Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Hiking the route in reverse (from Maine to Georgia) is also possible, but cold
weather in the north dictates you start later (in June) when the blackflies are
ravenous and the trails are wet and muddy. Either way, hikers hit the weather
gamut from snow to steamy humidity.
»
Campsites, lean-tos and huts are the usual lodging options. Most hikers spend
about $1000 per month for food and the occasional night in a motel or lodge, plus
supplies and replacement gear.
Short Hikes & Resources
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If you're short on time, gorgeous and accessible areas to get a piece of the trail
include SShenanddoah Na
al Parrk (
www.nps.gov/shen
) in Virginia and Harpers
Ferry in West Virginia, which is also the trail headquarters (and a short Amtrak train
ride from Washington, DC).
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The Appala
ah Natiional P
il Conservancy (
www.appalachiantrail.org
) has the lowdown
on all things AT: official maps and guidebooks, an online database of day hikes or-
ganized by state, terrain descriptions by state, trail updates, hiker profiles etc. It's a
fantastic resource.
»
Humorist Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods(1998) is a great recreational read
about the trail.
alacchiian T
n Trail C
Cycling
Cycling's popularity increases by the day, with cities (including New York and Chicago)
adding more cycle lanes, and a growing number of greenways striping the countryside.
You'll find die-hards in every town, and outfitters offering guided trips for all levels and
durations. The Cherohala Skyway - 51 glorious miles of undulating road and Great
Smoky Mountain views straddling Tennessee and North Carolina - is often cited as one
the region's must-rides.
Mountain bikers should steer for Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest, revered
for its bad-ass trails and grueling
Fat Tire Festival
(
www.cheqfattire.com
)
in September.
Resources
Bicycling magazine
(
www.bicycling.com
)
Has information on city rides, off-road trails
and much in between.
