How to get to the AT from Boone, NC

[Twiggy]

Hello all I am new to the forum and longer distance hiking, apologies in advance if this is in the wrong location however I could not find a more suitable sub-forum

Can anyone here inform me either of how to get to the AT from Boone, NC or a source that could tell me how I could access the trail nearby?

I am will be visiting that area shortly on a college tour and hoped to have the opportunity to have a first taste of the AT which I have heard much about.

Thanks all for your help :)

[bessiebreeze]

Hi Twiggy -
Get on Highway 321 going west out of Boone. Drive into Tennessee, go past some of Watauga Lake. Turn into the Shook Branch recreation area, on the right. The AT goes through there and heads north around the lake heading north for Damascus, Va.
If you want to go south on the AT, cross 321 there at the recreation area. The AT follows a road for a very short distance, then heads into the woods, going south toward Pond Mt. and Laurel Fork Gorge. Good luck on your hike.

[Twiggy]

Hi Twiggy -
Get on Highway 321 going west out of Boone. Drive into Tennessee, go past some of Watauga Lake. Turn into the Shook Branch recreation area, on the right. The AT goes through there and heads north around the lake heading north for Damascus, Va.
If you want to go south on the AT, cross 321 there at the recreation area. The AT follows a road for a very short distance, then heads into the woods, going south toward Pond Mt. and Laurel Fork Gorge. Good luck on your hike.

thank you so much for your quick and excellent reply!

one more question...about how much mileage is it roughly from boone to the nearest section of trail?

thanks again :)

[Tennessee Viking]

Twiggy,
321 is a bit of a drive, mainly because it is a bunch of curves going in and out around Watauga Lake. It has lots of slow traffic.

The best and easiest way to get to the AT from Boone is to take the highway to Linville, NC 105. Then NC 181 to Newland. And NC 194 to Elk Park where it will turn into US 19E gong into Tennessee.

Another option is to go through Sugar Mountain and Banner Elk to Elk Park then to Roan Mtn TN.

[Marta]

NB: You don't want to park on 19E. There's a history of vandalism of hiker cars there.

Getting a big Gazetteer is a great investment. It shows all the roads. The AT is marked on it, too, so you can see where it crosses the minor roads. In that area it's helpful to have both the NC and the TN Gazetteers.

[Hammock Hanger]

walk...

[Summit]

NB: You don't want to park on 19E. There's a history of vandalism of hiker cars there.If wishing to leave a vehicle at 19E, Mountain Harbour Bed & Breakfast (1/4 mile W off trail) offers private property parking for $2/day. They also have a 'hiker's cabin' @ $15/night and serve up an awesome breakfast for $7.

[donho]

i live in boone . if you need a ride let me know.

[john gault]

Use serendipity, you live east of the AT and north/south of Springer/Katahdin. You can not travel west without crossing the AT.

[bigcranky]

All of the above suggestions are pretty good. If you want your first AT experience to be breathtaking, you'll need to drive out to 19-E, and work your way up to Carver Gap. (If you can find Roan Mountain State Park on a map, just keep following that road to the top.) You can park there safely, then hike northbound (across the street) up over some of the most spectacular scenery in the East. If this is just a quick out and back hour-long hike with the family, this hike will show them why we do this.

[Twiggy]

thanks all for the great replies! can't wait to get out there