Herds of hikers???

[JrAlcesAlces]

Hi all...over the past 3 years or so I've had the fever to thruhike the AT. I've read several books and surfed the net for info and I've always been very excited about doing it. Up 'til recently my only issues were working out some parent, wife, and animal logistics. Now though, the more I read the more the AT seems like its a giant herd of people moving north and south trying to get their taste of the "in thing". It's made to sound like its turned into an annual 6 month social event (i.e. party) and has lost its charm and original purpose. I'm not looking to cause any problems, just looking for thoughts.

Thanks.

[Symba]

I didn't realize thru hiking the AT was an 'in thing.' Darn it!!! I want to be different. Hike my own hike. Time to hit the trail!!

[modiyooch]

I would head south. I don't think it's as big of a start.

[Storm]

Yes, lots of people start and you might see 15 or 20 people many times but most are either walking faster or slower than you. Avoid the shelters and you can camp pretty much alone if that's your thing. Most of the partying, not all, is done in town and that is also easy to avoid. Just go to town, get your shower and supplies and keep on keeping on.

[LIhikers]

Spending months hiking, in the cold, heat, rain and snow, without a daily shower, isn't the "in thing". If it were, many of your friends and family would want to come along. Sure, at times you'll run into large groups of people, but you don't have to stay with them.

[Pedaling Fool]

Far fewer start on a SOBO, so that's one option.

However, if you want to do a NOBO, no problem because the stories of "Herds of hikers" are just disgruntled cyberhikers spewing hate and discontent. There is an element in truth to the numbers, but as some have already said, just stay away from the shelters and you'll be on your own. It only seems like a herd, because of the small areas everyone congregates, i.e. the shelters.

[Double Wide]

Oh yeah.

Because what you read online is *exactly* what it's like out on the trail, day after day, mile after mile.

[peakbagger]

Plenty of ways to avoid the herd. Head south bound or do some flip flops. There are some small herds who choose to herd due to association but its easy to avoid them. The herd mentality tends to be far reduced after Damascus as the "want to bes" drop out.

[HikerMom58]

Hi JAA.... I've never heard about the start of the hiking season referred to as a "herd" (cute) but rather a "bubble". I think I understand that you aren't opposed to hiking with others, you are just concerned about the "hiking scene?"

I would suggest that you go to Trailjournals.com, pose your question to a "real hiker". (2013) Ask him/her what it was like.

Also, I would think that the "atmosphere" could be slightly different from year to year. It just depends on who decides to hike that year and why they are out there hiking.

It would also depend on who you end up hiking near/with. I think there are a lot of variables.

I agree with Double Wide, please don't take what you read online as anything close to what it would be like on the trail. If hiking the trail was anything close to how it is portrayed online, I seriously doubt any one of us would be "chomping at the bit" to hike the trail. It's really sad but true.

[JustaTouron]

The AT is the most hiked trail in the world. If you are looking for solitude the Pacific Crest Trail might be better suited for you.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I think you can't get your answer here from others. What you find on the trail will completely depend on what you are looking for, and what you choose to see. Crowds? What # defines a "crowd"? It is true that statistically the numbers hiking the trail annually has quadrupled - or more- over the last few decades, but it's supposedly the shelters that are crowded and not the trail.

Getting information from others can be helpful and fun, but getting opinions to answer your definition of the experience is a waste of time. There are as many differing viewpoints here on WB as there are posters, and all are right, and all are wrong.

So what experience are you looking for? You have to find it. The trail won't give you anything you don't bring with you already.

[Old Hiker]

2012 - 500 miles - don't remember a constant "herd". Didn't stay at shelters much except in the Smokies - even then 1/2 the time the shelter wasn't full to capacity. Don't know what was going on at night at other shelters. Only place there was a "herd": one shelter where several thru hikers, several section hikers, several day hikers and several maintainers all got there at lunchtime. Turned out to a fairly nice get together for about 1.5 hours. Sharing food, conversation, Trail and water conditions both North and South, etc.

Passed several "herds" at times, though. Group campers, college classes getting credit (!!) for camping and hiking, a couple of extended families at road crossings who were car camping. All easily left behind, ignored if needed or camped away from.

Solitude is available if you want it.

Rest of the time: 0 - 10+ people a day passing me. Lots of people in the towns, but I don't know if they were section or thru hikers unless I knew them.

[Ground Control]

I just spent four days on the trail between Erwin, TN and Elk Park, NC. During two of the days I saw exactly ZERO other hikers - at one point I hadn't seen another human being for thirty hours...

[Alligator]

It is more like a bubble which starts to stretch the further you get away from the start points. By that, look at the map and draw a circle around a point. Thruhikers aggregate along the trail at certain times of the year. You can still create space for yourself inside the bubble by not stopping at common meeting points. This was mentioned. So you can find an out of the way campsite if you want some space. You will be leapfrogging other hikers throughout the day. You will run into thruhikers in towns and hostels when you are in the bubble. Choose alternative starting points or starting times if you have issues with groups of people. Simply putt, hikers are not all like minded, that's an illusion.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

to paraphrase my MN brother's favorite joke:


"Look, Lena...there'a a group of hikers over there!"

"No, Ole, that's a herd of hikers."

"Heard of hikers? Of course I've heard of hikers!"

"No Ole, a hiker herd."

"A hiker heard? What do I care if a hiker heard? I've got no secrets from hikers!"

[da fungo]

Ditto the advice re: avoid shelters. Just note, though, that in some areas (specifically GSNP and NY state) it is forbidden to camp away from shelter areas. And any detailed discussion of circumventing those restrictions may cause the WB monitors to close this thread for a "Terms Of Service" violation.

[Odd Man Out]

I like the "rat through the snake" metaphor. When the snake eats a rat, there is a big bulge that gradually moves down the snake, getting smaller as it is digested, until the little bit that comes out the other end smells like crap.

[evan_rolltide]

You can see as many or as few people as you'd like.... Not hiking the trail because you heard it was a "party" would be a serious mistake I think.

[Ox97GaMe]

Jr, you bring up some very good questions. hopefully, this will answer some of your concerns.

a) There are standard windows of time when most hikers start the trail, and most start at Springer and go North. Because the trip takes 6 months on average, Mt Katadin can close anytime after Oct 1 each fall, and to avoid winter in the south, hikers are usually starting in March or early April. Weekends are usually the preferred start dates for hikers that want their family or friends to 'send them off' on their journey. The 3 most popular weekends for starting the trail at Springer are around the following dates: Mar 1, Mar 15, April 1. On the weekends closest to these dates, it is not uncommon to have 100-150 hikers per day starting from Springer, so shelters will be CROWDED. Southbounders are usually starting around June 15, July 1, and July 15. This is based on when Katadin is opened after the spring thaw.
b) Most thru hikers are not comfortable at the start of their hike with camping at random spots and feel a sense of security by staying around shelters each night. Part of it is also based on being uncomfortable initially with solitude. Hikers sometimes need to ease into the whole 'wilderness experience' and unplugging from society. When the shelter is full and there is limited tenting around the shelter, hikers will continue down the trail until they find the next suitable campsite. Ive seen hikers stop at 3PM just so they could ensure a spot in the shelter. There are a lot of nice campsites along the trail that arent used by the thru hikers much.
c) There is a growing percentage of hikers that get into the 'party' scene, especially for the northbound hikers. More trail festivals are appearing along the trail in the south. A hiker can go from festival to festival. This gets expensive and by Virginia a lot of hikers have consumed their AT Hike budget. The 'party' crowd thins out considerably in Virginia. After leaving Damascus (usually at Trail Days), there isnt another 'party' until they hit Harpers Ferry, another 500 miles and 4 weeks down the trail. That is where the trail starts to become 'work' for the party crowd, is less enjoyable, and they quit.
d) The northbound 'herd' seems to dwindle rather rapidly. Weather plays a large part in this. March and April are the 'rainy season' for GA, NC,TN, and SW VA. During this timeframe, the average is 5 rainy days per week. 75% of the annual rainfall usually occurs during these 2 months. At higher elevations, that equates to freezing rain, sleet, ice, and snow. These are not conditions that many hikers enjoy enduring for weeks at a time. Over 50% of northbound hikers never make it past Damascus.
e) A lot of people find the AT to be more challenging than they expected. I also hear comments like 'I thought it was warm in the south' and 'I didnt realize these mountains were so high'. The southern appalachian mountiains in March are equivilant to the weather in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York at that time of year. There are climbs of between 3000-4000 vertical feet. This is comparable to the Sierras and Rockies. The AT is not nicely graded for pack animals as are trails out west. A 500 assent that goes straight up the side of the mountain can be extremely challenging. Going back down the other side can be just as challenging. This takes a toll on knees, ankles, and morale and contributes to the dropoff rate.
f) if you watch the number of 0 days that you take, and utilize daylight hours, the trail can be hiked relatively easily in 4.5 - 5 months. you can avoid the 'herd' by starting between April 15 and May 1. If you dont mind winter hiking, you might consider startign in mid Feb. Or as has been suggested, do a Southbound hike.

Dont let crowds scare you away from attempting a thru hike. Hope to see you out on the trail.

[RED-DOG]

If you want to miss the " BUBBLE " start early like the middle of February,, I have done the AT three times and each time i started in February, and i meet a couple of other hikers and that was it, most hikers start between the months of march and May, but every once in a while you will meet a bunch of the party types just hike on you have that choice but if you still are uncomfortable i would suggest going SOBO, or maybe even the P.C.T might be more suitable for you.