Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail
Map of Appalachian Trail
Length	About 2,200 miles (3,500 km)
Location	Appalachian Mountains
Designation	National Scenic Trail
Trailheads	Springer Mountain, Georgia Mount Katahdin, Maine
Use	Hiking
Elevation
Highest point	Clingmans Dome, 6,643 ft (2,025 m)
Lowest point	Bear Mountain State Park, 124 ft (38 m)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Easy to strenuous
Season	Early spring to autumn
Sights	Appalachian Mountains
Hazards	Severe weather American black bear Tick-borne diseases Mosquitos Yellowjackets Biting flies Chiggers Steep grades Limited water Dangerous Fordings Diarrhea from water Poison ivy Venomous snake
Website	Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the precise length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The trail passes through 14 states: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937 after more than a decade of work, although improvements and changes continue. It is maintained by 31 trail clubs and multiple partnerships, and managed by the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, and the nonprofit Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The majority of the trail is in forest or wild lands, although some portions traverse towns, roads and farms. The trail conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world.

At least 2 million people are said to do at least one day-hike on the trail each year.Thru-hikers attempt to hike it in its entirety in a single season — more than 2,700 people thru-hiked the trail in 2014 — and some hike from one end to the other, then turn around and thru-hike the trail the other way, known as a "yo-yo". Many books, memoirs, websites, and fan organizations are dedicated to these pursuits.