Best aqua blazes, side hikes, hitch-hiking attractions etc?

[JJMorse]

Can't wait for my NOBO hike starting in less than 2 months! I'd love to hear some recommendations about fun things to do along the trail for someone who can hike big miles but is in no rush and wants to take as much out of the experience as possible.

I plan to do an entire thru, definitely not going to yellow blaze anything, but I'm not necessarily a purist either - If there are really fun sections to aquablaze north rather than hike for a few days, it wouldn't bother me one bit to not "technically" hike the "entire" trail. If there is a really beautiful blue-blaze trail somewhere that the AWOL guidebook wouldn't lead me down, I'd love to know about it. If there are any attractions, great towns or cities etc. near the trail that are walkable or hitch-hikable and worth it, it would be great to have in mind.

What comes to mind?

[FrozenMac]

Seconded! I considered carrying maps just for getting more info on stuff (blue blazes specifically, and views) around the trail. I do think this is intriguing: http://appalachiantrials.com/bagging-4000-footers/

[Lone Wolf]

take the Virginia Creeper trail out of Damascus. much better than the AT

[JJMorse]

FrozenMac, I'm actually from NH and have bagged the 48. Getting close to getting all of them in the Winter too! Can't say enough how much I love hiking in the Whites and what a great journey hiking the 4Ks has been.

The AT goes through most of my favorite parts of the Whites, if you're looking for the most spectacular views you won't need to leave the AT. The only mountains I have in mind that I will definitely be going off the trail for are Mt. West Bond, Mt. Bond, and Bondcliff. Staying at or near the Guyot campsite and catching sunset from West Bond then Sunrise from Mt. Bond is as good as it gets. Very close to the AT too. The exact type of gem that isn't listed in the guidebook that makes me think there must be more out there.

I'll look into that Lone Wolf, thanks

[FrozenMac]

Hey JJMorse, you can also check out this thread, which seems to focus on Special Points of Interest on the trail: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/forumdisplay.php/24-Special-Points-of-Interest

[johnnybgood]

Bearfence Mountain rock scramble in SNP is a 0.3 mile fairly strenuous loop off he AT. A nice change of rather boring hiking where hand over hand scrambling is required to reach the upper rocks and great views.

Going NoBo the south junction of the loop begins on right of the trail half mile after the spur blue blaze to Bearfence Hut.

[Feral Bill]

There are several alternative routes across Harriman State Park that are more interesting than the current AT route. Doodletown, for instance, is a more interesting (for history) route from West Mountain to Bear Mountain Bridge than over bear Mountain itself.

[map man]

The Gulf Hagas Trail in Maine (in the Hundred Mile Wilderness) is the one significant side-trip on the AT that I don't want to miss when the day comes when I try a thru-hike, or a section hike of the AT in that part of Maine. You can either enter and exit the AT at the same place, or at places seven tenths of a mile apart, depending on your preference.