The MidAtlantic

[chris]

Can someone convince me that hiking through the
mid-Atlantic region (Harpers Ferry->Kent, say) is
exciting? I really like the people along the AT, but it seems that there are several hundred miles of relatively boring terrain. I've only driven across the region and have never hiked it. I've looked at some photos and they haven't been convincing. I'd love to hear from someone who has hiked through the region over an extended period of time and has positive things to say about it.

If I continue my AT walking this spring, I'd be starting in Damascus and heading north. Presumably, I'd have time to go to Harpers Ferry, DWG, or further north, even to Katahdin. But, several hundred miles on uninspiring terrain puts a damper on my enthusiasm.

[chief]

if you consider the lack of 6,000 ft summits as "un-inspiring", you'll surely be disappointed with the mid-atlantic sections of the AT. if you believe it to be easy and therefore, boring, you're in for a big surprise. if you think the forests will be ugly, you're in for a pleasant surprise. personally, i enjoyed the historical significance of WV and MD, loved the challenge of the infamous rocks of PA and was awed by the beautiful forests of NJ and NY.

you shouldn't miss the mid-atlantic region, nor any other for that matter.

[Peaks]

I think that every state has their attributes.

It's all a matter of perception. It's what you make of it. Even New Jersey has it's good points.

[Kerosene]

I think that I'm in the minority on this board in that I've only hiked the "middle" part of the AT from central Virginia to the Whites, so I haven't had the pleasure of walking through the southern balds, climbing 6,000' peaks, starting out with the crowds in the Spring, walking above treeline for 20+ miles, or seeing moose and hearing loons by still Maine ponds. But, I've kept coming back to the central AT for years to finish states started long ago. I agree that the scenic views of Maryland north to Connecticut are different than those of the south I've seen in pictures. However, you would be surprised at the beauty of the Trail in NY/NJ, the difficulty of climbing out of the Pennsylvania gaps, the grandeur of the Delaware Water Gap, the intermittent hands-required rock climbs, the sheer volume and variety of rock dropped by ancient glaciers, and a variety of other attractions that pop up along the way.

In the end, however, I recommend that you hike in places that seem to be interesting to you. There is a lot of different scenery out West, the Ozarks of Arkansas/Missouri, the Superior Trail and Isle Royale in the Great Lakes...each has a special attraction and may be more interesting to you than simply completing the grand dame of long distance trails.

[EarlyRiser]

What can be really interesting in the middle states, or really anoying, is if your hiking with a geologist, which ive done, they can tell you anything you want to know, and much you dont want to know, about any rock :cool: i found it quite interesting.