How many people should I actually expect to see?

[OntheRoad]

Despite my post completely trashing the AT a few weeks ago, I have done some reading and put my ignorance to rest. I am now definitely going to hike the AT or part of the AT this year. Now, onto my question:

I know that the Appalachian trail is one of the most hiked trails in the world, but I keep hearing a lot of different information regarding the amount of people that one can expect to see on the trail. I have read that if you want to hike alone you will have plenty of time to do so. I have also read that I should expect to see 20-30 people a day, but just now I read(on a different site) that each year over 10 million people hike some section of the AT. 10 million people seems like a whole lot if you ask me.

I know it also depends on when I start, if I start on a weekend or weekday, and which way I am headed. As of right now I am looking to start near the end of March, probably around the 20th or so at Springer and head north for a month or maybe longer, I really don't know and don't plan on knowing when I am going to get off the trail( My favorite quote: "nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future") I am not planning on staying at any shelters and probably will not camp too close to them. Not counting the people I will see at night(I don't mind company during the night time), what is a good estimate of the amount of people I should expect to see during the day while I am hiking. 1 person an hour? 5? 10? And is it reasonable to expect to have any solitude if I want it?

[Jim Adams]

you will see others but the amounts may vary. you are probably starting near the busiest start date possible. you may not see anyone for an hour and then see 10 the next hour. you will probably see crowds around the shelters but you can easily have solitude if you want it. above all if you use your head as to where to camp, where to eat, where to rest, you can fairly well control the number of others that you will see.
geek

[weary]

Probably an average of one or two an hour while actually hiking -- maybe less. I've never kept count. Going north in early spring you can avoid most hikers, by deliberately hiking between groups. Since very few will be going south bound, you will mostly see those who are hiking faster than you, or those you choose to overtake and pass.

Ever since I've gotten old enough to never pass anyone on a trail, I only see those who are impolite enough to pass me. :)

Weary

[rafe]

You'll have days of utter solitude, and days when the trail feels like a freak show. On weekends and holidays you're likely to have more company. I've had just a handful of cases with more than 24 or 48 hrs total solitude. Very rare.

[squeeze]

There are a lot of variables, but after you have been on the trail for a week or so, you should be able to get a sense of where other hikers are. Reading shelter registers and talking to other hikers will help you decide whether you might get more solitude by stopping before a shelter or after.

[freefall]

I started the first weekend in March and we had a lot of people grouped toogether for the first week or so. Then we all spread out and I was seeing roughly the same people on a daily basis. And reading in the registers gives you an idea of how many people are in front of you but you can only speculate at the number behind you.
Starting around Erwin, we kept hearing that there was this huge wave of hikers coming behind us. The stories coming in had me picturing an epic battle scene like from "Braveheart". I could picture all these hundreds of hikers, war paint on their faces, poles waving in the air running up the trail yelling battle cries. We kept hearing the stories into central VA but quit listening to them around Damascus.
Of course, you could hike with your eyes closed and you'd almost never see anyone else.:D

[Gray Blazer]

I did a thru-hiker feed last Mar about 120 miles up the trail from Springer. It was cold and snowy so a few hikers could possibly have been "hibernating". The first day I saw 6. The 2nd day nine, the 3rd day 1, and the 4th day 10.

[maxNcathy]

When Cathy and I hikes south for 42 miles on the AT April 15-20, 2006 near Damascus the AT was not crowded. We met up with a hiker or two or a group of four about every hour as they headed north.

Sandalwood

[Lone Wolf]

I know it also depends on when I start, if I start on a weekend or weekday, and which way I am headed. As of right now I am looking to start near the end of March, probably around the 20th or so at Springer and head north for a month or maybe longer

expect to see a dozen or so people at springer mtn. shelter if you stay there the 1st night. i seem to always camp at hawk mtn. shelter every year around the 3rd week of march and there's always around 30 hikers there.

[StarLyte]

I think part of the excitement of thru-hiking, sectioning, day-hiking is NOT KNOWING who and what you will encounter.

Try that thought......

Good luck with your hike.

[Marta]

This March the Springer area should be particularly lively. I have been told by a reliable source that The Movie will be filming on the Approach Trail for three weeks in March.

[Lone Wolf]

This March the Springer area should be particularly lively. I have been told by a reliable source that The Movie will be filming on the Approach Trail for three weeks in March.

Cool. I'm gonna get me a walk-on part.

[Marta]

I've been told they want some "real" hikers as extras. I think you qualify.

But, of course, they don't want real-real hikers, they want people whom they think look real. Who knows what they'll come up with?

[Jan LiteShoe]

This March the Springer area should be particularly lively. I have been told by a reliable source that The Movie will be filming on the Approach Trail for three weeks in March.

What reliable source, Marta?

[Marta]

What reliable source, Marta?

A good newswoman can't always reveal her sources...;) But it's someone who oughta know.

[Jan LiteShoe]

Despite my post completely trashing the AT a few weeks ago, I have done some reading and put my ignorance to rest. I am now definitely going to hike the AT or part of the AT this year. Now, onto my question:

I know that the Appalachian trail is one of the most hiked trails in the world, but I keep hearing a lot of different information regarding the amount of people that one can expect to see on the trail. I have read that if you want to hike alone you will have plenty of time to do so. I have also read that I should expect to see 20-30 people a day, but just now I read(on a different site) that each year over 10 million people hike some section of the AT. 10 million people seems like a whole lot if you ask me.

I know it also depends on when I start, if I start on a weekend or weekday, and which way I am headed. As of right now I am looking to start near the end of March, probably around the 20th or so at Springer and head north for a month or maybe longer, I really don't know and don't plan on knowing when I am going to get off the trail( My favorite quote: "nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future") I am not planning on staying at any shelters and probably will not camp too close to them. Not counting the people I will see at night(I don't mind company during the night time), what is a good estimate of the amount of people I should expect to see during the day while I am hiking. 1 person an hour? 5? 10? And is it reasonable to expect to have any solitude if I want it?

I admire your return after the exchanges a few weeks back, and also your friendly spirit here. You've already gotten some good suggestions.

While you will encounter many dayhikers during warm weather, weekends, the mid-Atlantic, etc, there is nothing you can't outwalk with a friendly nod. After all, dayhikers are kindred spirits too, more so than those who stay in the cities and never venture out into the world of dirt, rock and spiders. Also, some of my most delightful trail magic came from those casual hikers - who, by the way, often reflected my hike back to me, reviving my sense of appreciation of it.

As for thru-hikers, they're also kindred spirits. Many are in transition - retirement, divorce, graduation, between jobs or relationhips, etc. I have observed many people speak of solitude, and then pack up once out there. It's a long and winding road, and powerful friendships form. I count this as a benefit of a long distance trail.

If you truly crave solitude, perhaps consider a southbound hike, where the seasons dictate a much less populated trail. Or, start you NOBO in central Virginia and go north awhile until the thruhiker crush sorts itself out, then flip south after summiting and enjoy the mild fall.

The beauty of the A.T. is the richness of its Great Walk - variety that includes not only solitude and soul-stirring wild views, but also delis, moving encounters with total strangers or the odd donkey/dog/longhorn, cog railroads, hostels and town visits. All can be embraced for a memorable trip. In the end, its all good. Some of my best memories are of things my mind initially labeled "things to avoid." To me, the A.T. is one of those quintesential American experiences, this great land explored at a foot-traveling pace.

[rafe]

To me, the A.T. is one of those quintesential American experiences, this great land explored at a foot-traveling pace.

What we fondly refer to as hiker trash... in Woody Guthrie's day were called hoboes. Not exactly the same of course... but some interesting similarities.

[Jan LiteShoe]

I should add that most section hikers I met fit right into the long-distance scene. Some of them came to the trail incredibly fit (or young!) and traveled with me a ways, allowing friendships to form.

On the other hand, when I have been out doing sections, before and after my AT thru-hike, I would sometime observe a certain exclusiveness among thru-hikers. I can understand this somewhat because after traveling together awhile, one naturally turns to one's companions. Nonetheless, no one likes feeling second class, and with this awareness I made an effort on my hike to be inclusive.
I made some terrific friends I might not have otherwise, folks with whom I stay in contact to this day. I'm not telling you how to think and feel, more throwing it out there to be open to.

[MOWGLI]

OTR:

Regarding the number of hikers who hike some on the AT each year, any number you hear tossed about is not much more than speculation. 3 million or 10 million are guesstimates, and probably have little basis in actual bean counting. ATC and the NPS are striving to get their arms around a more factual number. That is a massive task however, considering the length of the trail, and the many places that people can access the trail.

Anyway, there is plenty of solitude to be found on the trail - depending on when you choose to hike.

Enjoy!

[bullseye]

On the other hand, when I have been out doing sections, before and after my AT thru-hike, I would sometime observe a certain exclusiveness among thru-hikers. I can understand this somewhat because after traveling together awhile, one naturally turns to one's companions. Nonetheless, no one likes feeling second class, and with this awareness I made an effort on my hike to be inclusive.


I've discovered on my (section) hikes that as in life some thru hikers are naturally friendly and outgoing, some are much more reserved. I try not to pass judgement before striking up a conversation. I spent the night at Chairback Gap shelter in '05 and of the 4 thru hikers there, 1 basically didn't say much, 2 were outgoing, and the 1 fellow started off seemingly standoffish, but after a little conversation really warmed up, especially when we started talking about similar experiences on the trail. I can understand that feeling of exclusiveness when you feel as though others don't understand what you've been through. As a section hiker I get the same feeling sometimes with friends and family.
As far as the original post, I saw 1 March day in Maryland were I saw 100+ people on the trail, but that is rare. I just completed Mass. and for 1st half of each day saw no one, and during the second half maybe a smallhandful of people. The variety of people make the trail just as interesting as the scenery sometimes.:banana

[OntheRoad]

Thanks a lot everyone. It is not a huge deal to me whether I see people. In fact I think I would enjoy the company rather than going hiking by myself out west where I could possibly be in complete solitude for a month. I understand that there are many factors that determine the amount of people I will see, but I will never truly know until I go out there.

[Jack Tarlin]

You will indeed see people every day, especially if you start on or near 20 March.

But most of these folks you'll see very briefly, i.e. you'll pass them, they'll pass you, maybe you'll spend a few minutes in the shelter with them. Most of the day, if you want, you'll be by yourself, and as for evenings, well you're not forced to stay at shelters or established campsites. The Trail has lots of people on it in March and April down south, but it's as social as you want it to be. If you WANT company, there's plenty of it; if you prefer to camp alone, you'll have every opportunity to do so.

One last piece of advice: The days just before and just after 20 March are probably about the most crowded the Southern Trail gets all year. If you're concerned about too many people, wait a few weeks to start your trip. You'll have much better weather for one thing, and a whole lot fewer people. By waiting til 10 April to start, more than 95% of the Northbounders will be ahead of you.