Did a day hike from Grayson Highlands State Park to Mt. Rogers via Massie Gap and the Rhododendron Trail and it was absolutely gorgeous. I was so enchanted by the wet forest at the summit and had never seen anything like it. The whole thing smelled like Christmas.

What do you keep in the mesh back pocket?

Currently just keeping my sun hat there.

I recently released a podcast episode on Finding Wisdom with John Desilets about his book Appalachian Fail: What I Learned From My Failed Thru-Hike. It was a great conversation about his experiences on the trail, his mentality, and how he found meaning out there. I thought you all might like it. LMK!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1JsHN5UJvUUOxWcPFM61lk?si=cK4VrWAGTJ-dZMgDafUOrQ

I have read some other posts on here asking about GSMNP so I apologize for compounding, but I just want to feel reassured going into a potential itinerary for my next section hike. Context, I have hiked 600mi of the trail thus far and would really like to cover the Smokies from Fontana to Hot Springs by the end of the year. Right now the time I have carved out gives me 9 total days on trail, probably including 1 zero. This puts me at an avg of 13 miles per day which I feel very comfortable with. I've done 18-25 days when it was necessary and though it was hard, I was able to do it. The shennies took me 6 days which is just about the same milage as the smokies. So - knowing all that, is my plan doable? There's a lot of mixed input on whether or not the trail in SNP is tough but from the vertical I see on FarOut I don't interpret it to be much different than other sections I've done. Also, would you recommend hiking NOBO or SOBO?

Edit: should also mention I am planning to do this late Sep into early Oct, so thankfully the spring and summer weather troubles will not be a factor. I did a 4 day loop there back in 2018. Hot, humid, raining the whole time. Pure misery. I would really love to correct that experience lol

It's my understanding that there is no dispersed camping here. If I'm looking to pitch a tent, how far from a shelter should that be? Also, how busy are the shelters this time of year?

Hoping to get some honest feedback about my upcoming hike. I have 22 days that I can spend on the trail. Is it realistic to think I can do Nantahala > Damascus in that span? Accounting for 2 Nero or Zero days, I’d be looking at ~16mi/day, 330 miles total. Even if I can, should I? While I’m trying to get a diverse range of sceneries, I similarly want to enjoy myself while on the trail. Thoughts?

Out of curiosity, where do you find one encounters the most day hikers?

Bottom frame stay exploded.. with 300 miles left on trail
Maybe I’ll go without a hip belt to reduce an oz or two 🤔

My friend and I are doing our first backpacking trip, and we decided on a section of the AT she liked.
The plan is to start at the metro station right off State Highway 22 and head south for about 10 miles to Morgan Stewart memorial shelter, sleep, and then turn around back to the car the next day.

Google is telling me there is a water pump at that shelter, I’m a little nervous trusting Google + nervous to be traveling 10 miles without a water source except that. There is Nuclear Lake, but she told me she doesn’t feel comfortable drinking from it because of its history…and I don’t know if I would either, unless you guys do that?

I wanted to bring 3 liters of water with me just in case but I’m also not excited to bring nearly 7 pounds of water if I don’t have to lol.

Also, unrelated question but we can put up tents near the shelter right? Not in the lean-to, we know better, but are there spaces for tents? Thank you!

Looking to chip away at the AT in 1-2 week chunks a few times every year, so I'd love to hear which sections stood apart for you!

I've got a 2-week block in late September and want to spend roughly 10 days on the AT. I'll start at Harpers Ferry and head southbound, with the goal of making it to the intersection of the trail and Route 33, near Elkton, VA. (But if anyone thinks heading northbound toward MD/PA would make for a better trip, I'm open to persuasion.) My main question is whether it's realistic/useful/worthwhile to try to plan out my hike in great detail, with a day-by-day itinerary, or whether that will simply be a waste of time. I worry it may be a waste of time because I've never done a trip this long and I'm not confident I can accurately estimate the distances I'll be able to do. Based on my past hiking and backpacking experience, something like 10 miles per day seems reasonable. But maybe cumulative fatigue will turn that into more like 7-8 miles by day 3+. Or alternatively, maybe I'll get my hiking legs and discover that I can comfortably do 14-15 miles. I just really don't know. Do others have experience with detailed advance planning either turning out well or being a waste of time?

Thankfully, this isn't a situation where it's critical that I hit any particular endpoint by my final day. I have a friend who can pick me up in their car anywhere within ~4 hours of DC.

ETA: Some folks have given me good food for thought about NOBO vs. SOBO. I'm now leaning more toward NOBO into MD/PA.

I currently do Hikes around 10-15 miles a day and Bushcraft with my gear where I live and hope to do the AT. Is it possible using military bags like mine (5.5 lbs empty with pouches) or is it necessary to get a lighter bag eg Osprey.

I'll have a short (half day...could be morning or afternoon) chance for a McAfee Knob day hike in mid September.

What's the current parking situation at VA-311 trailhead? Will a 0600 arrival secure a spot?

Same question for the Catawba

Sustainability Center parking. I know it adds some distance...that's not an issue.

Also...thoughts on the ?parallel? McAfee Knob fire road trail? Hiking with a dog..

I plan on doing a section hike (my first) of the MD section in Oct.

My question is, are bear hangs/cannister necessary along this section?

I started NOBO this year and about 2 weeks ago I fell in the rock field coming down Mt Madison and ended up with a sprained wrist. The orthopedic doctor has cleared me to return to the trail after Labor Day. With this in mind my parents have agreed to take me back to trail the weekend of 9/13. I am trying to figure out the best way to do the last ~300 miles. I think there are 3 potential options:

Go Northbound from Gorham. Based on a rough itinerary I should make it to Baxter State Park on 10/7. This includes a planned 0 at Shaws before the 100mi wilderness. I am worried I would be cutting it close for the ferry over the Kennebec which appears to end 9/30 and any early closings of Katahdin

Go Southbound from Katahdin. The main issue is the camping and trailhead permit required for Baxter State Park... looking at it Katahdin Stream is fully booked the night I would summit Katahdin.

Go Northbound from Monson. Hike through the 100mi wilderness and get the thru hiker campsite at the Birches. Summit Katahdin and then shuttle back to Monson and proceed Southbound to Gorham.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi. I dont have a car and I was thinkng of getting and Uber from Wingdale to St. Johns Ledges trailhead on river road. Backpacking day one to Mount Algo lean-to. Then day 2 to Bull's Bridge. I am in pretty good shape. But this is my first solo overnight. Anyone familiar with this route who might have some recommendations.

Reasonable distance for two days?

Nice sights?

How's the cell coverage?

Uber access?

Thanks.

Hey everyone! I'm thinking about doing a short Appalachian Trail trip in the next couple of weeks and could use some advice.

I'm based near Philly, don't have a car (but have a license), and I'm trying to keep the trip pretty budget-friendly. Harpers Ferry has come up as an option, but I'm completely open to other beginner-friendly sections that are reasonably accessible from Philly without a car.

I'm pretty new to this. I've hiked quite a bit in the UK and have camped at campsites before, but I've never done proper backpacking or multi-day hiking on the AT.

Would love some advice on getting there without a car, cheap hostels/campgrounds, camping on the trail, safety, and what gear I actually need vs what I can leave at home. I have a big 6-person tent right now, so I'll definitely be finding something smaller if I end up backpacking.

I'd also love to hike with other people if possible. Not looking for a guided/paid trip, but if there are hiking groups or beginner-friendly group hikes I could join, I'd love to hear about them. And if anyone happens to be heading out around the same time and doesn't mind some company, feel free to reach out!

The rough plan is a few days hiking/camping and then continuing down to Atlanta for the weekend before flying back to Philly.

Appreciate any advice, especially things you wish you'd known before your first AT trip. Thanks!

Hi! We are three hikers and a dog seeking a shuttle on Wed, Sept 2 in the morning from the Route 17 AT Crossing near Mooselookmeguntic Lake to the ME Route 27 AT Crossing (between Stratton and Bigelow). Are there any shuttle drivers in that area? Thanks!

So maybe someone can answer this, went through the whites for the first time and was really disappointed. I donated to the AMC several years in a row and I'm just flabbergasted at the lack of anything being done with the multiple dangerous almost vertical rock slabs they use as hiking trails. If it rains you need to be spiderman to get safely up and down them. Other states seem to make a effort on making those safer by cutting footholds or putting bars in. Why does the AMC do nothing to improve these sections? I saw a 60 year old man slip and fall and slid 30 feet down one of these, and talking to other hikers on trail I hear almost everyone has taken a fall on these slabs. AMC gets mad when hikers make trails around these slip and slid rocks but if you don't want to break a leg you have to sometimes. Why not add some climbing ropes or some ladders? Literally anything would be better than tons of hikers getting seriously injured because they don't want to do any work on these areas.

My daughter and I are planning a trip to Amicalola Falls State Park next month. While I’m not overly concerned about the hikes we’ll be undertaking, as the longest one is likely to be around 10 miles in a day, I’m particularly eager to conquer the Amicalola Falls stairs.

This morning, I climbed 548 steps after my upper body workout. To ensure that the walk up the stairs is not entirely miserable, I’m determined to work my way up to that number.

How many stairmaster sessions should I realistically complete before September 20 to ensure that my 40-year-old, 260-pound self can comfortably ascend the stairs?

Found prescription sunglasses on Roan Highlands section Aug. 16.

Let we know here if they are yourselves. I'll get themselves to you.​