View Full Version : Population?
TouchofGrey
03-17-2008, 21:14
Just how crowded is the trail. I was thinking of only meeting people occasionally (which I kind of thought of as a plus, as this I would be doing this to escape society) but after reading some posts on here, it sounds that its not rare to be around other people.
It really depends on the time of year and where you are at. Start a thru-hike in March and you may be among a couple of dozen hikers.
Hike through parts of Virginia in late summer or early fall and you may go one or more days without seeing anybody.
Assume that areas like the Smokies and the Shenandoahs will be crowded.
dessertrat
03-17-2008, 21:38
The worse the weather (either extreme heat or cold), the fewer people. If you really want solitude, though, some of the side trails in some of the national forests or parks might be a better option.
Appalachian Tater
03-17-2008, 21:56
Sounds like you might be better off hiking other trails. You're lucky on a traditional thru-hike of the A.T. if you don't see another hiker one or two days out of five or six months. On other trails you can go for days without seeing another hiker.
hammock engineer
03-17-2008, 21:57
Go after the inital rush. I was out until Jan and hardly saw anyone after Oct. Best time to be in the woods to me.
Tennessee Viking
03-17-2008, 23:00
Just how crowded is the trail. I was thinking of only meeting people occasionally (which I kind of thought of as a plus, as this I would be doing this to escape society) but after reading some posts on here, it sounds that its not rare to be around other people.
For thru hikers, March & April the trail can get crowded.
Then along the trail, you will see it also crowded with weekenders and tourists. Smokies, Shenandoah, Roan Highlands, and Mt Rogers to name a few. Its usually places with good road access along highways.
The Benton MacKaye Trail, the AT's little sister trail, is a bit more remote. There are still some road routes and towns that you have to cross into in northern Georgia, Chekohola , and Fontana areas. But it treks through 6 wilderness areas and some of the more remote trails in the Smokies. Its a bit ruggid in spots, but not populated.
Shelters and campsites can be crowded, particularly if you're part of the nobo herd, early in the season. While you're walking it's no big deal. Obviously it depends on lots of factors -- the weather, time of year, day of week, holiday or not, proximity to trailhead, the particular section of trail, etc.
The Whites in NH are very crowded, especially June through Columbus Day.
If you like solitude, consider a SOBO hike. After I retire, I think that's what I'd like to do.
I read someplace that the AT has 4-million people on it every year. You are bound to run into a few of them.
I read someplace that the AT has 4-million people on it every year. You are bound to run into a few of them.
3.998 million at trail daze. 0.002 million actually hiking.
Four million people set foot on the AT per year -- that may be true. But I'd wager the vast majority of those four million walk no more than a few hundred yards from their car.
It's true, you'll see more people near the beauty spots, in good weather -- places like the Whites, SNP, GSMNP, etc. The key to solitude is walking weekdays, off-season, in less-than-perfect weather, etc. Make some distance from the nearest trailhead, and you'll lose most of the crowds.
fiddlehead
03-18-2008, 00:51
SOBO winter hike, you'll see very few people.
we saw 3 thru hikers (the whole trail) and maybe 20 people (day hikers) on weekends except for the first and last 100 miles of the trail.
Johnny Swank
03-18-2008, 08:27
Go SOBO if you're looking for solitude. You'll see a few folks in Maine, have a smaller group of people to hike with if you so choose, then see some more people in the Whites. After that, you'll largely have the trail to yourself during the week until Oct, then almost always have the trail to yourself unless you choose to hook up with another thru-hiker.
You could consider WV's Allegheny Trail or components of Great Eastern Trail - both have recent threads on WB. On the GET, so far TN and KY are a bit less continuously there than north VA/east panhandle WV/MD/PA. The PA Mid State Trail (part of the GET) advertises "If you hike alone, you will meet more bears than people."
TouchofGrey
03-18-2008, 16:13
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people, its just I don't want the trail to be crowded like a theme park or something. A few people everyday wouldn't be a problem I don't think.
Also, thanks for the many and quick answers to my question.
If you don't want crowds..go to Maine!!!
Only exception to this is Baxter State Park and the Hunt Trail. EVERYONE wants to climb Katahdin.
DavidNH
I don't remember a single day on the AT where I didn't see another person. If you want solitude do a different hike.
I don't remember a single day on the AT where I didn't see another person. If you want solitude do a different hike.
I've had a few, on my sections -- usually in late August or early September. In 2006 near Greenwood Lake, I went almost 48 hours in complete solitude. It was a bit weird.
Blissful
03-18-2008, 21:12
There can be long stretches of trail, even in Georgia and NC in March, where I didn't see other hikers during the day. But you always run into them near the end of the day in shelter areas.
If you really like solitude, you're better off on the CDT!! I heard a podcast interview of a CDT hiker who saw only five people in two thousand miles of trail! And none of them were backpackers
fiddlehead
03-19-2008, 16:47
If you really like solitude, you're better off on the CDT!! I heard a podcast interview of a CDT hiker who saw only five people in two thousand miles of trail! And none of them were backpackers
Must've skipped CO, and Glacier. Maybe he had his eyes closed thru Yellowstone, The Wind's, The "BOB"!
Must've skipped CO, and Glacier. Maybe he had his eyes closed thru Yellowstone, The Wind's, The "BOB"!
IIRC it was off season, early spring maybe? it was the guy who did the first CDT yo-yo. He was going NOBO and I think he said he started seeing more people once he got to Wyoming.
Lone Wolf
03-19-2008, 17:21
Just how crowded is the trail. I was thinking of only meeting people occasionally (which I kind of thought of as a plus, as this I would be doing this to escape society) but after reading some posts on here, it sounds that its not rare to be around other people.
it's crowded right now in georgia
tucker0104
03-21-2008, 08:13
Does it get weird just being on your own for a day or two if you don't see anyone?
Does it get weird just being on your own for a day or two if you don't see anyone?
It doesn't happen often. But yeah, it gets a bit strange. Most of the folks just starting in GA haven't and won't experience it for a while yet. More likely to happen in bad weather mid-week, further north after the herd thins out and spreads out.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people, its just I don't want the trail to be crowded like a theme park or something. A few people everyday wouldn't be a problem I don't think.
Also, thanks for the many and quick answers to my question.
Hiking north or south, you will see people at the shelters, relatively few while walking. If you walk extra fast, you will pass groups of hikers. If you are extra slow, groups will pass you. But if you set a medium pace and choose to be alone for most of the day, you can be, at least along most of the trail, regardless of season.
The trail is nothing like a theme park -- well with the possible exception of the summit of Mt. Washington in August.
Weary
CocamoJoe
03-22-2008, 00:03
On my 34-day hike on the Appalachian Trail last year, from Springer Mountain to Damascus, I only had one day where I saw absolutely no one, and three nights where I camped completely alone (the latter number doesn't include the names when I tented and others were nearby..... after a week or so, I started doing more miles, and ended up using the shelters exclusively, as I was so tired).
Mind you, I started on May 9, and missed the early rush, which was really nice. The only thing I missed with starting late, was the possibility of hiking in snow. I never thought I'd like hiking in snow until I moved to Pennsylvania back in August!
On the other hand, there were very few instances where shelters were really crowded. The closest I can think of, is Tri-Corner Shelter in the Smokes and Cherry Gap. Two shelters south of Damascus-----I can't remember it's name-----was really crowded, as there was a high school group and their teachers. There were only four of us in the actual shelter, but there were tons of others camping around that night..... which actually turned out to be a lot of fun, I thought!