The

Appalachian National Scenic Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian T ...

spans 14 U.S. states over its roughly :

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, and

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

. The southern end is at

Springer Mountain Springer Mountain is a mountain located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the border of Fannin and Gilmer counties. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia, the mountain has an elevation of about . Springer Mountain serv ...

, Georgia, and it follows the ridgeline of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

, crossing many of its highest peaks and running almost continuously through

wilderness Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plurale tantum, plural) are Earth, Earth's natural environments that have not been significantly modified by human impact on the environment, human activity, or any urbanization, nonurbanized land not u ...

before reaching the northern end at

Mount Katahdin Mount Katahdin ( ) is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at . Named Katahdin, which means "Great Mountain", by the Penobscot Native Americans, it is within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of B ...

, Maine. The trail is currently protected along more than 99 percent of its course by federal or state land ownership or

right-of-way A right of way (also right-of-way) is a specific route that people, animals, vehicles, watercraft, or utility lines travel, or the legal status that gives them the right to do so. Rights-of-way in the physical sense include controlled-access h ...

. Annually, more than 4,000

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

s contribute over 175,000 hours to maintain the trail, an effort coordinated largely by the

Appalachian Trail Conservancy The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC; formerly Appalachian Trail Conference) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Appalachian Trail, a route in the eastern United States that runs from Maine to Georgia. Founded in 1 ...

(ATC), assisted by some thirty trail clubs and multiple partnerships.

Georgia

Counties crossed: Fannin County → Union County →

Lumpkin County Lumpkin County is a county in the Northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,488. Its county seat is Dahlonega. Lumpkin County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia metropo ...

→ White County → Towns County →

Habersham County Habersham County is a County (United States), county in the Northeast Georgia, Northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 46,031. The county seat is C ...

→

Rabun County Rabun County () is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,883, up from 16,276 in 2010. The county seat is Clayton. With an average annual rainfall of over , Rabun County has the ...

Hiker signing register at Springer Mountain

Georgia has of the trail, including the southern terminus at

(elevation ). An approach trail (not part of the AT) begins at the

Amicalola Falls State Park Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge is an Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia state park located between Ellijay, Georgia, Ellijay and Dahlonega, Georgia, Dahlonega in Dawsonville, Georgia. The park's name is derived from a Cherokee language word mea ...

visitor center. At ,

Blood Mountain Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail and List of mountains in Georgia (U.S. state), the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of .Brown (1996), p.93 It is located ...

is the highest point on the trail in Georgia. The AT and approach trail are managed and maintained by the

Georgia Appalachian Trail Club The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC) is a non-profit organization that was organized in 1930 in Dahlonega, Georgia. Its membership consists of individual volunteers who share a love for the Appalachian Trail. The GATC is responsible for the ...

. :* See: Georgia Peaks on the Appalachian Trail

North Carolina

Counties crossed:

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

→ Macon County → Swain County → Graham County → Swain County → (The following counties are traversed along the Tennessee border) Haywood County → Madison County →

Yancey County Yancey County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,470. Its county seat is Burnsville. History The area of Yancey County was inhabited by the Cherokee prior to European settlem ...

→ Mitchell County → Avery County North Carolina has of the trail, not including more than along the Tennessee border. Altitude ranges from . The trail crosses Bly Gap one-tenth of a mile north of the Georgia state line. The trail further north includes peaks such as

Standing Indian Mountain Standing Indian Mountain, elevation , is part of the North Carolina portion of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness within the boundaries of the Nantahala National Forest. The mountain lies along the Appalachian Trail and is the highest point along ...

, Mount Albert, and

Wayah Bald Wayah Bald is a high-altitude treeless open area in Nantahala National Forest, near Franklin, North Carolina. The Wayah Bald Observation Tower is located at the area's highest point (5,385 feet); the stone observation tower was built by the Civ ...

, followed by a

Nantahala Gorge The Nantahala River ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Fontana Lake Fontana Lake is a reservoir impounded by Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River, and is located in Graham and Swain counties in North Carolina. The lake forms part of the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the nort ...

, comparatively spacious accommodations, water spigots, flush toilets, nearby free hot showers, and a three dollar shuttle into Fontana Dam, North Carolina.

Tennessee

Counties crossed: Blount County → Sevier County → Cocke County → Greene County →

Unicoi County Unicoi County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,928. Its county seat is Erwin. ''Unicoi'' is a Cherokee word meaning "white," "hazy," "fog-like," or "fog draped," and refers to ...

→ Carter County (where it leaves the North Carolina border) → Johnson County → Sullivan County Tennessee has of the trail, including more than along or near the North Carolina border. The section that runs just below the summit of

Kuwohi Kuwohi (, also known as Clingmans Dome, its former official name) is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Southeastern United States. At an topographical summit, elevation of , it is the highest mountai ...

(formerly Clingmans Dome) in

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in the southeastern United States, southeast, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline o ...

is the highest point on the trail at . The trail enters Tennessee from North Carolina atop Doe Knob and exits Tennessee into Virginia atop

Holston Mountain Holston Mountain is a mountain ridge in Upper East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, southwest Virginia, in the United States. It is in the Blue Ridge Mountains part of the Appalachian Mountains. Holston Mountain is a very prominent ridge-type mo ...

. The first of the A.T. in Tennessee follow the crest of the Smokies, and are largely shared with North Carolina. In the western Smokies, the trail traverses a young forest that replaced what was once a large highland pasture, most noticeable in areas such as Spence Field,

Thunderhead Mountain Thunderhead Mountain is a mountain in the west-central part of the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. Rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, the mountain dominates the western Smokies. The A ...

, and Silers Bald. The trail reaches for the first time on the western slope of Mount Buckley (a sub-peak of Kuwohi), where it first enters the sub-alpine spruce-fir forest, and comes within a few meters of the summit of Kuwohi. The trail crosses

U.S. Route 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...

Newfound Gap Newfound Gap (el. ) is a mountain pass located near the center of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States. Situated along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the state line crosses ...

and traverses a series of rocky cliffs known as "The Sawteeth" en route to the high ridges of the Eastern Smokies. Here, the trail crosses

Mount Chapman Mount Chapman is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 6,427 feet (1,956 m) above sea level. While the mountain is located deep within the Smokies, the Appalachian Trail cros ...

and Mount Guyot, and passes one of its most remote shelters at

Tricorner Knob Tricorner Knob is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 6,120 feet (1,865 m), with 160 feet (48 m) of clean prominence. The Appalachian and Balsam Mountain trails intersect ...

before gradually descending. Just beyond Mount Cammerer, the A.T. exits the Smokies, crossing

Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States, southeastern and Southwestern United States, southwestern portions of the United States. At a leng ...

into the

Cherokee National Forest The Cherokee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. states of Tennessee and North Carolina that was created on June 14, 1920. The forest is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service. It encompas ...

. After traversing Snowbird Mountain, Max Patch Bald, and Lemon Gap (just south of Del Rio), the trail exits Tennessee atop Bluff Mountain and re-enters again atop Rich Mountain (in Greene County), some to the northeast. After traversing the

Bald Mountains The Bald Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Bald Mountain ...

, the Appalachian Trail crosses the

Nolichucky River The Nolichucky River is a river that flows through western North Carolina and East Tennessee in the southeastern United States. Traversing the Pisgah National Forest and the Cherokee National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the river's wate ...

and enters the Unakas, gradually ascending to the Roan Highlands near the town of Roan Mountain in Carter County. Atop Roan High Knob, the A.T. again eclipses 6,000 feet (approximately ), and passes the highest shelter along the entire trail. After crossing Grassy Ridge, which is the longest stretch of grassy bald in the Appalachians, the trail descends to the Laurel Fork Valley, where it turns west away from the state boundary. Just beyond White Rocks Mountain, the trail passes through

Hampton, Tennessee Hampton is an unincorporated community and Census-designated place in Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Located a few miles southeast of Elizabethton and northwest of Roan Mountain, Hampton is surrounded on all sides by the Unaka Mounta ...

, before turning north again. At

Watauga Lake Watauga Lake, located east of Elizabethton, Tennessee, is the local name of the Watauga Reservoir created by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) with the 1948 completion of the TVA Watauga Dam. According to lake expert Holly C Ward, Watauga La ...

at the TVA

Watauga Dam Watauga Dam is a hydroelectric and flood control dam on the Watauga River in Carter County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the 1940s as part of efforts to control ...

, the trail turns northeast, crossing Iron Mountain before turning briefly to the northwest at the Carter County- Johnson County line. After passing over Cross Mountain, the trail again turns northeast and ascends

en route to Virginia.

Virginia

Counties crossed: Washington County → Smyth County → Grayson County → Wythe County → Bland County → Tazewell County → Giles County Briefly joins the

border here → Craig County →

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Montg ...

→

Roanoke County Roanoke County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, its population was 96,929. Its county seat is Salem, but the county administrative offices are located in the census-designated place of ...

→

Botetourt County Botetourt County ( ) is a US county that lies in the Roanoke Region of Virginia. Located in the mountainous portion of the state, the county is bordered by two major ranges, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. Botetourt Co ...

→ Bedford County →

Rockbridge County Rockbridge County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,650. Its county seat is the city of Lexington. Rockbridge County completely surrounds the ...

→

Amherst County Amherst County is a county, located in the Piedmont region and near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The county is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, and its county seat is also named Amhers ...

→ Nelson County →

Augusta County Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and ...

→

Albemarle County Albemarle County is a United States county located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its county seat is Charlottesville, which is an independent city entirely surrounded by the county. Albemarle County is part of the Ch ...

→ Rockingham County → Greene County → Page County →

Rappahannock County Rappahannock County is a county located in the northern Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, US, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 7,348. Its county seat is Washington. The name "Rappah ...

→ Warren County →

Fauquier County Fauquier County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton. Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. History ...

→ Clarke County → (rejoins the West Virginia Border here)

Loudoun County Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. The county seat is Leesburg, Virgi ...

Virginia has the most mileage of the trail of any state with of the trail (one-fourth of the entire trail), including more than along the West Virginia border. With the climate, and the timing of northbound

thru-hiker Thru-hiking, or through-hiking, is the act of hiking an established long-distance trail end-to-end continuously. The term is most frequently used regarding trails in the United States, such as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the Appalachian Trail ( ...

s, this section is wet and challenging because of the spring thaw and heavy spring rainfall. Substantial portions of the trail closely parallel

Skyline Drive Skyline Drive is a National Parkway that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The drive's northern terminus is at ...

Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah National Park (often ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The park is long and narrow, with the Shenandoah River and its ...

and, further south, the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and National Scenic Byway, All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longest linear park in the U.S., runs for through 29 counties in Virginia and ...

. The

considers to be excellent for beginning hikers a well-maintained section of the trail that the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

constructed in Shenandoah National Park and whose climbs rarely exceed . McAfee Knob is affectionately known as "the most photographed spot on the A.T.". McAfee Knob is part of what is known as Virginia's Triple Crown. The three iconic peaks that make up the Triple Crown are McAfee Knob, Dragon's Tooth, and Tinker Cliffs. These three peaks are located near Roanoke, VA. Hikes to each of the overlooks can be completed individually as day hikes or in one trip as an approximately 35 mile backpacking trip. The plant life on Virginia's section of the trail includes thickly-growing wild

blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

bushes. The bushes are especially numerous along the trail's central sections, through the Shenandoah National Park, and its northern sections. The blueberries ripen in late summer, offering hikers a plentifully available food source. In 1989,

Hurricane Hugo Hurricane Hugo was a powerful tropical cyclone that inflicted widespread destruction across the northeastern Caribbean and the Southeastern United States in September 1989. The eleventh tropical cyclone, eighth Tropical cyclone naming, named st ...

damaged over 300 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.Curtis, Wayne (June 1990). "Hugo and the trial". 18 (4):16 Three weeks of rain uprooted thousands of trees in what Mike Dawson of the Appalachian Trail Conference called "the worst break in the continuous footpath since it was declared open from Maine to Georgia in August 1937." Due to responsive and prepared local trail clubs, all but six miles of the trails were re-opened within a month. The annual "Trail Days" festival held in

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

has become the largest single gathering of Appalachian Trail hikers anywhere.

West Virginia

2010-09-02-Harpers-Ferry-From-Maryland-Heights-Panorama-Crop

Counties crossed: Monroe County (while sharing the trail with Virginia in the south → Jefferson County (while sharing the trail and briefly entering the state.) West Virginia has of the trail, not including about along the Virginia border. The trail passes through the town of

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 269 at the 2020 United States census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac River, Potomac and Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Rivers in the ...

, headquarters of the

. Harpers Ferry is considered the "psychological midpoint" of the AT, although the actual midpoint is just west of Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania.

Maryland

Counties crossed: Washington County → Frederick County Annapolis_rocks_overlook

Maryland has of the trail, ranging in elevation from . Most of the trail runs along the ridge line of South Mountain in

South Mountain State Park South Mountain State Park is a public recreation area that runs for nearly the entire length of South Mountain through Washington and Frederick counties in Maryland. The state park is contiguous with several other national, state and local par ...

Hikers are required to stay at designated shelters and campsites, no camping off-trail. Some hikers choose to hike Maryland in a single day, usually starting just before dawn and ending at dusk. This is known as the Maryland Challenge. The Challenge is especially popular among thru-hikers due to the endurance built up by the time one reaches Maryland from either terminus. A variation of this challenge, known as the Four State Challenge, involves hiking between the ridge line straddling Virginia and West Virginia all the way to or from Pennsylvania in 24 hours, thus hiking in four states in one day. The Four State Challenge requires a hike of approximately , most of which are in Maryland. The state contains the Ensign Cowell shelter, and the Rocky Run Shelters near Boonsboro. The older log structure was built by the

CCC CCC may refer to: Arts and entertainment * CCC, the production code for the 1970 ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Ambassadors of Death'' * Color Climax Corporation, a Danish pornography producer * Comics Campaign Council, a British pressure grou ...

in 1940. Another stop is the Dahlgren Campground. Hikers can stop here for the night and have free showers. The trail passes close to the eastern edge of

Greenbrier State Park Greenbrier State Park is a public recreation area located on South Mountain, northeast of Boonsboro in Washington County, Maryland, USA. The state park has camping, hiking trails, and a man-made lake. It is managed by the Maryland Department ...

. The trail also goes through

Pen Mar Park Pen Mar Park is a scenic area and county park in the community of Pen Mar in Washington County, Maryland. It is located on Pen Mar High Rock Road adjacent to the Mason–Dixon line. History 19th century In 1877, the site was opened as an amus ...

, which is just north of High Rock, which offers views and is a

hang-gliding Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised, fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...

site. On March 15, 2015, a hiker was killed near the Ed Garvey shelter in the southern part of the state's portion of the trail when a large tree fell on him.

Pennsylvania

Counties crossed: Franklin County →

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Cumberland, historic county *Cumberl ...

→

Perry County Perry County may refer to: United States *Perry County, Alabama *Perry County, Arkansas *Perry County, Illinois *Perry County, Indiana *Perry County, Kentucky *Perry County, Mississippi *Perry County, Missouri *Perry County, Ohio * Perry Cou ...

→

Dauphin County Dauphin County (; Pennsylvania Dutch: Daffin Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The county seat is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and ninth-most populous city. ...

→

Lebanon County Lebanon County ( ; ) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 143,257. Its county seat is the city of Lebanon. It lies 72 miles northwest of Philadelphia, which is the nearest m ...

→ Schuylkill County →

Berks County Berks County (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading, the fourth-most populous city in the state. The ...

→ Lehigh County → Carbon County → Northampton County → Monroe County Pennsylvania has of the trail, extending from the Pennsylvania-Maryland border at Pen Mar, a tiny town straddling the state line, to the

Delaware Water Gap The Delaware Water Gap is a water gap on the border of the U.S. states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. The gap makes up the southern portion of the Delaware Wa ...

, at the Pennsylvania-New Jersey line. The

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...

is generally considered the dividing line between the northern and southern sections of the Pennsylvania AT. The AT crosses the Susquehanna via the

Clarks Ferry Bridge The Clarks Ferry Bridge is a plate girder bridge that carries U.S. Routes 22 and 322 across the Susquehanna River near Duncannon, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is a 4 lane expressway standard bridge. The ...

, near

Duncannon Duncannon () is a village in southwest County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Bordered to the west by Waterford Harbour, Waterford harbour and sitting on a rocky headland jutting into the channel is the strategically prominent Duncanno ...

. In the southern half of the state, the AT passes through

Caledonia State Park Caledonia State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks, Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Greene Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County, Pennsylva ...

Michaux State Forest Michaux State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #1. The main offices are located in Fayetteville in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA. The Michaux State Forest is in several tracts covering ...

, and

Pine Grove Furnace State Park Pine Grove Furnace State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks, protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel Lake (Cumberland County, Pennsylvania), Laurel and Pine Grove Iron Works#Fuller Lake, Fuller Lakes in Cooke Township, Cumberl ...

. In 1935, the midpoint of the AT was at Center Point Knob. It is currently in PGF State Park and marked by a "Midpoint" sign. These areas in south central Pennsylvania are the northernmost portions of the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

, which are geologically distinct from the

Ridge and Valley The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands division. The physiographic province is divided into three sec ...

section further north. The two parts are separated by the broad

Cumberland Valley The Cumberland Valley is a northern constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley, within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Appalachian Trail crosses through the valley. Geography The valley is bound t ...

, where the trail has a change of scenery, crossing many farms and large highways. There is no camping allowed in the stretch between Alec Kennedy and Darlington shelters. In the northern half of the state, the AT climbs back up into the mountains and passes through St. Anthony's Wilderness, which is the second largest roadless area in Pennsylvania and home to several coal mining ghost towns, such as Yellow Springs and Rausch Gap. Trail towns that are common stops with thru-hikers are Boiling Springs,

, Port Clinton, Palmerton,

Wind Gap A wind gap (or air gap) is a gap through which a waterway once flowed that is now dry as a result of stream capture. A water gap is a similar feature, but one in which a waterway still flows. Water gaps and wind gaps often provide routes whic ...

, and

. Northeast of the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river in eastern Pennsylvania. It flows for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map(). accessed April 1, 2011. from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Pottsville ...

, the trail runs along the top of the Blue Mountain ridge. Just before entering New Jersey, the Blue Mountain ridge becomes the Kittatinny Ridge. With the description of "where boots go to die", Pennsylvania is infamous among thru-hikers for having more long stretches of rocky trail than any other state, although many feel the rocks are overrated. The worst rocks are in the northern half of the state, north of the Susquehanna River. Many consider Pennsylvania one of the easier parts of the AT, since it is mostly walking on ridges with relatively small elevation changes compared to many other states.

New Jersey

Counties crossed: Warren County → Sussex County →

Passaic County Passaic County ( or ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's eighth-most-populous county,

New Jersey has of the trail. This makes the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail the second longest trail in the state, behind the

Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail The D&R Canal trail is a recreational trail in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The trail is made up of three segments that traverse three counties: a canal towpath from New Brunswick to Trenton; a canal towpath/rail trail from Trenton to Bull's I ...

. More than half of the Appalachian Trail is along the top of Kittatinny Ridge at the northwestern corner of the state. The trail enters New Jersey from the south on a pedestrian walkway along the

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...

Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge The Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge (also known as the Interstate 80 Toll Bridge) is a toll bridge that carries Interstate 80 across the Delaware River at the Delaware Water Gap, connecting Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey, and Dela ...

over the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

, ascends from the Delaware Water Gap to the top of Kittatinny Ridge in

Worthington State Forest Worthington State Forest is a state forest located in Warren County, New Jersey within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, just north of the water gap in the Skylands Region of the state. It covers an area of and stretches for m ...

, passes

Sunfish Pond Sunfish Pond is a glacial lake surrounded by a hardwood forest located on the Kittatinny Ridge within Worthington State Forest, adjacent to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Warren County, New Jersey. The Appalachian Trail ...

, continues north through the

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a national recreation area administered by the National Park Service in northwest New Jersey and northeast Pennsylvania. It is centered around a stretch of the Delaware River designated the ...

and

Stokes State Forest Stokes State Forest is a state park located in Sandyston, Montague and Frankford in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. Stokes comprises of mountainous woods in the Kittatinny Mountains, extending from the southern boundary of High ...

, and eventually reaches

High Point State Park High Point State Park is a state park straddling the border of Wantage Township and Montague Township in Sussex County, within the Skylands Region of northwestern New Jersey, United States, near the border with New York State and Pennsylvania. ...

, highest peak in New Jersey (a side trail is required to reach the actual peak). It then turns in a southeastern direction along the New York-New Jersey border for about , passing over long sections of boardwalk bridges over marshy land, then entering

Wawayanda State Park Wawayanda State Park is a state park in Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County and Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County in northern New Jersey. The park is in Vernon Township, New Jersey, Vernon Township on the Sussex side, and West Mil ...

and then the Abram S. Hewitt State Forest just before entering New York near

Greenwood Lake Greenwood Lake is an interstate lake approximately long, straddling the border of New York and New Jersey. It is located in the Town of Warwick and the Village of Greenwood Lake, New York (in Orange County) and West Milford, New Jersey (in ...

. The Appalachian Trail in New Jersey is maintained and updated by the

New York–New Jersey Trail Conference The New York – New Jersey Trail Conference (NYNJTC) is a volunteer-based federation of approximately 10,000 individual members and about 100 member organizations (mostly hiking clubs and environmental organizations). The conference coordin ...

Black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...

activity along the trail in New Jersey increased rapidly starting in 2001. In July 2005, a teenage hiker sleeping at Mashipacong Shelter was awakened by a bear biting his leg. The bear was later identified and killed by authorities. Metal bear-proof trash boxes are in place at all New Jersey shelters.

New York

Counties crossed: Orange County →

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population is 338,329, making it the state's ...

→

Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...

→ Putnam County →

Dutchess County Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later org ...

New York's of trail contain very little elevation change compared to other states. It is rather rugged terrain nonetheless, with many short though nearly-vertical ledges and small cliffs. From south to north, the trail summits many small mountains under in elevation, its highest point in New York being Prospect Rock at , and less than half a mile (800 m) from the border with New Jersey. The trail continues north, climbing near Fitzgerald Falls, passing through

Sterling Forest State Park Sterling Forest State Park is a state park located in the Ramapo Mountains in Orange County, New York. Established in 1998, it is among the larger additions to the New York state park system in the last 50 years. History Sterling Forest was ...

, and then entering Harriman State Park and

Bear Mountain State Park Bear Mountain State Park is a state park located on the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York, Rockland and Orange County, New York, Orange counties, New York (state), New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, pic ...

. In Harriman State Park, the trail passes through the famous

Lemon Squeezer A lemon squeezer is a kitchen utensil designed to juicer, extract juice from lemons or other citrus fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, or lime. It is designed to separate and crush the pulp of the fruit in a way that is easy to operate. Lemon s ...

, a narrow crack between huge boulders. At

, it goes through the park zoo, where the lowest point on the entire AT, at above sea level, is located in front of the bear cage. Immediately afterward it crosses the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

on the

Bear Mountain Bridge The Bear Mountain Bridge, ceremonially named the Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge, is a toll suspension bridge in New York State. It carries U.S. Route 6 in New York, US 6 and U.S. Route 202 in New York, US 202 across the Hudso ...

, then climbs into

Hudson Highlands State Park Hudson Highlands State Park is a non-contiguous state park in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, located on the east side of the Hudson River. The park runs from Peekskill, New York, Peekskill in Westchester County, New York, Westchest ...

where it follows a ridge over several low-elevation peaks. It then passes through Fahnestock State Park and continues northeast and crosses the

Metro-North Railroad The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...

Harlem Line The Harlem Line is an commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Southea ...

at Pawling, which is also the only train station along the length of the trail. It enters Connecticut via the

Pawling Nature Reserve The Pawling Nature Reserve is located in the northern section of the Pawling (town), New York, Town of Pawling, New York, United States. It is a area located along the top of Hammersby Ridge, near Quaker Lake owned and managed by The Nature Cons ...

. The section of the trail that passes through Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks is the oldest section of the trail, completed in 1923. The Appalachian Trail in New York is maintained and updated by the

. Professional trail builder Eddie Walsh and Edward Goodell (executive director of the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference) oversaw and coordinated the construction of a paved trail coming off Bear Mountain.Applebome, Peter (May 31, 2010), "A Jolt of Energy for a Much Trod-Upon Trail".'' New York Times''. :p14 That portion of the trail is composed of 800 steps made of slabs of granite followed by over a mile of walkway supported by stone crib walls with boulders called gargoyles lining the path. The project took four years, cost roughly $1 million, and was executed by about 700 volunteers. It officially opened in June 2010.

Connecticut

Counties crossed: Litchfield County The of trail in Connecticut lie almost entirely along the

ridge A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...

s to the west above the

Housatonic River The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United ...

Valley. The trail climbs ridges above the town of

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

, and then works its way past the Housatonic River to Falls Village, where it regains the heights. After the town of

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

, the trail ascends into the Taconic Range, crossing, in order: Lions Head, Riga Ridge, and Bear Mountain, after which the Massachusetts line is achieved at Sage's Ravine. The trail passes within one mile (1.6 km) of the business district of Kent, a resupply point for long-distance hikers. In the town of Salisbury (which occupies the northwestern corner of the state), it skirts the town center before reaching the summit of Bear Mountain, the highest peak in Connecticut at , descending, and entering Massachusetts. (The state's true highest point, on the shoulder of

Mount Frissell Mount Frissell, , which straddles the border of southwest Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut, is part of the Taconic Range. Frissell's south slopes include the highest point in Connecticut, a popular destination for highpointers. Frissel ...

at the Massachusetts line, lies about west of the AT, just east of the junction of those two states with New York. Such a side-trip is on the order of long and entails about 1,300 vertical feet (400 m) of climbing.)

Massachusetts

County crossed:

Berkshire County Berkshire County (pronounced ) is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in 17 ...

Massachusetts has of trail. The entire section of trail is in western Massachusetts'

; it traverses both the

Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains () are a 150-mile-long sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains lying on the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England. The range, which played a role in the history of geological science, is separated from th ...

and

the Berkshires The Berkshires () are highlands located in western Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut in the United States. Generally, "Berkshires" may refer to the range of hills in Massachusetts that lie between the Housatonic and Connecticut River ...

. The A.T. climbs the highest peak in the southern Taconic Mountains,

Mount Everett Mount Everett is the highest peak in the southern Taconic Mountains, rising about 2,000 feet above its eastern footings in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Its summit area is notable for expansive vistas and an unusual dwarf forest of pitch pine and ...

(), then descends to the

Valley and skirts the towns of Egremont, Sheffield, and of Great Barrington. From there, it ascends into the Berkshires and passes through the towns of Tyringham, Dalton and

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

. It ascends into the Taconic Mountains again, visiting

Mount Greylock Mount Greylock is the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,489 feet (1,063 meters). Located in the northwest region of the state, it is part of the Taconic Mountains, a geologically distinct range from the nearby Berkshire Mountains, Berkshire ...

, the highest point in the state at . It then quickly descends to the valley of the

Hoosic River The Hoosic River, also known as the Hoosac, the Hoosick (primarily in New York) and the Hoosuck (mostly archaic), is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed October 3, 2011 tr ...

within of North Adams and Williamstown, before ascending again to the Vermont state line. The trail throughout Massachusetts is maintained by the Berkshire Chapter of the

Appalachian Mountain Club Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest outdoor group in the United States. Created in 1876 to explore and preserve the White Mountains (New Hampshire), White Mountains in New Hampshire, it has expanded throughout the northeastern U.S., wit ...

Vermont

Counties crossed: Bennington County → Windham County → Rutland County → Windsor County Vermont has of the trail. Upon entering Vermont, the trail coincides with the southernmost sections of the generally north–south-oriented

Long Trail The Long Trail is a hiking trail located in Vermont, running the length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States, constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club. The club remains the primary organiza ...

(which is subject to a request by its maintainers to protect it in its most vulnerable part of the year by forgoing spring hiking). It follows the ridge of the southern

Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont and are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Que ...

, summiting such notable peaks as Stratton Mountain,

Glastenbury Mountain Glastenbury Mountain is a mountain located in Bennington County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest. The mountain is part of the Green Mountains. The northeast side of Glastenbury Mountain drains into Deer Lick Brook, thence in ...

and

Killington Peak Killington Peak is the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located east of Rutland in south-central Vermont. Killington Peak is a stop on the Long Trail, which here shares its route with the Appal ...

. The trail traverses the Glastenbury, Lye Brook, and Peru Peak Wilderness areas of the

Green Mountain National Forest Green Mountain National Forest is a national forest located in Vermont, a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest typical of the New England/Acadian forests ecoregion. The forest supports a variety of wildlife, including beaver, moose, coyote, b ...

. At Maine Junction, the AT reaches an intersection with the eastern end of the

North Country National Scenic Trail The North Country Trail (NCT, officially designated the North Country National Scenic Trail) is a long-distance hiking trail in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Northeastern United States, Northeastern United States. The trail exten ...

, with that trail and the next segment of the Long Trail departing to the north. The AT then turns in a more eastward direction, crossing the White River, passing through

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

, and entering

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...

, as it crosses the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...

. The

Green Mountain Club The Green Mountain Club is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Vermont's Long Trail. The Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America and stretches from the Massachusetts state line to the ...

maintains the entire portion of the AT in Vermont. The NPS challenged Killington and

Pico Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribe ...

ski resorts in Vermont over development of private land that crossed the AT.Knize, P. (January 1990), "Trails and tribulations".'' Skiing''. 42 (5):2E

New Hampshire

Counties crossed: Grafton County → Carroll County → Coos County New Hampshire has of the trail. The New Hampshire AT is nearly all within the

White Mountain National Forest The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had alre ...

. The easier southern portion of the trail, from

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

to Glencliff, passes over Velvet Rocks, Moose Mountain,

Smarts Mountain Smarts Mountain is a mountain in the town of Lyme in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. Smarts is flanked to the north by Mount Cube, at , and to the southwest by Holts Ledge, at . Although of only moderate elevation, Smarts is sep ...

, and Mount Cube. It then ascends

Mount Moosilauke Mount Moosilauke is a mountain at the southwestern end of the White Mountains in the town of Benton, New Hampshire, United States. It is the tenth highest and most southwesterly of the 4,000 foot summits in the White Mountains. Moosilauke ...

and enters the high peaks region of the White Mountains. For northbound thru-hikers, it is the beginning of the main challenges that go beyond enduring distance and time: in New Hampshire and Maine, rough or steep ground are more frequent, and

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

conditions are found near summits and along ridges. In the

Presidential Range The Presidential Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It contains the highest peaks of the Whites, the most notable of which are named for American presidents, followed by prominent ...

of the White Mountains, the trail runs completely above treeline from the summit of Mount Pierce to the north side of the cone of

Mount Madison Mount Madison is a mountain in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire in the United States. It is named after the fourth U.S. President, James Madison. Mountains in the Presidential Range are named for U.S. presidents, with the tallest (Mou ...

, a distance of about . The AT passes over the summits of 15 of the 48

four-thousand footers The Four-thousand footers (sometimes abbreviated 4ks) are a group of forty-eight mountains in New Hampshire at least above sea level. To qualify for inclusion a peak must also meet the more technical criterion of topographic prominence important ...

of New Hampshire: Moosilauke, South and North Kinsman,

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

, Lafayette, South Twin,

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

, Pierce,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

(the highest point of the AT north of Tennessee), Madison, Wildcats D and A,

Carter Dome Carter Dome, or simply The Dome, is a mountain located in Coös County, New Hampshire, U.S. It has a maximum elevation of , placing it on the list of the state's four-thousand footers. Description Carter Dome is part of the Carter-Moriah Range ...

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and Middle Carter. It comes close to the summits of 9 other of the 48

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

Garfield ''Garfield'' is an American comic strip created by Jim Davis (cartoonist), Jim Davis. Originally published locally as ''Jon'' in 1976 (later changed to ''Garfield'' in 1977), then in nationwide Print syndication, syndication from 1978, it chro ...

(60 yards away over ledges), Galehead,

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

Monroe Monroe or Monroes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Monroe (surname) * Monroe (given name) * James Monroe, 5th President of the United States * Marilyn Monroe, actress and model Places United States * Monroe, Arkansas, an unincorp ...

, Jefferson,

Adams Adams may refer to: * For persons, see Adams (surname) Places United States *Adams, California *Adams, California, former name of Corte Madera, California * Adams, Decatur County, Indiana *Adams, Kentucky *Adams, Massachusetts, a New England to ...

, and

Moriah Moriah (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , ''Mōrīyya''; Arabic: ﻣﺮﻭﻩ, ''Marwah'') is the name given to a region in the Book of Genesis, where the binding of Isaac by Abraham is said to have taken place. Jews identify the region mentioned in G ...

. A series of comfortable

huts A hut is a small dwelling, which may be constructed of various local materials. Huts are a type of vernacular architecture because they are built of readily available materials such as wood, snow, stone, grass, palm leaves, branches, clay, hid ...

are maintained along parts of the NH trail by the

. In New Hampshire, the

Dartmouth Outing Club The Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) is a collegiate outing club in the United States. Proposed in 1909 by Dartmouth College student Fred Harris to "stimulate interest in out-of-door winter sports", the club soon grew to encompass the college's year- ...

maintains the AT from the Vermont border to Mount Moosilauke, Randolph Mountain Club maintains 2.2 miles from Osgood Trail near Madison Hut to Edmands Col, with the AMC maintaining the remaining miles through the state. The trail passes through the town of Hanover and near the town of Gorham, which have grocery stores and are accessible by public transportation (Dartmouth Coach and

Concord Coach Lines Concord Coach Lines, Inc., formerly known as Concord Trailways, and often referred to as Concord Coach, is an inter-city bus company based in Concord, New Hampshire. It serves parts of Maine, New Hampshire and eastern Massachusetts, and has a rout ...

) from

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. Concord Coach also has bus service to

(several miles off the AT) and AMC

Pinkham Notch Pinkham Notch (elevation 2032 ft. / 619 m) is a mountain pass in the White Mountains of north-central New Hampshire, United States. The notch is a result of extensive erosion by the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the Wisconsinian ice age. P ...

. During the summer season, AMC runs a shuttle service to

Crawford Notch Crawford Notch is a major pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located in Hart's Location. Roughly half of that town is contained in Crawford Notch State Park. The high point of the notch, at approximately above sea level, is a ...

and

Franconia Notch Franconia Notch (elev. ) is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Dominated by Cannon Mountain to the west and Mount Lafayette to the east, it lies principally within Franconia Notch State Park and is traversed b ...

. A tradition of

s Mooning the Cog has developed on

Mount Washington Mount Washington is an ultra-prominent mountain in the state of New Hampshire. It is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is notorio ...

Maine

Counties crossed: Oxford County → Franklin County → Somerset County →

Piscataquis County Piscataquis County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, its population was 16,800, making it Maine's least-populous county. Its county seat is Dover-Foxcroft. The county was incorporated on March 23, 1838, ...

The

(or ATC) believes the of the trail in Maine are particularly difficult. The western section includes a mile-long (1.6 km) stretch of boulders at Mahoosuc Notch, often called the trail's hardest mile. The central Maine section crosses the

Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 natural river within the U.S. state of Ma ...

at a point where it is wide, the widest unbridged stream along the trail. The last and most isolated portion in the state (and arguably on the entire trail) is known as the "

Hundred-Mile Wilderness The Hundred-Mile Wilderness is the section of the Appalachian Trail in the state of Maine running between Monson and Abol Bridge over the West Branch of the Penobscot River just south of Baxter State Park. It is generally considered the most ...

". This section heads east-northeast from the town of Monson and ends outside

Baxter State Park Baxter State Park is a large wilderness area permanently preserved as a state park in Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County in north-central Maine, United States. It is in the North Maine Woods region and borders the Katahdin Woods and Wa ...

just south of Abol Bridge. More

moose The moose (: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is also the tal ...

are seen by hikers in this state than any other on the trail. The northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail is on Katahdin's Baxter Peak in

. Baxter State Park closes the summer rules overnight camping season from October 15 to May 15 each year. Park management strongly discourages thru-hiking within the park before May 31 or after October 15. The AMC maintains the AT from the New Hampshire border to

Grafton Notch Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine. The notch demarks the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. Maine State Route 26 passes through the notch. North of the drainage d ...

, with the

Maine Appalachian Trail Club The Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) is a non-profit organization responsible for maintaining the Appalachian Trail between Grafton Notch and Mount Katahdin. It builds and maintains trails and trail structures as well as providing basic public ...

responsible for maintaining the remaining miles to Katahdin. The trail runs near Saddleback Mountain resort. Starting in the 1980s there have been frequent discussions about the ski area's development on or near the AT, most recently over the construction of a solar farm and lodge three miles from the trail, which was approved in early 2021.

Georgia

North Carolina

Tennessee

Virginia

West Virginia

Maryland

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

New York

Connecticut

Massachusetts

Vermont

New Hampshire

Maine

References

Further reading