The Appalachian Trail exists because of a vision.
In 1921, forester and conservationist Benton MacKaye proposed a continuous footpath running along the Appalachian Mountains. His idea was more than a hiking trail. He envisioned a place where people could reconnect with nature, find renewal, and escape the pressures of modern life.
Over the following decades, thousands of volunteers, hiking clubs, conservation organizations, and public agencies worked together to make that vision a reality.
The trail was officially completed in 1937 and has continued to evolve ever since.
Today, the Appalachian Trail stretches approximately 2,200 miles through fourteen states:
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
The trail is maintained by an extraordinary partnership of volunteers, local trail clubs, the National Park Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and countless supporters.
Every thru-hiker walks on the work of those who came before.
This section will explore the people, events, traditions, and stories that helped create one of America’s greatest outdoor treasures.