 89 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Massachuesettes from the Vermont state line to the Connecticut state line. Trips are Tuesdays and Saturdays May to August.

Dartmouth Outing Appalachian Trail Club based in Hanover. Maintains 75 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Kinsman Notch to Woodstock. Trips are on various days of the week.

Green Mountain Appalachian Club based in Waterbury Center. Maintains 127 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Woodstock, New Jersey, to North Adams, Massachuesettes. Trips are scheduled daily.

Maine Appalachian Trail Club based in Augusta. Maintains 266 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Mount Katahdin to Grafton Notch. Trips are weekends between May and August.

VERMONT:

The Appalachain Trail in Vermont consists of 150 miles of varied terrain, that can be rugged country, with a hiking difficulty rating of five to six, and an elevation ranging from 400 to 4010 feet. The best time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Vermont is June through September. Hikers should avoid the Trail from mid-April through Memorial Day, commonly referred to as "Mud Season," because the wet conditions of the Appalachian Trail at that time seriously erodes the Trail in Vermont.

The Appalachian Trail approaches treeline at Stratton Mountain and at Killington Mountain. There are steep ascents in these locations along the Trail, as well as lower to mid-range elevation gains and losses, paper birch and white pine forests, wooded mountains, and farming villages.

The Apalachian Trail north from US Highway 4 to Long Trail Junction follows the famous Long Trail over rugged mountain crests of the Green Mountains, then continuing to the Connecticut River, the Trail passes high, rugged country, woods, and overgrown farmlands.

Stratton Mountain is a Ski and Snowboard Resort with nearly 600 acres of skiing terrain, a 2000 foot vertical drop, and southern Vermont's highest mountain peak. Byrnside Slope, Smoothie Slope, Tyrolienne Slope, and the Beeline Rail Garden are features of Stratton Mountain.

Stratton Mountain is located in the Green Mountain National Forest. A climbable fire tower is found on its summit. The Appalachian Trail was first conceived by Benton MacKaye on Stratton Mountain.

Killington Mountain's summit is the second highest in Vermont. It is a popular destination on Long Trail and is called the Beast of the East. Located in Stockbridge, with Brandon and Castleton nearby, Killington Mountain is a year around ski resort with 200 trails.

With an elevation of 4393 feet Mount Mansfield is the highest point in Vermont. Mount Mansfield, in the Green Mountains 250-mile mountain range, has the appearance of an elongated human face when viewed east to west, and an Ice Age alpine tundra, that is also found on Camel's Hump Mountain and Mount Abraham. Stowe Mountain Ski Resort is located on Mount Mansfield.

Mount Ellen, with an elevation of 4083 feet, is the highest point in Washington County, which is often referred to as the Mud River Valley. Along with Lincoln Peak, Mount Ellen forms the slopes of Sugarbush Ski Resort in Mud River Glen, famous for its old single chair.

Camel's Hump is Vermont's third highest mountain, its highest undeveloped peak, the State's most recognized mountain, and one of the oldest mountains on Earth. The Camel's Hump hiking trails were among the first ones cut in the Long Trail system. Camel's Hump Mountain is known for its shape instead of its height of 4083 feet and also for its isolation.

Pico Peak is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Mountain Range and the second highest. The summit of Pico Peak resembles a cone. The Appalachian Trail passes to the west of the summit.

Mount Cleveland, with an elevation of 3500 feet, is the shortest mountain in the Green Mountains Range. Mount Roosevelt is the second shortest at 3580 feet. Mount Wilson and Glastenbury Mountain are part of the central Green Mountains Range.

Jay Peak Mountain is found 5 miles south of the United States - Canadian border in Westfield and is the highest point in Orleans County. The mountain is located in Jay Peak State Forest and is part of the northern Green Mountains Range.

Jay Peak Mountain stands in the Missisquoi River Watershed and drains into Lake Champlain, then into Canada's Richelieu River, the Saint Lawrence River, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The Jay Peak Mountain Ski Resort is on the northeast side of the mountain. Jay Peak Mountain receives the highest amount of snowfall, on the average, in the eastern United States.

Long Trail is the oldest long distance trail in the United States and runs the length of Vermont. Long Trail was constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club. Long Trail is 272 miles in length beginning near Williamstown, Massachuesettes, and running north to the Canadian border, at North Troy, Vermont. Long Trail runs along the Green Mountains main ridge, with the Appalachian Trail, for 100 miles in southern Vermont. Seventy miles of side trails complete Long Trail.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Vermont section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Seth Warner Shelter, 2180, Bennington, Vermont, Congdon Shelter, 2060, Bennington, Vermont, Melville Nauheim Shelter, 2330, Bennington, Vermont, Goddard Shelter, 3540, Bennington, Vermont, Kid Gore Shelter, 2795, Bennington, Vermont, Story Spring Shelter, 2810, Bennington, Vermont, South Bourne Pond Shelter, 2565, Bennington, Vermont, William B. Douglas Shelter, 2210, Bennington, Vermont, Spruce Peak Shelter, 2180, Bennington, Vermont, Bromley Shelter, 2560, Bennington, Vermont, Peru Peak Shelter, 2605, Bennington, Vermont, Lost Pond Shelter, 2150, Bennington, Vermont, Stratton Pond Shelter, 2565, Windham, Vermont, Old Job Shelter, 1525, Rutland, Vermont, Big Branch Shelter, 1460, Rutland, Vermont, Lula Tye Shelter, 1920, Rutland, Vermont, Little Rock Pond Shelter, 1885, Rutland, Vermont, Greenwall Shelter, 2025, Rutland, Vermont, Minerva Hinchey Shelter, 1605, Rutland, Vermont, Clarendon Shelter, 1190, Rutland, Vermont, Governor Clement Shelter, 1900, Rutland, Vermont, Cooper Lodge Shelter, 3850, Rutland, Vermont, Pico Camp Shelter, 3510, Rutland, Vermont, Churchill Scott Shelter, 2560, Rutland, Vermont, Tucker Johnson Shelter, 2300, Rutland, Vermont, Gifford Woods State Park Shelter, 1660, Rutland, Vermont, Stoney Brook Shelter, 1760, Windsor, Vermont, Wintturi Shelter, 1910, Windsor, Vermont, Cloudland Shelter, 1480, Windsor, Vermont, Thistle Hill Shelter, 1480, Windsor, Vermont, and Happy Hill Shelter, 1420, Windsor, Vermont.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF HIKERS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

Hikers who attempt to complete the entire Appalachian Trail in a single season are called Thru-Hikers.

Section Hikers travel the Appalachian Trail in a series of separate trips.

Flip-Flop Thru-Hikers complete sections of the Appalachian Trail then turn around and come back to their original starting points.

Purists Thru-Hikers are hikers who follow the official Appalachian Trail all the way through except for side trips to shelters and camp sites.

Blue-Blazers are hikers who take side trails marked by blue blazes in order to cut miles off the distance traveled to complete the Appalachian Trail.

Thru-Hikers who walk North from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine usually start in the early Spring and are called NOBOs (Northbounders), or GAMEs (Georgia to Maine).

Southbounders are Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers who travel the Trail South starting at Mount Katahdin, Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia and are called SOBOs (Southbounders), or MEGAs (Maine to Georgia).

2000-Milers are the official names given by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to Thru-Hikers who complete the entire Trail. The term gives equal recognition to Thru-Hikers and Section Hikers who complete the Appalachian Trail's 2175 miles following the white blazes that mark the Appalachian Trail.

Signing entries in the logbooks found along the way at the Appalachian Trail shelters, using hikers Trail names, are part of the Appalachian Trail traditions.

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

The Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire consists of 161 miles of the Trail with a hiking difficulty rating of six to ten and an elevation ranging from 400 to 6288 feet. The best time to travel the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire is July and August for the White Mountains and June through September for Southern New Hampshire between the White Mountains and the Massachuesettes state line.

Between the New Hampshire/Vermont State line the Appalachian Trail crosses broken terrain, alternating mountains and valleys. This 44-mile section is well known for Fall foilage and the region being a good alternative to the crowds of hikers and steep scrambles of the White Mountains.

Much of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire is above the timberline and temperatures can change rapidly. These weather conditions prevent trees from growing on high ridges. Snow can fall on Mount Washington any month of the year.

High winds and dense fogs can present other complications for hikers on this portion of the Appalachian Trail. Because of the potential poor weather conditions they may encounter more safety precautions are required by hikers on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire.

The rugged, but beautiful, White Mountains are the showcase of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. More backcountry visitors are attracted to these mountains than to any other part of the Trail. Well-detailed travel, and extra time to complete hiking distances are required, with no more than 5 miles daily realistic, in these steep ascents and descents that may need the well-placed use of hikers hands, and pants sliding skills to complete the trip.

The White Mountains cover one-fourth of the State of New Hampshire and are the most rugged mountains in New England. The most famous peak of the White Mountains is Mount Washington with an elevation of 6288 feet.

Mount Washington, one of the summits of the Presidential Mountain Range, is the highest mountain in the northeastern United States. Mount Wahington is also home to the fastest winds measured on the surface of the Earth at 231 miles per hour.

The Presidential Mountain Range includes summits named Mount Webster, Mount Jackson, Mount Pierce, Mount Eisenhower, Mount Franklin, Mount Monroe, Mount Clay/Mount Reagan, Mount Jefferson, Mount Sam Adams, Mount Adams, Mount Quincy Adams, and Mount Madison.

Mount Washington is the third highest State High Point in the eastern United States and is located in the White Mountain National Forest. The 59-acres surrounding and including the summit of Mount Washington is known as Mount Washington State Park.

The White Mountain National Forest is the only forest located in New Hampshire and Maine. 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail are contained within the Forest. Franconia Notch, Cannon Mountain, and Mount Mooilauke are the three discontinuous areas of the White Mountain National Forest.

Five Federal Wilderness Areas are found in the White Mountain National Forest. They are the Dry River Wilderness, the Great Gulf Wilderness, the Sandwich Range Wilderness, the Caribou/Speckled Mountain Wilderness, and the Pemigewasset Wilderness.

The most popular mountain hiking approach trail to the summit of White Mountain is Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch, with an elevation of 4280 feet, to Wildcat Mountain. The Mount Wahington Cog Railroad provides a train ride to the summit of Mount Washington. A Tradition has developed of thru-hikers mooning the Cog Railroad Train at the railroad intersection near the summit of White Mountain.

The White Mountains are known for their alpine huts for hikers and the Appalachian Trail crosses the area from southwest to northeast.

Cannon Mountain is the location of a rock formation found in the White Mountains known as the Old Man Of The Mountain because it resembled the craggy profile of a man's face but fell in May 2003. The formation remains the State symbol of New Hampshire.

The 20-foot in diameter granite bowl range known as "The Basin" is fed by a waterfall and was worn smooth by the Pemigewasset River. The Basin is a popular spot for the exhilerating thrill of ice-cold, mountain-fed water, swimming, in the White Mountains.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the New Hampshire section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Velvet Rocks Shelter, 1040, Grafton, New Hampshire, Moose Mountain Shelter, 1850, Grafton, New Hampshire, Trapper John Shelter, 1345 Grafton, New Hampshire, Smarts Mountain Shelter, 3220 Grafton, New Hampshire, Hexacuba Shelter, 1980, Grafton, New Hampshire, Ore Hill Shelter, 1720, Grafton, New Hampshire, Jeffers Brook Shelter, 1350, Grafton, New Hampshire, Beaver Brook Shelter, 3650, Grafton, New Hampshire, Eliza Brook Campsite Shelter, 2500, Grafton, New Hampshire, Kinsman Pond Campsite Shelter, 3750, Grafton, New Hampshire, Lonesome Lake Shelter, 2760, Grafton, New Hampshire, Greenleaf Hut Shelter, 4200, Grafton, New Hampshire, Garfield Ridge Campsite Shelter, 3560, Grafton, New Hampshire, Galehead Hut Shelter, 3800, Grafton, New Hampshire, Guvot Campsite Shelter, 4560, Grafton, New Hampshire, Zealand Falls Hut Shelter, 2630, Grafton, New Hampshire, Ethan Pond Campsite Shelter, 2950, Grafton, New Hampshire, Mizpah Spivy Hut Shelter, 3800, Coos, New Hampshire, Lake of the Clouds Hut Shelter, 5012, Coos, New Hampshire, Hermit Lake Number One Shelter, 3875, Coos, New Hampshire, Hermit Lake Number Two Shelter, 3875, Coos, New Hampshire, The Perch Shelter, 4313, Coos, New Hampshire, Gray Knob Shelter, 4481, Coos, New Hampshire, Crag Camp Shelter, 4247, Coos, New Hampshire, Madison Springs Hut Shelter, 4800, Coos, New Hampshire, Carter Notch Hut Shelter, 3352, Coos, New Hampshire, Imp Campsite Shelter, 3250, Coos, New Hampshire, Rattle River Shelter, 1260, Coos, New Hampshire, and Gentian Pond Campsite Shelter, 2160, Coos, New Hapshire.

PROTECTED LANDS OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL:

The protected lands of the Appalachian Trail must be carefully cared for. Conservation has the responsibility of ensuring the land stays in excellent condition forever for all to be able to fully enjoy. Hundreds of acres of the Trail are protected by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, or turned over to Federal and State partners, to ensure their proper care. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy also monitors all easement properties annually through Volunteers, Staff Employees, aerial photography, and collaborations with landowners, as well as with ground maintenance services.

Lands owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have boundaries posted to prevent illegal hunting, ATV/ORV traffic, tree cutting, and other measures to better protect these lands for use by Appalachian Trail hikers, and to further buffer the Trail.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has the responsibilities for stewarding National Park Service-administered Trail corridor lands to protect them against deterioration, degradation, and encroachment through monitoring, maintenance, and mitigation needed.

Corridors are permanent protective buffers surrounding the Appalachian Trail that are monitored by Volunteers watching over Trail lands. Boundary Maintainers keep the boundaries of the Trail well-marked and easy to follow. The same Volunteers can perform both duties and become Corridor Stewards for the Appalachian Trail.

Encroachment on Appalachian Trail properties is any use of the land for all purposes other than its intended use, and may include such acts as ORV use and damage, timber theft, illegal building of structures on Trail properties, trash dumping, and more. Trail Club Volunteers, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and partner agencies cooperate together to address these issues.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the National Park Service, provide training and support to Volunteers, through an elite boundary crew, to enable them to perform these assignments.

MAINE:

The elevation of the Appalachian Trail in Maine ranges from 490 to 5267 feet. There are 281 miles of the Trail in Maine with a hiking difficulty rating of three to ten. The best time to travel the Appalachian Trail in Maine is July and August.

September is peak foilage month on the Appalachian Trail in Maine, however, late September can be wintery weather at high elevations. Snow can linger in May and June as well. Black flies are a particular bothersome pest to hikers and the Appalachian Trail can be waterlogged, muddy, and easily damaged by hiking during this time.

Novice hikers are cautioned that most of the Appalachian Trail in Maine is not recommended for them because Maine has the most difficult terrain found on the entire Trail in all 14 States it is located in.

Experienced Appalachian Trail thru-hikers may travel one mile per hour in some sections of the Trail in Maine as parts of the Trail require grabbing tree roots or limbs to climb and descend, and other areas are very slippery and hazardous going in inclimant wet weather conditions.

The western section of the Appalachian Trail in Maine is extremely steep, and one of the hardest parts of the entire Appalachian Trail, including 4000 foot tall mountains, and the one-mile boulder scramble known as Mahoosuc Notch.

Leaving the western section of Maine, the Appalachian Trail enters the central section of the State between Monson and the Bigelow Plateau, with short, rugged stretches, and some of the least strenuous hiking in Maine. This section of the Appalachian Trail contains the widest unbridged river on the Trail, the Kennebuc River. A free canoe service ferries hikers across the Kennebuc River where the water can rise rapidly and without advanced warning.

The eastern portion of the Appalachian Trail in Maine is known as the 100 Miles Wilderness, and is located between Monson and Mount Katahdin, with disconnected, relatively low mountains, ponds, streams, lakes, forests, rugged climbs, and isolated areas.

Mahoosuc Notch is a deep gap in the Mahoosuc Mountain Range with boulders that must be climbed over or under and occasional 10 foot drops. This region is called the Killer Mile, or the Toughest Mile on the Appalachian Trail, by experienced thru-hikers. Ice pockets can be found under the boulders located there even as late in the year as July.

Monson is the last town located on the Appalachian Trail at the beginning of the 100 Mile Wilderness. Monson holds a Snow Roller Day, an Ice Fishing Derby, Summerfest, Fall Festival, and a Kris Kringle Fair. Events are geared toward Appalachian Trail thru-hikers.

The Kennebuc River runs 150 miles from Moosehead Lake in west central Maine to Indian Pond, then to The Forks by the Dead River, into Merrymeeting Bay, the Gulf of Maine, and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Mount Katahdin is the highest point in Maine, and means "the Greatest Mountain," so named by the Penobscot Indians. Mount Katahdin is the focal point of Baxter State Park and is a steep, tall, granite mountain formed by underground magma.

Mount Katahdin is the northernmost terminus of the Appalachian Trail and is the completion of the 2175 mile hike North from Springer Mountain, Georgia, the goal of all North-bound Appalachian Trail thru-hikers.

Mount Katahdin is the first place on the United States mainland to receive sunlight in the morning during Summer Solstice, vernal, and autumnal equinoxes. Mount Katahdin's features were carved by glaciers.

Fauna on Mount Katahdin includes black bears, deer, moose, black flys, and mosquitos. Bird species include Bicknell's Thrush, raptors, and an assortment of songbirds. Mount Katahdin has its own species of butterfly that is native to the mountain. Trees include pines, spruces, firs, beeches, hemlocks, maples, birches, aspens, and diapensias.

The most famous hike to the summit of Mount Katahdin follows along Knife Edge which travels the ridge between Pamola Peak and South Baxter Peak. Knife Edge is closed in periods of high winds. Hunt Spur also leads to Mount Katahdin's summit.

Shelters may be located at the following sites on the Maine section of the Appalachian Trail. These shelters are listed by shelter name, elevation, County, and State.

Carlo Col Shelter, 2945, Oxford, Maine, Full Goose Shelter, 3030, Oxford, Maine, Speck Pond Shelter, 3500, Oxford, Maine, Baldpate Lean-To Shelter, 2645, Oxford, Maine, Frye Notch Lean-To Shelter, 2280, Oxford, Maine, Hall Mountain Lean-to Shelter, 2635, Oxford, Maine, Bemis Mountain Lean-To Shelter, 2790, Franklin, Maine, Sabbath Day Pond Lean-To Shelter, 2390, Franklin, Maine, Piazza Rock Lean-To Shelter, 2080, Franklin, Maine, Poplar Ridge Lean-To Shelter, 2920, Franklin, Maine, Spaulding Mountain Lean-To Shelter, 3140, Franklin, Maine, Horns Pond Lean-To Shelter, 3160, Franklin, Maine, Little Bigelow Lean-To Shelter, 1760, Somerset, Maine, West Carry Pond Lean-To Shelter, 1340, Somerset, Maine, Pierce Pond Lean-To Shelter, 1150, Somerset, Maine, Pleasant Pond Lean-To Shelter, 1320, Somerset, Maine, Bald Mountain Branch Lean-To Shelter, 1280, Somerset, Maine, Moxie Bald Lean-To Shelter, 1220, Somerset, Maine, Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To Shelter, 880, Piscataquis, Maine, Leeman Brook Lean-To Shelter, 1070, Piscataquis, Maine, Wilson Valley Lean-To Shelter, 1000, Piscataquis, Maine, Long Pond Stream Lean-To Shelter, 930, Piscataquis, Maine, Cloud Pond Lean-To Shelter, 2420, Piscataquis, Maine, Chairback Gap Lean-To Shelter, 2000, Piscataquis, Maine, Carl A. Newhall Lean-To Shelter, 1840, Piscataquis, Maine, Logan Branch Lean-To Shelter, 2530, Piscataquis, Maine, East Branch Lean-To Shelter, 1240, Piscataquis, Maine, Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To Shelter, 910, Piscataquis, Maine, Potayuadjo Spring Lean-To Shelter, 620, Piscataquis, Maine, Wadleigh Stream Lean-To Shelter, 685, Piscataquis, Maine, Rainbow Stream Lean-To Shelter, 1005, Piscataquis, Maine, Hurd Brook Lean-To Shelter, 715, Piscataquis, Maine, and The Birches Shelter, 1080, Piscataquis, Maine.

Congratulations! You have just completed the Appalachian Trail's 2175 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia, all the way to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Now go Hiking!

Writer of this book is an Appalachian Trail hiker and a supporter of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Writer available to present Seminars and Presentations about the Appalachian Trail to interested Groups.