Days spent in each state on the AT

[Mumbles_2014]

I was wondering how long it generally takes people to go through each state on the AT.

[RED-DOG]

It differs from State to State and Hiker to Hiker, some people hikes slower than others and some hikes a lot faster, and the terrain has a lot to do with it. Take VA for instance it takes me 30 days to get through VA, and up north VT, NH, and ME, it probably would take you longer to go through these states than NC or TN.

[kayak karl]

weather and time of year. beginning or end of hike. just take the miles per day you hike and divide. that will give you a good guess +or- 10 days :)

[Slo-go'en]

It takes FOREVER to get through Virginia. It seems like that state will never end. Of course, almost 1/4 of the trail is in Virginia, which might have something to do with that feeling :)

[Trance]

I got from Springer to the GA/NC border in 4 days. I could have done it faster... but the first day it rained so hard that Springer to Gooch was literally a like walking in a river. The thrid day.... it was so hot and there was not even a breeze.... I was covered in sweat and salt.

[Odd Man Out]

Have you seen this? Lots of data here that can help.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?44

[MuddyWaters]

For general data, Mapmans data cant be beat.
Im still amazed he dug all that information out of hundreds of trail journals.

[ChinMusic]

I had one interesting stretch where I was in a different state for 6 straight Sundays. PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT. I could have busted a hump and made it seven but was just short of NH on the 7th Sunday.

[Son Driven]

My plan was not to have any plans. I would get up with the sun, and go down with the sun. The only thing I would change is the amount of food that I carry. I always carried more then I needed, and late in my hike I realized I was hiking to my food bag. In the future my emergency food supply will be instant potatoes. Because I do not like them, but they are light, and when all that is left to eat is potatoes I will be more then motivated to get it in gear.

[Mumbles_2014]

I had not seen that thanks, it was very helpful.

[Mumbles_2014]

In response to odd man out, but everyone else was helpful too, thanks.

[ChinMusic]

It takes FOREVER to get through Virginia. It seems like that state will never end. Of course, almost 1/4 of the trail is in Virginia, which might have something to do with that feeling :)

At Wise Shelter I remember singing, "I have walked 500 miles and I will walk 500 more.......and still be in Virginia"

[Odd Man Out]

For general data, Mapmans data cant be beat.
Im still amazed he dug all that information out of hundreds of trail journals.

Yup - it answers so many questions here.

[map man]

Here's a stab at it based on the data from the article that Odd Man Out linked to. Keep in mind that it's based on NOBO people who have kept a detailed journal at trailjournals.com and completed their thru-hike (they averaged just under 170 days).

GA -- 8 days
NC/TN -- 32 days (you can't really separate these two states since the trail wanders back and forth between the two)
VA -- 39 days
WV -- 1 day
MD -- 3 days
PA -- 16 days
NJ -- 5 days
NY -- 8 days
CT -- 4 days
MA -- 7 days
VT -- 10 days
NH -- 14 days
ME -- 22 days

Thanks for the plug, Odd Man Out and MuddyWaters. This winter I'm working on the same kind of TJ study for the PCT.

[Stink Bug]

Because my girlfriend made a note in our AWOL guide, I know exactly how many days we spent in each state!

Here's the data from my 2013 hike:


GA - 6 days
NC/TN - 26 days
VA - 37
WV - .5 day!
MD - 2
PA - 13
NJ - 5
NY - 8
CT - 4
MA - 6
VT - 11
NH - 11
ME - 19

EDIT: Which is pretty close to the data Map man showed in his post!

[HikerMom58]

Nice stats, y'all...VA loves AT hikers... what can I say? :p

[CarlZ993]

Because my girlfriend made a note in our AWOL guide, I know exactly how many days we spent in each state!

Here's the data from my 2013 hike:


GA - 6 days
NC/TN - 26 days
VA - 37
WV - .5 day!
MD - 2
PA - 13
NJ - 5
NY - 8
CT - 4
MA - 6
VT - 11
NH - 11
ME - 19

EDIT: Which is pretty close to the data Map man showed in his post!

This is my hike schedule. I had problems determining how many 'days' I took when leaving one state & entered another. For example, I camped in WV just before Harpers Ferry. The following day, I hiked into HF & spent two nights there. Then hiked out of WV on the following day. I hiked parts of three days in WV. So, I compiled my data is a different format: when I left one state, when I entered another, and how many zero days I had in the prior state.

Left GA & entered NC (and later the companion TN) on day #7. No zeros in GA.
Left TN & entered VA on day #35. One zero in NC.
Left VA & entered WV on day #69. Five zeros in VA.
Left WV & entered MD on day #72. One zero in WV (camped 4M from Harpers Ferry prior to getting there; no room in the hostel that night).
Left MD & entered PA on day #73. No zeros in MD.
Left PA & entered NJ on day #87. One zero in PA.
Left NJ & entered NY on day #91. No zeros in NJ.
Left NY & entered CT on day #96. No zeros in NY.
Left CT & entered MA on day #100. One zero in CT.
Left MA & entered VT on day #106. No zeros in MA.
Left VT & entered NH on day #116. One zero in VT.
Left NH & entered ME on day #131. One zero in NH.
Finished AT on day #152. One zero in ME.

[ChinMusic]

NOBO people who have kept a detailed journal at trailjournals.com and completed their thru-hike (they averaged just under 170 days).

GA -- 8 days
NC/TN -- 32 days (you can't really separate these two states since the trail wanders back and forth between the two)
VA -- 39 days
WV -- 1 day
MD -- 3 days
PA -- 16 days
NJ -- 5 days
NY -- 8 days
CT -- 4 days
MA -- 7 days
VT -- 10 days
NH -- 14 days
ME -- 22 days


Me in 2013:

GA - 8
NC/TN - 40 (multiple zeros: deep snow, other bad weather, norovirus)
VA - 40
WV - 3
MD - 2
PA - 16
NJ - 7
NY - 9
CT - 5
MA - 7
VT - 11
NH - 21
ME - 28 (slowed down BIG time at the end to finish in mid Sept)

GA-ME - 197

I think I played it well. No regrets other than having to say goodbye to good friends as they went ahead of me

[Dogwood]

39 day avg for thru-hikers in VA and you folks are complaining that seemed forever? Guess walking the CA PCT, across Texas, or Alaska is forever plus more forever?