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Q: Where can I get a map of the Trail?
A: The Conference and its affiliated clubs publish maps and guidebooks to the Appalachian Trail, available on-line at the Ultimate Trail Store or by phone at 1-888-AT-STORE. We can also send you a order form, which includes all of our Trail-related merchandise. Your local backpacking store may carry maps; many U. S. Forest Service and National Park Service visitor centers and district offices do, too.
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Q: Do I need a permit to hike the Trail?
A. Most shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but there are some exceptions: Reservations are required in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, unless you are what the national park considers a thru-hiker, which is one who starts a hike more than 50 miles outside the Park and continues 50 miles beyond the park. If you meet these criteria, and there are no spaces available in a shelter, you may camp there, but not at any points in between. There is no other tent camping allowed along the Trail in the Park. In addition, a permit is required of all hikers camping overnight in the Smokies. AMC-run huts in the White Mountains require reservations and fees are charged; there are also fees charged for some of the campsites and shelters in the Green Mountains and White Mountains as well as in Baxter State Park.
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Q. Do I need reservations to stay in the shelters?
A. Generally speaking, shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, per the question above, the use of backcountry facilities in certain areas requires a permit or registration. AMC-run huts in the White Mountains require reservations and fees are charged; there are also fees charged for some of the campsites in the Whites as well as in Baxter State Park.
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Q: How long is the Trail?
A: 2,167.1 miles, as of November 1999; the mileage varies slightly every year as we relocate the Trail, working to place the A.T. in its optimal location. (The length of the trail has gone from 2160.2 in '97, to 2160.3 in '98, and back to 2160.2 in '99.)
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Q: How long does it take to thru-hike, and when's a good time to start?
A: From four to eight months, depending on how fast you hike. Most northbounders begin in March and April; the southbounders in June or July. Longer northbound thru-hikes require "flip-flopping" or "leapfrogging". The average is slightly over six months.
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Q: What do you have to do to report completion of the A.T. and be officially recognized by the Conference?
A: The Appalachian Trail Conference requests those who have completed the A.T. to fill out a 2,000-miler application form. These forms are available at ATC headquarters in Harpers Ferry, at the Daicey Pond ranger station in Baxter State Park, Maine and at the Walasi-Yi Center at Neels Gap, Georgia.
The Appalachian Trail Conference confers the designation of "2,000-miler" on any hiker who reports he or she walked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. We use the term "2,000-miler" as a matter of tradition and convenience-that's the estimated original length of the Trail, and changing the designation each time the length changes would be absurd. Our policy gives equal recognition to thru-hikers and section-hikers. Operating on the honor system, ATC assumes that those who apply for 2,000-miler status have hiked all of the Appalachian Trail from Katahdin to Springer, not just 2,000 miles. Blue-blazed trails or officially required roadwalks are considered viable substitutes for the official, white-blazed route in the event of an emergency, such as a flood, a forest fire, or an impending storm on an exposed, high-elevation stretch. We don't consider issues such as the sequence, direction, speed, or length of time in which each section is traversed or whether one carries a pack. We do expect that persons applying for inclusion on the list of 2,000-milers have made honest efforts to walk the entire Trail, even if they did not actually walk past every single white blaze. Respect for those standards is essential to the continuation of ATC's practice of recognizing the true achievements of end-to-end hikers in any fashion.
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Q: Are dogs allowed on the Trail?
A: Dogs are allowed everywhere on the Trail except in the Smokies and Baxter State Park--you cannot take your pet onto the Trail in these parks. In the Shenandoah N.P., your dog must be leashed. (Actually, we recommend that you keep your dog leashed at all times.)
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Q: How about my mountain bike, then?
A: Sorry, no. The Appalachian Trail National Scenic Trail is designated for foot travel only.
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Q: What is the mileage between points X and Y on the Trail?
A: Our databook and guidebooks contain detailed information about mileage, water sources, shelter locations and road crossings. Visit our Information page for specifics about our publications, and visit the Ultimate Trail Store to purchase.
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Q: What do the ATC-member clubs do?
A: Volunteers from our clubs perform Trail maintenance, build new shelters and privies, attend meetings and formulate policy, among other thingsthey basically perform the functions of a traditional park staff in managing the Appalachian Trail. Most also sponsor hikes for members and guests.