What Section Are Locals The Friendliest?

[Phoenix7]

In '90 I did PA, NY to MA and most of NH.
In those sections I found PA to be the friendliest and most welcoming.

What's your experience?

P7

[Ron Haven]

Springer to Damascus

[Blissful]

Palmerton, PA
Massachusetts
Gorham, NH

[Lost My Mind]

I don't know that I've ever been in any town where the locals were any friendlier than Damascus. I got to spend several days there while meeting up with my son, and didn't meet anyone who was less than friendly and helpful.

The Whiteblaze community was amazing (thanks TOW and Lone Wolf!), and every store, bank, restaurant, etc. everyone was just great.

I'm still trying to figure out how to buy the Hiker Inn and join that community but I don't think it's in the cards for now!

[Bare Bear]

The south generally is better than further north.......BUT I found extremely helpful people all over. A cop in NY that picked me up and told that hitching was illegal then spent two hours driving to the outfitters, etc. helping me out. Several women with kids that still stopped to pick up smelly hikers and run us into Warwick, showing us everything we might need, grocery, laundry, etc. before scouting around for a cheaper motel for us. Two little old lady day hikers that tried to 'kidnap' me at Bemis Stream. They kept uping the ante and it was the hardest I ever had to work to decline their Trail Magic (ride into town, laundry and meals at their house, ride back in the morning, "I'll make you one of my blueberry pies") That is why the Trail is so wonderful, the people you meet hiking and the people you meet on the fringe/towns.

[No Belay]

Pie Town, AZ. .... Friendliest hiker town folks in America. All 14 of em.