Side Hikes

[GatorScout]

Hello, I am new to the forum but have been reading it for the past few hours. I am planning a thru hike for this summer with a friend of mine. we have been planning for over a year now, and do many week or two hikes whenever we get a chance. anyways I am not sure where to post this, so if it is in the wrong place i appologize, but I was wondering if anyione knows a list of good side hikes that could be encountered on the AT. like if there was a good site that should be seen maybe 5-15 miles off the trail you could hit and count as a zero day. Im just trying to better create a schedule. thanks alot

[Cabin Fever]

The AT hits most of the highlights in the Appalachian corridor, geographically speaking. There will be some very short side hikes to features such as Mount Rogers in Grayson Highlands. Most AT maps show a fair amount of non-AT area so those short hikes of say, 10 miles or less, will be on there. Non-geographic features will probably somewhat be in guidebooks, but will more likely need to be legwork that you will need to do.

[Cookerhiker]

I echo Cabin Fever. I don't believe there's a compact concise list of side trail sights but if you obtain each section's guidebooks, you'll find the details.

Virginia has some neat waterfalls. Crabtree Falls is 2 1/2 miles off the trail before you get to The Priest mountain. Shendandoah National Park has lots of side trails leading to waterfalls.

SNP also has a side trail to Hawksbill Peak, the highest point in the Park. All along the AT there are some side trails to high point inclding Brasstown Bald (GA), Mt. Rogers (VA), High Point (NJ).

Make sure you allow enough time in your overall schedule for these forays. Have a good hike!