Hiking Appalachian trail

Hi my name is Joey. With all of this coronavirus bullcrap, I just want to be free. Staying in the house really sucks.
I would really like some tips on Appalachian trail. I always wanted to hike some of it, but was discouraged. I know you need to stay fit and prepare to have food throughout the journey.
Anyone ever hike part of the trail? What's the smoky mountains like?
If anyone's interested, I wanna start near Harper's ferry or Virginia.

 

A-a-a-apalachee bred

 

I don't know but I enjoyed the book North by Scott Jurek about his speed record on it.

 

my grandparents lived right by the trail in southern virginia. it's a beautiful area. the top of white top mountain is one of my favorite places.

i don't really have any tips; i've never actually hiked more than a few miles of it.

 

This a good idea. Never done it before. Perhaps i'll look into it or other areas. If things become unbearable for me, i can see myself leaving everything behind and just drifting away.

 

Don't Do It "TD".......If You Drift Away Who Is Going To Post "Shirtless Photos" On Here...???....



Cheers Glen.

 

I'll make sure to post one before i leave.

 

i guess it will be down to you then.

 

Get on youtube and look up AT through-hikers 2020 or any other year and there will be a bunch of video records of their hikes with a wealth of real-world usable info for you. You'll see vids on what everyone had or wishes they had, what everyone throws away the fastest, what they keep, etc. Enjoy.
By the way, you don't have to be in great shape. Remember: pear is a shape. So is round. Stick. Flabby. lean. Everywhere in-between. There are people from kids to little old ladies that have hiked that trail in it's entirety, and some have done it with astonishingly little, and some with un unbelievably heavy load. Just start walking. You'll get in better shape. Probably lose wight, too, but that's not always true.

 

I have done a few days here and there. I have not done the complete trail. But sections of it in Maine, New Hampshire, parts of NY and NJ. Parts of Pa. And a few small sections in Va. My hope was to one day connect all the sections together. But I honestly don't see that happening any more. Most people seem to over pack, or not pack the right items. Do some research and you should find spots that you can walk to off of the trail to restock. A lot of places will hold packages mailed to you if you have a support group back home. Items like new socks , bug repellent ,fresh batteries , freeze dried food packs etc.. Think light , because weight adds up fast. What you carry in you need to carry out.
Good luck.

 

The Youtube channel "Homemade Wanderlust" is a gold mine of information, well explained by someone who knows her stuff, and there are plenty of links. "Darwin on the trail" is another Youtuber with excellent gear reviews. There are tons of others on Youtubers documenting different parts of the AT and other long trails.

EDIT: Please note that the relevant backpacking groups are advising against hiking now, in very strong terms. They are as "closed" as possible.

 

A number of states have announced that the trail in their states are CLOSED. I would strongly suggest not to hike any parts of it at this time. Hikers have been escorted off of the trail as a safety concern.

 

Really? Seems like a safe place to be, to me.

 

I’ve hiked much of the Appalachian Trail through New Hampshire and Maine at no fault of my own.

I never deliberately set out to climb the Trail it just happens to either crisscross or temporarily merged with the trail I was hiking.

Through the northern terminus it’s very rugged with steep cliffs, large granite boulders, and much of it is above the tree line.

 

Yeah this one irks me. But I also get it. I am irked and understanding.
They closed the Appalachian trail because people get off the trail every few days for supplies which brings a lot of travelers to poor rural communities that may not have the infrastructure to withstand an outbreak.

And I get why they closed state parks, because those always have bathroom facilities and picnic facilities where large groups congregate.

The part that irks me is a lot of trails with primitive camp sites were closed near here too and going primitive camping seems pretty low risk. But I guess it comes back to limiting the number of people who are passing through rural communities on their way to the trails

 

Ah, true.

 

Also if a hiker gets sick on the trail and calls for help it involves a rescue operation for a rural rescue group that may not have the correct PPE or in depth training to handle such a case. Such groups train on basic first aid and rope rescues more then on infectious diseases

 

Joey,
The smokies are beautiful. I did parts of the A.T. while i was there visiting. Most of my distance hiking has been on the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST). So far I have section hiked about 1800 miles of it in the last 6 years. Distance hiking is something I recommend anytime people need a break from society. My advice is to start slow. Day hikes or 1-2 nighters. Study basic backwoods survival skills. See what gear works best for you. Make a resupply plan if you are going out for over a week. Learn about finding safe natural edibles and water sources.

 

I can't believe the government and parks are shutting down trails. Have to be creative if you want have fun