How long is the Appalachian Trail? Here's how long it takes to hike the entire path.
Ever thought about hiking the longest, hiking-only footpath in the world? It’s right here in the U.S., passing through the eastern Appalachian Mountains. The elevation gain of the Appalachian Trail alone is enough to frighten off prospective hikers – it’s the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest 16 times.
Still, more than 3,000 people attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail every year, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Only a quarter make it the whole way.
How long is the Appalachian Trail?
The Appalachian Trail is over 2,190 miles long, according to the National Parks Service. The trail stretches from Georgia to Maine.
Forester and regional planner Benton MacKaye came up with the idea for an Appalachian Mountain trail in the early 1900s. His article “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning” was published in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects in 1921. Developers completed the first section in 1923 and fully connected the trail by 1937.
Where does the Appalachian Trail start and end?
A northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hike starts at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia and ends on Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in the state of Maine.
The trail runs up most of the East Coast and southeastern U.S. It passes through 14 states in total – Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
How long does it take to walk the Appalachian Trail?
It’s no easy feat – hiking the Appalachian Trail takes about five to seven months to complete. That’s about five million steps, according to the ATC.
Most thru-hikers begin northbound hikes in March, passing through snow in North Carolina and Tennessee and carrying winter gear through Virginia. Hikers typically continue north through spring and summer, finishing in New Hampshire and Maine as the weather cools in September and October.
The ATC recommends starting between April 15 and the first week of May to avoid crowds and winter weather, but that hikers need to reach the end by October 15 if they want to avoid extreme weather.
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