![]() The high concentration of black bears and beautiful overlooks make it a popular and more touristy section (Shenandoah National Park) of the Trail. The Shenandoahs, or ‘Shenny’s’, is a 75 mile long subrange of the Appalachian Mountains located in central Virginia. The Trail continues to follow the beautiful limestone ledge into Tinker Cliffs and provides even more views. This emblematic rock jets out like Pride Rock from the Lion King and is the cover of the movie, “A Walk in the Woods”. McAfee Knob is the 'most photographed spot' on the Appalachian Trail. In addition to ponies, the Grayson Highlands section offers long, flat trails with big views at 5,000 ft above sea level. Since then, they have grown to a herd over 100 strong and freely graze the grasslands. The owners make some great homemade meals.Ī group of ponies was introduced to Grayson Highlands State Park several hundred years ago. Set half a mile off trail, this log cabin and 100 acre farm was built in the 1880’s. Wood’s Hole hostel was one of my favorite hostels. Most Northbounders bottle neck into Damascus for the festival in mid May. Many people get what are known as the “Virginia Blues” because it feels so endless.ĭamascus is one of the most well known trail towns for it’s famous festival, Trail Days. It makes up 25% of the entire trail length. You can walk down the main street to French Broad River or to one of the only natural hot springs in the entire Southeast. It is an historic and charming town with fewer than 1,000 citizens. Hot Springs, NC is one of the most popular trail towns. The Trail goes along an elevated, open, grassy ridge line with amazing views. Roan Highlands is a small section that contains the longest stretch of grassy bald on the entire Trail. There are several famous grassy balds like Hump Mountain and Max Patch here as well. The spruce-fir forest is simply majestic. I had no idea how little old growth actually remained in the USA until I hiked through this section. These trees are massive and feel prehistoric. ‘Old growth’ means forest that has been relatively undisturbed by man (logging, etc). This section contains the largest old growth forest and the densest population of black bears in the East. The Trail goes through 70 miles of the Great Smoky Mountains. At 6,643 ft, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point on the AT. At 6,285 ft, Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest shelter on the AT. There are two record-high elevation landmarks in this section Roan High Knob Shelter and Clingman’s Dome. This is generally a favorite state(s) for thru-hikers… myself included. When I think of North Carolina and Tennessee, I think of wild flowers, flowing streams, spruce-fir forest and grassy balds. Tennessee and North Carolina are listed as ‘one state’ here because the Trail snakes in and out along their border making it hard to differentiate the two. Highest Point: 6,643 ft (Clingman’s Dome) Keep in mind there is plenty of elevation gain though. There are not any bogs, swamps or heavily rocky areas either. ![]() The Trail is well marked and well maintained. Southbounders finishing in Georgia in November have been known to encounter heavy snow storms as well (I did!).Īs far as terrain, Georgia is a fairly easy to moderate section of the AT. This harsh weather at the start can be a tough test for any wary hikers. It can still snow in March in North Georgia when the big bubble of Nourthbounders sets off. The employees at Mountain Crossings are seasoned hikers and can provide a lot of gear advice, help lighten your load and ship home any unwanted stuff.ĭespite being the warmest state the AT goes through, Georgia is often the coldest section for most thru-hikers. Most thru-hikers go through what is called a ‘shakedown’ here. A tree full of hanging hiker boots stands as a marker for all of those who have come before. It is also the only man made structure the AT goes through. Mountain Crossings Outfitters at Neels Gap is the first real hostel and outfitter you will reach. An historic stone shelter, built in 1934 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) is perched on the summit. It has stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Blood Mountain is the first big mountain for Northbounders. Springer Mountain has become an iconic landmark for the Appalachian Trail. Scroll down and check the "Appalachian Trail Shelters" box. *To display shelter locations: click on this icon in the top left corner of the map (menu options will expand). Read more about our review process and affiliate partners. This does not impact how we review products. If you purchase a product from one of our links below, we may earn a percentage from one of our affiliate partners.
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