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Miscellaneous Publication No. 951

Forest Service © U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Appalachian Trail, extending 2,000 miles from Mt.
Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia,
provides a unique opportunity for exploring the eastern)
United States. Its symbol leads the hiker through 8 Na- |
tional Forests, 2 National Parks, several State Forests
and Parks, and many miles of private land in 13 States. ©
Envisioned first by Benton MacKaye, an early forester:
with the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, |
and finally completed in 1937 by trail clubs which were. |
established to cut new sections linking already existing”
trails, the Appalachian Trail is designed for foot travel.
Along its route a person can take an hour’s walk, a full”
day’s hike, or an extended excursion. There are places”
where the novice can enjoy himself without losing track
of familiar sights and sounds. There are mountains where -
only the experienced should go. |

Highlights Along the Trail

Along the Trail the hiker can relax in the cool spruce |
and birch forests of New England. He can hike the steep |
trails in the White Mountain National Forest in New |
Hampshire, crossing the boulder-strewn Presidential
Range high above timberline and skirting the Great Gulf
Wild Area near Mt. Washington.

In Vermont the Trail, after crossing the Connecticut
River Valley and low hills, joins the Long Trail at Route
U.S. 4. From there it twists and turns along the back-
bone of the State—the Green Mountains in a National
Forest of the same name—to the Massachusetts line. The
Long Trail, extending from Massachusetts to Canada, is
maintained by the Green Mountain Club, 108 Merchants
Row, Rutland, Vt.

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In Pennsylvania the hiker traverses the old coal and
iron country, through the St. Anthonys Wilderness where
an old railroad grade, foundations of houses, and coal
diggings are mute reminders that here families lived and
a town flourished. West of the Susquehanna he goes
through Mont Alto State Forest, site of one of the first
forestry schools in the country.

At the Potomac River he parallels the old Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal, an early transportation route between
Cumberland, Md., and Alexandria, Va. He passes within
sight of Harpers Ferry in West Virginia where abolitionist
John Brown staged his pre-Civil War raid.

In the Shenandoah National Park the Trail crisscrosses
Skyline Drive for 94 miles. As it penetrates the George
Washington National Forest in Virginia it becomes more
remote and traverses a set of magnificent 4,000-foot peaks.
Through the Jefferson National Forest it runs across
valleys and along ridges bearing such descriptive names
as Angels Rest, Dragons Tooth, and Dismal Peak.

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In Pennsylvania the hiker traverses the old coal and Throughout the southern Appalachians the hiker sees 4, a ba a
iron country, through the St. Anthonys Wilderness where the naked trunks of the once great American chestnut trees tar sf Ste ve
an old railroad grade, foundations of houses, and coal which succumbed to blight. In this country, too, are the = 2
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diggings are mute reminders that here families lived and
West of the Susquehanna he goes

a town flourished. ‘
through Mont Alto State Forest, site of one of Desig

balds—rolling mountains with grassy tops, green and rest-
ful to a footweary traveler.
Thus the trail winds over Roan Mountain on the bound-

forestry schools in the country. ary between the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina eae Ve wl

At the Potomac River he parallels the old Chesapeake and the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, where | omer . Xa .
and Ohio Canal, an early transportation route between rhododendrons grow in great profusion. Through the | rp fy ;
Cumberland, Md., and Alexandria, Va. He passes within Great Smoky Mountain National Park and into the Nan- Ne - Petes i
sight of Harpers Ferry in West Virginia where abolitionist tahala National Forest the Trail continues, ending finally ae Se Sa Sa EO
John Brown staged his pre-Civil War raid. on Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee National \_ waSHINGTON =

In the Shenandoah National Park the Trail crisscrosses Forest, near Mt. Oglethorpe. Ber =U 2 OANOK TEN
Skyline Drive for 94 miles. As it penetrates the George JEFFERSON ae
Washington National Forest in Virginia it becomes more Marking, Maintenance, and Protection : ry)

mole and traverses a set of magnificent 4,000-foot peaks.
Through the Jefferson National Forest it runs across
vlleys and along ridges bearing such descriptive names
is Angels Rest, Dragons Tooth, and Dismal Peak.

The hiker can identify the Appalachian Trail by the
following symbol, usually painted in black on a diamond
shaped piece of galvanized iron which is attached to a

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Throughout the southern Appalachians the hiker sees
the naked trunks of the once great American chestnut trees
which succumbed to blight. In this country, too, are the
balds—rolling mountains with grassy tops, green and rest-
ful to a footweary traveler.

Thus the trail winds over Roan Mountain on the bound-
ary between the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina
and the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, where
rhododendrons grow in great profusion. Through the
Great Smoky Mountain National Park and into the Nan-
tahala National Forest the Trail continues, ending finally
on Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee National
Forest, near Mt. Oglethorpe.

Marking, Maintenance, and Protection

The hiker can identify the Appalachian Trail by the ©
following symbol, usually painted in black on a diamond
shaped piece of galvanized iron which is attached to a

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tree or post. Sometimes the symbol is painted on a regu-
lar trail sign. Much of the Trail is also marked by white
paint blazes 2 inches wide and 6 inches long placed on
trees and poles so that they are always within the hikers’
sight.

Ae of the maintenance of the Trail is volunteered,
although portions are cleared by the Forest Service and
National Park Service. Coordinating the work of the
clubs and individuals working on the Trail is the Appa-
lachian Trail Conference. To protect the Trail against —
incompatible developments within a mile on either side,
the Conference has entered into agreements with the For-
est Service, the National Park Service, and 13 of the 14 —
States through which the Trail passes. 4

Where To Stay

Ultimately the Appalachian Trail Conference hopes to
have a string of three-sided shelters along the Trail where
hikers may stop. The Forest Service has helped this
program along by constructing 43 such shelters, mostly in
the southern National Forests. The user must bring his
own food, cooking equipment, and sleeping gear, and be

_ prepared to cut his own fuelwood. Where there are gaps
in the shelter chain, camp sites have been designated.

Other accommodations can be found for those not want-
ing to rough it. Hunting and fishing camps, known in
Maine as sporting camps, take hikers. In the White Moun-
tain National Forest the Appalachian Mountain Club main-
tains a chain of huts where hikers can obtain food and
lodging at reasonable rates. At Sherburne Pass in Ver-
mont, the Trail passes almost within arm’s length of Long
Trail Lodge. In Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia,
the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club of Washington, DG.

maintains locked cabins which may be reserved.

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION

If your hiking is going to be extensive, get a guidebook
which describes the trail and overnight accommodations.
The Appalachian Trail Conference, 1916 Sunderland
Place NW., Washington, D.C., issues maps and guides at
a nominal price for all sections of the Trail except in the
White Mountains. The Appalachian Mountain Club, 5
Joy Street, Boston, Mass., has the most comprehensive
maps and guides of that section.

FOR SAFETY’S SAKE

In the South, sections of the Appalachian Trail may
become overgrown with summer brush and hard to
follow. In New England a hot summer afternoon can
turn into a cold rainy nightmare in a matter of minutes.
Wear or carry clothes which can protect you against
sudden cold, rain, briars, and poison ivy. Wear com-
fortable sturdy shoes. Take along basic first aid
supplies.

Some of the Trail traverses extremely rough terrain
and exposed mountain tops, so hikers are urged not to
travel alone.

Parents should make sure that young people are
with experienced leaders familiar with the territory and
the idiosyncrasies of the weather. New England moun-
tains may not seem high, but in winter they can be
treacherous. Inexperienced hikers should stay at low
elevations in winter.

Time your hike so you arrive at your destination
before dark. If you are not an experienced mountaineer,
or with one, be careful about hand-over-hand climbing
on ledges; getting down is always harder. Build up to
strenuous trips. Sudden overexertion may be perma-
nently damaging.

Maps showing the route of the trail in the National
Forests may be obtained from Forest Supervisors at the
following addresses :

STATE FOREST ADDRESS
Georpias 222-2 Chattahoochee__. Gainesville
Tennessee___-_- Cherokee___-_-_- Cleveland
North Carolina__ Nantahala___-_- Asheville
North Carolinat: Pisgah -_- 22222) “Asheville
Waineaniass= ae Jeffersons: == === Roanoke
Mineinias 592) George Washing- Harrisonburg

ton

Vermont.22 2425 Green Mountain_ Rutland

New Hampshire. White Mountain. Laconia

Hiking can be funif you
know the ropes. The
Appalachian Trail, with its
changing zones of plant
animal, and bird life and
side trails inviting explo-
ration, provides some of
the best hiking in the

country.

Issued January 1964

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1964 O—707-764

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402 - Price 5 cents