Hiking the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National

Scenic Trail, is a footpath in the eastern United States for

outdoor enthusiasts, extending about about 2140 miles

from Maine to Georgia, along the crest of the Appalachian

Mountains. The trail passes through 14 states and is

maintained by 34 different trail maintenance organizations.

It is the longest marked, continuous footpath in the world,

at some points reaching elevations of more than 6000 feet.

Wooden signposts and white paint marks on rocks and

trees are placed along the trail. Construction of the

Appalachian Trail was begun in 1922 near Bear Mountain,

New York. By 1937 the footpath, extended from Mount

Katahdin, in Maine, to Mount Oglethorpe, in Georgia, and

was ready for use. Later, (after 1937) the trail officially

ended at Springer Mountain, 10 miles northeast of Mount

Oglethorpe. In 1968 the Appalachian Trail became part of

the National Park System and was officially renamed the

Appalachian National Scenic Trail. To hike the

Appalachian Trail, it is suggested to shop around for a

good pair of hiking boots, a tent, and a sturdy backpack.

Hiking the distance mentioned above obviously requires

excellent footwear, and a light pack. Figure in fatigue and

you need a comfortable tent to sleep in at night. Good

boots are "solid" on the bottom, so that you cannot feel rocks

or stones through the soles. If you can press in the bottom

of the sole with your thumb, the soles are probably too soft

to give your foot proper protection. The top of the boot

should be stiff to hold the ankle in place and provide it with

good support. While it's possible to treat non-waterproof

fabric boots with liquid silicone, it generally doesn't

waterproof the boot enough to be useful. Stick with leather

boots that can be treated with Sno-seal, beeswax solution,

or other waterproofing solutions. Feet change over time, as

do shoes. Wearing a pair of shoes and/or hiking boots

changes the shape of the shoe to fit your foot.