Pay Phones

[WildFireKNits]

Are there still pay phones along the AT?

I think I noticed this year the phones at Woody Gap and Neel's Gap are gone. I am doing my second thru hike attempt in 2013 (I did 300 mi in 2006), and really really HATE the idea of having to carry a phone on principle (I dont even have one at all anymore). . .

[Wise Old Owl]

We have been down this road before about a year ago. Many here said no. Lone Wolf said yes... In Damascus there are a few left. As they become more unprofitable - you will have to ask more as you go north... Bottom line the cell phone will work off and on for the southern part on Verizion. Middle part best on ATT - Verizon is aweful in PA...I have both phones I know. And when you get to Maine nothing works.... best have a Spot or something...

[CrumbSnatcher]

the last time i was in stratton ME. the pay phone was gone and i had a hell of a time borrowing one!

[rocketsocks]

My 14 year old want's to know what a pay phone is?lol

[Sly]

There's no need to carry a cell phone...

In the absence of pay phones, if you have a calling card, many business will let you use their phone as long as you don't tie up their line for long. Then there's many hostels and motels that have phones.

Even if you have a cell phone, it's not every mile you're going to get a signal, so others shouldn't expect to receive a call unless you're in town, or about every 5-7 days.

[Bronk]

The annoying thing about payphones is that they have become so unprofitable that when they stop working they just don't bother to fix them...and in many, many cases they don't even bother to pay someone to remove them. So in a lot of places there are a lot of payphones around but none of them work, which can be infuriating to someone who is looking for one because you end up thinking you found a phone only to find out it doesn't work.

[Mike2012]

Where will Superman be able to change?

[Don H]

If you feel the need to contact home on a regular basis then you should take a cell phone, don't depend on pay phones or other peoples cell phones. I was able to get calls out along most of the trail using Verizon but it depended on elevation, the higher up the better chance of getting out. I was able to at least get a text out almost every evening. Aside from calling home a phone is invaluable for making town arrangements a head of time, reservations, rides, etc. not to mention emergencies. If you choose not to carry a cell phone based on principle then hopefully you won't expect to borrow one.

[moldy]

Pay phones have gone the way of the western union telegraph office. Carry a cell or borrow one from a fellow hiker.

[Pedaling Fool]

We have been down this road before about a year ago....

Yeah, but this topic is very fluid. It'd be kind of neat to see a list of operable/non-operable payphones along the AT, updated every year. I bet today it would be a small list that gets smaller by the year -- we can set up a raffle on which year they completly disappear. I still think they should put one in the AT museum

[WildFireKNits]

If you choose not to carry a cell phone based on principle then hopefully you won't expect to borrow one.

No i'd never borrow a fellow hiker's cell phone because it's taking up their use of it when they get stuck with the responsibility of weight/ charging etc. . .

Principle may be a strong word for it but the fact that the ever lovin things have become almost a necessity bugs the hell out of me. And now its not even just a phone its a whole mini-computer! I wish if they were going to spend so much time improving the technology they'd at least make a light weight/ long life battery watch phone like Inspector Gadget had. . .

[Desert Reprobate]

The only pay phone I could find in Hiawassee was at the hospital across the street from the Hiawassee Budget Inn. You go into the front door and back to the billing office. Turn right at the end of the hall and the phone is in the waiting area.

[Odd Man Out]

My 14 year old want's to know what a pay phone is?lol

Every watch a young person try to DIAL a phone. Pretty funny.

Even better, I have the phone from my dad's one room school house at home. His number was two longs and a short.

[LDog]

Pay phones have gone the way of the western union telegraph office. Carry a cell or borrow one from a fellow hiker.

I think you forgot the word "don't" in front of "borrow one." I mean, the OP has principles.

[bamboo bob]

My first thru hike i had no cell phone and it was a bother not being able to make a reservation for a room a couple of times or easily arrange a meet up with my wife or other people. It was no big deal really but now I carry one because I already hate logistics and don't want to spend time planning a bunch of alternatives when one phone call will solve the problem. Example, if i want to skip a town and forward a bounce box. It takes one call from the woods instead of going into a town i want to skip or off trail to call. Really, who needs it. I would rather spend time hiking. And I bet having the cell phone handy has saved me more than a day or two in unwanted logistical planning. But if I feel like using the phone I'll go away from everybody so they don't have to listen to it or even see it. I know that's a throwback but that also applies to not asking permission to use it because people always say yes and are annoyed to be asked and have to listen to you. Of course in shelters there's always people using smart phones, and music leaking from earbuds and God knows what else. I had a guy who turned on a transistor radio every night. Also once a tiny portable TV at Gooch Gap. Another reason to tent too I guess.

[Blissful]

They are pretty scarce these days. Agree with the calling card if you totally abhor the thought of carrying a cell phone for emergencies or to keep in touch with family.

[daddytwosticks]

There is no pay phone at Woody Gap.

[Wise Old Owl]

To carry 4 oz or not carry 4 oz This is really the question... As Shakespeare smiles.


Damn, I just tripped on a sunflower seed.

[rocketsocks]

Every watch a young person try to DIAL a phone. Pretty funny.

Even better, I have the phone from my dad's one room school house at home. His number was two longs and a short.

So that's like 4 ringy dingy's right mr Tudwell