PDA

View Full Version : Your favorite part of the trail



C Seeker
10-09-2010, 13:14
What part of the AT is your favorite? You can do it by state or section up to you. Also same thing goes for the worst part of it. If you want to add detail go ahead. :)

Cookerhiker
10-09-2010, 14:14
I don't have a worst part. Obviously some parts of the AT are more scenic and rewarding than others but all 2,179 miles are nicer than concrete, shopping malls, and suburbia. I had a bad time in NJ but that was a function of miserable hot/humid weather rather than the trail itself.

Favorite parts?

Late summer to early fall: Maine
Mid-spring: NC and TN from Hot Springs to Damascus

My first answer is that Maine is my favorite part with its mountains (challenging as they are), lakes & ponds, wildlife, relative isolation. Getting to see moose and hear loons - both of which I experienced in my mid-August to mid-September (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=2875) hike - was unbeatable.

But it depends on time of year. If I had hiked Maine in May or June or November, my experiences would have a different taste. I harbor very fond recollections of hiking NC-TN in early May (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=97360)with the beautiful spring weather, tons of different wildflowers, cool nights, warm pleasant days, birds chirping, and long hours of daylight.

elray
10-09-2010, 14:17
My favorite section so far is right where you are, SNP. But then I'm a lot like Bryson and enjoy a good cheeseburger every day or so. I really enjoyed the Virginia Highlands as well, beautiful country. I also have a real soft spot for Vermont, much wilder than I expected.

Namaste
10-09-2010, 16:13
My favorite section to hike was Mahoosucs. My least favorite memory was hiking down the Hunt Trail from Katahdin in the pouring rain with a full pack. I bet it's pretty when the weather is good and you can see something from that elevation.

mweinstone
10-09-2010, 19:30
rm 23. it IS on the trail. and its mine.

kayak karl
10-09-2010, 19:39
Whites.....

mweinstone
10-09-2010, 19:46
i like pa. its my state. what am i gonna do say va? or georgia? pa forever. all of it. each and every mile. except boiling springs. ima lactard and can only watch folks eat milk frozen contort.weirdo grass digested frozen cow exscretions with flavorings. mmmmmmmmm cow.......

Wise Old Owl
10-09-2010, 20:11
i like pa. its my state. what am i gonna do say va? or georgia? pa forever. all of it. each and every mile. except boiling springs. ima lactard and can only watch folks eat milk frozen contort.weirdo grass digested frozen cow exscretions with flavorings. mmmmmmmmm cow.......


Hey I agree Pinnicle & Pulpit. And the Gap.

TheYoungOne
10-09-2010, 20:31
The funny thing is I have a love/hate trail experience coming out of the same shelter, Windsor Furnac. If you go north it take you to the pinnacle, and I love the view from there.

Going south is not so fun, especially the section between Pocahontas spring and Port Clinton. There is a brutal rock field. How brutal, If 1 is a driveway, and 10 is walking across debris from a demolished building, this rock field would rate a 17. The blazes get a little confusing at times, in part because your brain is saying that there must be a better way, this can't be a trail. There is also a zig zag rocky incline when you start at Port Clinton that is an major cardio test going up and at times a toe crushing, hair raising experience going down. Finally lets not forget Route 61, a 4 lane mini highway that you have to play Frogger across. Some days are not bad, but certain times that Cabelas traffic make that road busy.

JohKnip
10-10-2010, 02:20
I haven't done much of the trail but I did recently do a small part of it. We were in the Grayson Highlands which were beautiful. Its kinda amazing that I was actually getting college credits being out in the mountains (I was taking like a field trip type class through a local community college in Illinois and we went to the Appalachian Trail. We were camped out on the face of Iron mountain.)

One of my favorite hikes was Mt. Rogers which was also our longest hike at around 13 miles I believe it was. We saw some wild ponies on the trail. Would have been a wonderful day if it wasn't raining all day except for about maybe 2 miles on the trail. But I wouldn't let it get me down because I was just trilled to be hiking in that beautiful environment, until I started wet chaffing with like 4 or 5 miles to go. Not awesome. :p

jersey joe
10-10-2010, 08:01
The whites when the weather is not terrible.
Roan Highlands is a close second.
NJ is third, but i'm biased.

BrianLe
10-10-2010, 10:05
Since I virtually never get to the east coast, I liked some of the historical bits --- coal related stuff in PA, Civil War tidbits, the canal tow path in MD, stumbling across some old cemeteries, original Washington monument ... that sort of thing.

Not necessarily a "favorite" but that word defies me on the AT, I just can't single out a particular part that I liked best, or at least it's hard to do so out of the context of my particular, personal experience and conditions as I passed through any given area.

Grampie
10-10-2010, 10:51
For me I just loved the whole trail. The weather makes a big difference as to what it was like during a particular section and your particular likes or dislikes of that section.
For me my favorite section was Maine. Just loved hiking in the Maine woods. Less roads to cross, less bridges and less trail improvements to the basic path.

Torch09
10-10-2010, 11:22
I don't have a worst part. Obviously some parts of the AT are more scenic and rewarding than others but all 2,179 miles are nicer than concrete, shopping malls, and suburbia.

Technically, a few of those miles ARE concrete. :D

C Seeker
11-03-2010, 06:43
thanks for your answers now I know what to look forward to...I am surprised I only saw 1 SNP liking...I wonder why

fiddlehead
11-03-2010, 07:40
SNP is easy walking (probably the easiest on the whole trail)
BUT, the constant crossing of the blacktop road and all the rules make it a bothersome portion of the trail.

The rest is all good IMO.
Worst part: when you finish and have to go back to work.

max patch
11-03-2010, 11:00
I am surprised I only saw 1 SNP liking...I wonder why

Well, the SNP is better than the GSMNP...

Its crowded, you cross that stupid road constantly, worst ticks on the trail, and (the worst thing about about the SNP) is that there are just way too many annoying rules and regulations that you have to follow.

peakbagger
11-03-2010, 11:22
Hard to beat Maine and the Whites in NH in the fall. The views are frequent and the trail is challenging with lots of rocks and steep spots to climb up and down. Unlike many other parts of the trail, you cant go on "autopilot". It definitely isnt the area to make up miles. There also is a lot more changes in the type of woods, not a lot of miles where the woods look the same every day for weeks at a time (virginia).

Pony
11-03-2010, 13:40
thanks for your answers now I know what to look forward to...I am surprised I only saw 1 SNP liking...I wonder why

Try to keep an open mind. There are a lot of great stretches of trail that don't get much attention. Connecticut and southern Mass. come to mind. Also Maryland and New Jersey. A lot of folks will complain about Virginia, because it's so long (Virginia blues:rolleyes:), but I absolutely loved Virginia.

I think Fiddlehead and Max Patch pretty much nailed it, in regards to SNP, and I suspect many have similar feelings about other very popular sections of trail. I had similar feelings about the Whites. While I thought the Whites were some of the most breathtaking scenery on the trail, I was turned off by all the people, and the auto road, and all those huts, and all the rules about where you can, or mostly cannot camp. Mostly I hated that stupid cog railway. IMO, the Mahoosucs are way better than the Whites, and a lot less crowded.

Anyway, my point is, form your own opinion, and don't rush through one section because you heard there was something better up ahead. I think you'll find areas that you really like that never get talked about, and also areas that you keep hearing about that maybe aren't your cup of tea.

My favorite parts of the trail are Vermont, Maine, and Virginia south of Front Royal, in no particular order.

Odd Man Out
11-03-2010, 13:59
Since I virtually never get to the east coast, I liked some of the historical bits --- coal related stuff in PA, Civil War tidbits, the canal tow path in MD, stumbling across some old cemeteries, original Washington monument ... that sort of thing.

When hiking in SNP, I think of Stonewall Jackson and his army during the Civil War. They crossed the blue ridge mountains many times while pursing (or running away from) the Northern Army. Yes hiking SNP is an easy go, if you are heading north and south on a blazed trail in a national park. Going east and west cross-country in the 1860's with a few thousand soldiers - that's tough!

fredmugs
11-03-2010, 19:15
My favorite section hike by far was the James River to Pearisburg in Oct 2008. Perfect autumn weather and I hit Tinker Cliffs and McAfee Knob at peak colors.

As a section hiker my favorite part is seeing my car parked where it's supposed to be at the end of the hike.

Worst hike was 501 shelter in PA to Harpers Ferry. The rocks brusied and swelled my feet so bad I could not stand up and my feet would not fit into my running shoes even after I took the laces out. Oh the lessons I learned on that trip. I'm pretty sure I could tear it up now that I've ditched the hiking boots.

C Seeker
11-15-2010, 16:18
Well, the SNP is better than the GSMNP...

Its crowded, you cross that stupid road constantly, worst ticks on the trail, and (the worst thing about about the SNP) is that there are just way too many annoying rules and regulations that you have to follow.

I totally under why people don't like hiking with the road, I also am not a fan of roads. Also you don't need to let me know about the ticks I live right next to the park and have had Lyme 3+ times and one time came home with my ankle moving from 50-100 ticks on me. Not fun

I will be hiking the trail with a open mind and be looking at the little things. I love animal tracking, looking at differnt shapes in trees, and for animals. I can't wait till I get to hike it this upcoming year 2011!!! :banana