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Appalachian Trail Conservancy urges hikers to postpone their thru-hikes or section hikes effective immediately
On March 17, 2020, Sandra Marra, President & CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy posted an open letter urging hikers to postpone AT hikes due to concerns related to the Coronavirus. Read more…
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What is the Tuscarora Trail?
Created in the 1960s as an alternative to the Appalachian Trail, the Tuscarora Trail runs 250 miles from Northern Virginia to Pennsylvania. The trail departs the AT near mile 21 of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park and rejoins the AT near Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Along the way, you hike long stretches along the Massanutten Range that parallels the AT to the west, stroll along dirt roads and through woodlands. Read more…
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Center of Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness on Appalachian Trail Gains Protection
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New Book About Geraldine Largay’s Tragedy on the Appalachian Trail
As an AT hiker and a Mainer who is particularly familiar with the area where Geraldine Largay got lost on the AT, I am pleased to see a book coming out entitled When you Find My Body, that delves into the subject at greater length. For those unfamiliar with the story, Gerry Largay became lost on a section of the Appalachian Trail adjacent to the U.S. Navy’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) School—a remote area where troops are taught survival skills. Read more…
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National Park Service Guest Blog
As many of you know, the National Scenic Trails Act just turned 50 years old. The National Park Service has been celebrating all year by highlighting events near all eleven of our National Scenic Trails and by featuring our national and historic trails in guest blogs. As part of the series, I was asked to share how important America’s long-distance trails have been (and continue to be) to me. It was a good chance for me to reflect on how life changing and deeply rewarding an outdoor life can be. Read more…
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Cold Case Solved — 28-years Later, the Story of Mystery White Dog Takes an Amazing Turn
Yesterday, the mystery of the white dog was solved in a completely unexpected time and place. Those of you who have read my book about section hiking the Appalachian Trail (Appalachian Odyssey) likely remember the story of the young dog that became an AT section hiker along with us. For those who haven’t read the tale or want a refresher, here it is. The Backstory In November of 1990, my hiking partner, Wayne, and I set off on a 42-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. It was a lovely time of year to be on the trail. Read more…
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Why I hiked across Massachusetts three times
I just got back from a 50-mile late season hike on the New England National Scenic Trail. This time, my hiking buddy Wayne and I completed the hike through Massachusetts (having already walked through Connecticut on prior trips). At the end of this hike, we realized we had now walked across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts three times via three different trails. In 1990, we hiked the Appalachian Trail through the far western part of the state from north to south. In the early 2000s, we section hiked the Midstate Trail. Read more…
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The Surprising Story of Antonin Dvorak, The Chicago World’s Fair and the Appalachian Trail
“In September 1893, a 15-year-old boy from Massachusetts spent the day touring the Chicago World’s Fair. He had traveled there by train with two of his older brothers to visit their father, who had spent the previous year onsite, preparing for the event. The family patriarch, Steele MacKaye (pronounced Mack-eye), had arrived in Chicago in 1892 with a plan so great it could not be contained within the fairgrounds. Read more…
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Tips for hiking on the Appalachian Trail During Hunting Season
Some people assume that hunting is not allowed on the Appalachian Trail. It’s a dangerous assumption to make. The fact is that hunting is only forbidden on the 600 or so miles of the Trail that cross National Park Service land. Wherever you are hiking, it’s easy to imagine that you will be safe if you stay on the Trail. However, hunters on lands adjacent to the trail may be unaware of exactly where the trail is located. The Trail corridor is also often narrow. Read more…
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The Appalachian Trail was a Start-up
The Dreamer The year was 1921. A 42-year-old forester and land use planner named Benton MacKaye came up with a remarkable, progressive idea — to build a super trail that would travel across a dozen states, from Mount Mitchell in Tennessee to Mount Washington in New Hampshire. He pitched the idea to a friend, who happened to be the editor of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects. That October, the idea was presented to the world in MacKaye’s article, An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning. Read more…
