Snarky response. Seems like this question stirred some pleasant discourse.
Downtown Asheville NC (Pop 75,000) is exactly 30 miles from Sam's Gap on the AT
Sams gap- rice gap maintainer
Id have to say the easiest would be the train from Harpers Ferry to DC. its a little over 40 miles but the train is quick.
Less than 25 miles from Bear Mountain to Yonkers and Yonkers is NYC, with public trans to the rest of the city.
Ewing, Virginia
Well exact milage aside, there are a lot big cities close enough to be considered near the AT. Washington DC, Philly, NYC, Altanta, even Boston. How can one walk around 20 miles a day and only consider a city near or close if it is under 30 miles away?
This thread brings back memories of my '95 hike. Somewhere north bound between the last shelter and the climb to Bear Mt. (before the nice stone steps there now) a south bound weekend hiker stopped to tell me "It's amazing you can see "The City" from up there". When I asked "What city" he looked at me as if I had stabbed him.
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.
Last edited by Sly; 01-22-2012 at 22:03.