Closest Town?

[lifeisalwaysgood]

I will be starting in North Carolina. I found this list online while researching towns. Can you tell me if these are the closest towns along the appalachian trail for each state or would you recommend closer ones that are good?

North Carolina

Fontana Dam, NC
Franklin, NC
Hot Springs, NC

Virginia

Abingdon, VA
Berryville/Clarke County, VA
Bland County, VA
Buena Vista, VA
Damascus, VA
Front Royal/Warren County, VA
Glasgow, VA
Harrisonburg, VA
Luray/Page County, VA
Marion/Smyth County, VA
Narrows, VA
Nelson County, VA
Troutville, VA
Pearisburg, VA
Waynesboro, VA

West Virginia

Bolivar/Harpers Ferry, WV

Pennsylvania

Boiling Springs, PA
Delaware Water Gap, PA
Duncannon, PA
Greater Waynesboro Area, PA
Wind Gap, PA

New Jersey

Blairstown Area - Warren County, NJ

New York

Harlem Valley (Dover & Pawling, NY)
Warwick, NY

Massachusetts
Cheshire, MA

Dalton, MA
Great Barrington, MA
North Adams, MA

Vermont

Manchester, VT
Norwich, VT

New Hampshire

Gorham, NH
Hanover, NH

Maine

Kingfield, ME
Millinocket, ME
Monson, ME
Rangeley, ME

[TNhiker]

i really wouldnt call Fontana Dam a town...

it's a resort......but has a store.....and PO....

some of those listed----the trail goes right through town (like hot springs)....

but i really would suggest looking at google maps to really get your answer....

[peakbagger]

It would be helpful of why you need the "closest" town?. For mail drops, for overnight stays, for resupply?

In Maine Kingfield is bit of a drive, Stratton is the closest town with post office and store big enough to resupply
In Maine, many folks use Andover as a stop, the local hostels offer slackpacks. Not much for resupply except for overpriced basics.
In NH, most folks stop at Glencliff which doesn't have a lot of services but is the normal resupply point for the whites. You need to send a package as there are no stores close by and shuttle would be expensive. Others resupply minimally at Glencliff and hitch into Lincoln NH which has bus service, The Notch Hostel in Woodstock has shuttles to the store in Lincoln. Lincoln and Gorham have bus service (Gorham is the last nearby bus service until Millinocket (the stop is in Medway actually).



For Vermont, many folks resupply in Rutland, it long hitch down hill.

[illabelle]

You should get yourself the AT Guide (https://www.theatguide.com/). It will answer a lot of your questions.

[colorado_rob]

One town not listed for the NJ section is Port Jervis, which is actually in NY, but the trail in NJ is only a few miles from town. If you get to the road crossing during "business" hours, there is a visitor center for High Point State Park, you walk right by it on the trail. If you go in, the rangers can call for a ride for you from town, there seem to be some trail angels that do this, or they can call you a taxi from town, or you can try to hitch.

Great stop along the way, Port Jervis. I used it twice. They also have a train station that will get you into NY city, or Newark, or anywhere those commuter trains go.

[lifeisalwaysgood]

You should get yourself the AT Guide (https://www.theatguide.com/). It will answer a lot of your questions.

LOL I actually bought the 2019 edition. Couldn't understand a damn thing inside of it. It's all symbols and numbers and what not. I thought it would provide a list of towns like what I came across online (by state and here's the closest towns) but instead its just a fangled mess. Certainly not clear. At least for me. I plan on picking up a book on kindle that might be clearer.

[John B]

Pardon me for asking, but how old are you?

There is a page that lists each symbol or icon with a description for what it is. For example, the little tent symbol means a tent site; the water drop means there is a water source. There are many symbols, most of which are intuitively obvious.

The numbers to which you refer, if I am guessing correctly, refer to the next shelter from that shelter, both north and south bound, and the shelter after that. Those numbers will be very helpful because they will give you the exact distance to the next shelter, and if you have learned to guess you miles per hour speed, then you can do the most simple math to give you a rough idea of how long it will take to get there.

There is not a lot of fluff in a guidebook, and if you take a bit of time to learn how to use it, it will be an invaluable resource, giving you locations of trash cans, privies, tent sites, shelters, road crossings, towns, hostels, laundry.....

And yes, it tells you exactly where each town is in relation to the trail you will presumably be hiking. I have the 2019 WhiteBlaze Pages guidebook, and the author even included basic maps of towns, where the restaurants are, laundries, hotels, yadda.

[FrogLevel]

You forgot the entire state of Tennessee.

Erwin
Roan Mountain
Hampton

[flemdawg1]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hikerbot.appalachiantrail&hl=en_US

You might find this more helpful. (android)

[JNI64]

[QUOTE=John B;2252419]Pardon me for asking, but how old are you?

There is a page that lists each symbol or icon with a description for what it is. For example, the little tent symbol means a tent site; the water drop means there is a water source. There are many symbols, most of which are intuitively obvious.

The numbers to which you refer, if I am guessing correctly, refer to the next shelter from that shelter, both north and south bound, and the shelter after that. Those numbers will be very helpful because they will give you the exact distance to the next shelter, and if you have learned to guess you miles per hour speed, then you can do the most simple math to give you a rough idea of how long it will take to get there.

There is not a lot of fluff in a guidebook, and if you take a bit of time to learn how to use it, it will be an invaluable resource, giving you locations of trash cans, privies, tent sites, shelters, road crossings, towns, hostels, laundry.....

+1 yeah what he said. Very easy to follow. And I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[Traveler]

You have the best tool in the AT Guide. Learn how to read a map Legend. Once a basic understanding of the Legend is managed, you should be able to open the guide to any page, place your finger on any map, and quickly be able to find towns close to the trail.

Or not.