The system may be divided into three large physiographic regions: northern, central, and southern Appalachia. These include such mountains as, in the northern area, the Shickshocks (French: Chic-Chocs) and the Notre Dame ranges in Quebec.

the great monadnock (isolated hill of bedrock) of Mount Katahdin in Maine. the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

New York’s Catskill Mountains are in central Appalachia, as are the beginnings of the Blue Ridge range in southern Pennsylvania and the Allegheny Mountains, which rise in southwestern New York and cover parts of western Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern Ohio before merging into the third, or southern, region.

the Blue Ridge range, extending across Virginia and western North Carolina, the northwestern tip of South Carolina, and the northeastern corner of Georgia. the Unaka Mountains in southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and western North Carolina (of which the Great Smoky Mountains are a part).

The highest elevations in the Appalachians are in the northern division, with Maine’s Mount Katahdin (5,268 feet [1,606 metres]), New Hampshire’s Mount Washington (6,288 feet), and other pinnacles in the White Mountains rising above 5,000 feet (1,525 metres), and in the southern region, where peaks of the North Carolina Black Mountains and the Tennessee–North Carolina Great Smoky Mountains rise above 6,000 feet (1,825 metres) and the entire system reaches its highest summit, on Mount Mitchell (6,684 feet [2,037 metres]).

It includes the St. Lawrence River valley in Canada and the Kittatinny, Cumberland, Shenandoah, and Tennessee valleys in the United States.

In the area known geologically as “New” Appalachia, especially where there are softer limestone rocks that yield to the constant solution by water and weak acids, numerous caves are a distinctive feature of the physiography. The chief caverns lie within or border the Great Valley region of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee.

Short hikes are the primary use of the footpath, but each year a few thousand “thru-hikers” attempt to complete the entire trail, usually starting from Springer Mountain in March or April. Hiking the trail in its entirety takes five to seven months.

Wildlife along the path includes moose, black bears, deer, coyotes, bobcats, woodchucks, porcupines, and raccoons. Some of the trail’s most rugged terrain is in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where portions of the path lie exposed above the tree line, and in Maine, where trekkers must make steep ascents and descents through a series of 4,000-foot (1,200-metre) mountains.

Popular spots along the route include Baxter State Park in Maine, the White Mountains, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Mount Rogers in Virginia, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Blood and Springer mountains in Georgia. Fall foliage and pastoral farms in New Hampshire and Vermont are highlights.

the path crosses Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Shenandoah National Park, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The route travels on or near the Tennessee–North Carolina state line for about 200 miles (300 km) across grassy balds (elevated mountainous areas that contain no woody plants) and through forests.

The Great Appalachian Valley, also called The Great Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough, including a chain of valley lowlands, and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountains system.

The Great Valley marks the eastern edge of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province. There are many regional names of the Great Valley, such as the Shenandoah Valley.

In its northern section, the Great Valley includes the Champlain Valley around Lake Champlain and the upper Richelieu River that drains it into the Saint Lawrence, the Hudson River Valley, Newburgh Valley, and Wallkill Valley, and the Kittatinny Valley, Upper Delaware River Valley, Lebanon Valley, and Cumberland Valley.

A series of mountains bounds the northern half of the Great Valley on both sides.

This gap is often considered the dividing point between the northern and southern sections of the Great Valley.

The northernmost is the Adirondack Mountains, a southern extension of the Canadian Shield, which reach the valley along the shores of Lake Champlain and Lake George.

This long ridge is broken by several narrow and dramatic gaps, known as wind and water gaps, including Culver’s Gap in New Jersey, the Delaware Water Gap, where the Delaware River passes into the Lehigh Valley along the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and many gaps in Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Wind Gap, the Lehigh River Gap north of Allentown, the Schuylkill River Gap, the Swatara Gap, the Susquehanna River Gap, and others.

In its southern section, the Great Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, which extend north into Maryland and Pennsylvania as South Mountain.

These southern portions of the Great Valley are sometimes grouped into two parts, the Valley of Virginia and the Tennessee Valley.

A gap in these mountains exists near Roanoke, Virginia. Other gaps of note in the Blue Ridge of Virginia, connecting the Piedmont region with the Great Valley, include Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap.

Another series of mountains bounds the southern Great Valley to the west, including North Mountain and Great North Mountain, the Allegheny Front, Powell Mountain, the Cumberland Mountains, Walden Ridge, and the Cumberland Plateau. The Cumberland Gap connects the Great Valley region with Kentucky and Tennessee lands to the west.

The Valley of Virginia is a region of karst, with sinkholes and caverns.

The first weather box is from the temperate portion and the second subtropical portion of the valley.

In pre-colonial and the early colonial era, a major Indian pathway through the Great Valley was known as the Great Indian Warpath, Seneca Trail, and various other names.

In the Shenandoah Valley, the road was known as the Valley Pike. The Wilderness Road branched off from Great Wagon Road in present-day Roanoke, Virginia, crossed the Cumberland Gap and led to Kentucky and Tennessee, including the fertile Bluegrass region and Nashville Basin.

The various gaps connecting the Great Valley to lands to the east and west have played important roles in American history. On the east side, the wide gap in southeast Pennsylvania became the main route for colonization of the Great Valley.

The region drew a steady and growing stream of immigrants and became known as “the best poor man’s country”. European immigrants ultimately thoroughly settled the Great Valley in Pennsylvania and were rapidly migrating and settling southwards into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

The road from Philadelphia west to the valley and then south through it became very heavily used and known variously as the Great Wagon Road, the Philadelphia Wagon Road, and the Valley Road. The Conestoga wagon was developed around 1725 in the area of the wide opening between Philadelphia and the Great Valley.

Culver Gap near Culver’s Lake in Sussex County, New Jersey, was an important route through the Kittatinny Mountain from about 10,000 years ago to present. The gap is more than 400 feet (120 m) below the top of the mountain.

Early settlers from Pennsylvania used the water drop from Culvers Lake to Branchville for a wide assortment of mills. Turnpikes followed the route of Lenape trails through the gap.

By the 1750s, the Great Valley was well-settled to the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley. Immigrants continued to travel from the Philadelphia area south through the Great Valley beyond Shenandoah, to the vicinity of present-day Roanoke, Virginia.

A branch of the Great Wagon Road began there, crossing through the gap east into the Piedmont region of North Carolina and South Carolina. This road became known as the Carolina Road.

At the time, the Carolina Piedmont region offered some of the best land at the lowest prices. A string of towns appeared, including Salisbury, Salem, and Charlotte in North Carolina.

Many of these immigrants were Scots-Irish, Germans from the Rhineland-Palatinate area, and Moravians. This upcountry population soon surpassed the older and more established lowcountry population near the Atlantic coast, causing serious geopolitical tensions in the Carolinas during the late 18th century (Meinig, 1986: 291–293).

On the west side, the Cumberland Gap became the main route for migration west from the southern Great Valley to Kentucky and Tennessee. In the north, the Mohawk Valley became a major route for westward expansion, especially after the construction of the Erie Canal, which linked New York City in the east to the Great Lakes region in the Midwest via the Hudson River of the Great Valley and the Mohawk Valley gap.

The Great Valley, especially Shenandoah Valley, played an important role during the American Civil War, including its Blue Ridge gaps and nearby Piedmont area and its northward extension to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where the bloodiest and most influential Civil War battle was fought in the Battle of Gettysburg from July 1 to July 3, 1863.

The Eastern Continental Trail (ECT) is a network of hiking trails in the United States and Canada, reaching from Key West, Florida to Belle Isle, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The trail system was named by long-distance hiker M. J.

The first person to complete the ECT from Key West to Cap Gaspé, Quebec, was John Brinda in 1997.

The ECT includes the entire Appalachian Trail to Mount Katahdin, Maine, then continues on the International Appalachian Trail through Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec. The hiking trail ends at the Gulf of St.

the hiker can then travel to Newfoundland by other means and complete the next section of the ECT across that island. After another water gap, the ECT reaches its symbolic end at Belle Isle off the northern end of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula.

From south to north, these are the established trails that have been incorporated into the ECT:.

The Appalachian Mountains run north to south in the eastern third of the United States, passing through every coastal state north of Florida and all the way up into Appalachian Canada. They also move slightly westward into other states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Read on for a slew of intriguing Appalachian Mountain facts, including the answers to frequently asked questions like “How old are the Appalachian Mountains. ,” “Where do the Appalachian Mountains start and end.

We also delve into the region’s history, culture, science, wildlife, recreation, and more. It’s an exciting place to learn about, and an even more exciting place to visit.

READ MORE: 30 Fascinating Blue Ridge Mountains Facts. 1.

The others are the Rocky Mountains, which are in the center of the country, and the Sierra Nevada in the West.

The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest of these three ranges. But “How old is the Appalachian Mountains range.

The mountains began to form around 480 million years ago during the Ordovician period, continuing to grow for around 200 million years as the supercontinent known as Pangaea formed. 3.

So how were the Appalachian Mountains we see now formed. They were created by new volcanic-tectonic activity about 65 million years ago, during the Cenozoic Era.

Of course, millions of years of erosion gradually wore the massive mountain peaks down. The Appalachian Mountains are the shortest of the three U.S.

READ MORE: 30 Fascinating Blue Ridge Mountains Facts. 5.

Mitchell in North Carolina, which reaches 6,684 feet above sea level. In the Rockies, Mount Elbert stands at 14,440 feet above sea level, while Mt.

at 14,505 feet.

“What states are the Appalachian Mountains in. ” is a complex question, because lists vary depending on what regions are included.

foothills) region, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine are all part of the range. 7.

The central section stretches from the Hudson Valley to the New River, and the southern section is south of the river. But the Central and Southern Appalachian Mountains are what most people refer to when talking about traditional Appalachian culture.

Native Americans began to settle in Appalachia about 16,000 years ago. At the time of European colonization, the Cherokee people were the main tribe in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

European immigration began in the 1700s, with Scots-Irish and German settlers making up most of the early pioneers. These newcomers brought traditions from their homelands.

There were fierce battles and eventually treaties reached between Native Americans and European immigrants. During this era, the Cherokee had over 50 settlements that were connected by established foot trails, which these soon became major wagon routes for the European settlers.

By the late 1830s, after signing the Treaty of New Echota, most Cherokees were forced to leave the area under the Indian Removal Act. Traveling the brutal Trail of Tears to Oklahoma, over 1,000 Cherokee died, and countless others were killed due to resistance.

In 1775, Daniel Boone established a route west through Cumberland Gap in Virginia into Kentucky. The route west lead to a monumental expansion of the United States’ original 13 colonies, and made Boone a famous folk figure in Appalachian history in the process.

READ MORE: The Appalachian Culture & History of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 13.

By and large, these early settlers had initially been recognized as hard-working, self-reliant types. 14.

They brought along German food traditions, such as apple butter and sauerkraut, and building techniques like chinked-corner cabins. Though they didn’t assimilate into US culture, the Germans were treated much better than the Scots-Irish settlers.

The “hillbillies” of Appalachia were Scots-Irish immigrants, who were referred to by English settlers as “Billyboys” due to their support of William of Orange. Hillbillies were derided as wild, often reclusive mountain people, with fierce loyalty to family and a rejection of authority.

African people, both free and enslaved, were also mixed into this collection of immigrants. Afro-Caribbean influences on Appalachian food and agriculture are still strong today, especially in crops like black-eyed peas, okra, sweet potatoes, sorghum, watermelon, and peanuts.

The instruments of the Scots-Irish (fiddle) and Africans (banjo) combined to provide one of the most popular cultural parts of Southern Appalachia: its music. Bluegrass and Old-Time music are still huge in the region, and they are accompanied by well-established dancing traditions as well.

The isolation of the Appalachian region and the locals’ high regard for tradition lead to serious poverty in the 20th century, when life in the United States gradually became more urban than agrarian. READ MORE: Appalachian Folklore, Monsters and Superstitions.

The climate of the Appalachian Mountains is temperate, with distinct seasons and lots of annual precipitation (35 inches to 51 inches). Gorges State Park in NC (96 inches/year) and Mt.

The diverse climate, precipitation, and changes in elevation of the Appalachians give the region wild biodiversity of plants and animals. The north-south orientation of the mountains provides easy seasonal migration routes for animals.

While there are plenty of evergreens in Appalachia, including red spruce, balsam fir, eastern hemlock, and white pine, the region is characterized by its diverse deciduous hardwood forests. Among its most abundant tree canopy species are various oaks and maples, as well as birch, beech, ash, tulip poplars, and more.

The understory trees and shrubs of Appalachia are renowned for their beautiful laurel, flame azalea, witch hazel, and spicebush. Wildflowers are also abundant.

READ MORE: Non-Venomous vs Venomous Snakes In Georgia (Identification Guide). 23.

Other sizable mammals include beavers, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raccoons, skunks, opossums, groundhogs, and five species of tree squirrels. 24.

There are ground-dwelling forest birds, like wild turkeys and ruffed grouse, and big birds of prey including bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, and great horned owls. The raven, wood duck, great blue herons, and mourning dove are other mountain-forest dwellers in the region.

Salamanders are another amazing resident of the Appalachian region. In fact, Southern Appalachia is sometimes referred to as “the salamander capital of the world”, with more species than anywhere else.

READ MORE: Non-Venomous vs Venomous Snakes in North Carolina (ID Guide).

There are 6 national parks in the Appalachian Mountains, 8 national forests, 2 national wildlife refuges, as well as loads of state parks. There are also famous scenic driving routes like the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, and Kancamagus Highway, plus the world-renowned Appalachian Trail.

Of the country’s 400+ national parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are the two most visited national parks in the United States. The Blue Ridge Parkway gets nearly 16 million visitors a year, while Great Smoky Mountains National Park gets just over 14 million.

North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest is home to the Cradle of Forestry in America, the first school of forestry in the US. It was founded in 1898 by a German Ph.D., Carl A.

The Appalachian Highlands is one of eight government-defined physiographic divisions of the contiguous United States. The links with the Appalachian Uplands in Canada to make up the Appalachian Mountains.

At the next level of physiographic classification, called section/subsection, there are 20 unique land areas with one of the provinces having no sections.[a]. The Appalachian Highlands are characterized by a diverse physiographic division.

The seven provinces are:. The Adirondack Mountains are a circular dome of mountains in Northeastern New York about 160 miles wide with more than 100 peaks, at least 40 that are over 4,000 feet tall.

The region has over 1,200 miles of river. The current relief owes much to glaciation.

The Adirondack High Peaks are a list of 46 mountains in the Adirondacks that are above or close to 4,000 feet in elevation. The list was created when it was believed that all 46 peaks were at least 4,000 feet tall.

One 4,000 foot peak was also not included in the original list. The tallest peak is Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in New York at 5,344 feet (1,629 m).

Because of this, the Adirondacks have been referred to as “new mountains from old rocks.” It is theorized that there is a “hotspot” beneath the region, which causes continued uplift at the rate of 1.5-3 cm annually.

It extends from New York southwest to Alabama. It runs parallel to Lake Erie on the northwest, but does not include the land adjacent to the Great Lakes.

These rocks are generally flat-lying, but have been dissected by streams to form a rugged and mountainous terrain. In addition to these sedimentary rocks, beds of coal are locally significant throughout the Appalachian Plateaus, making this area the heart of the American coal industry.

The Appalachian Plateau includes several physiographic sections:. The Blue Ridge province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands physiographic division.

The northern section runs along a narrow ridge from just south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are named for their distinctive blue haze, which is caused by the presence of atmospheric pollutants and water vapor. This contributes to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their perceived color.

The mountains are made of highly deformed metamorphic rocks, largely developed during the Precambrian age over 541 million years ago. The mountains include schists, gneisses, slates, and quartzites, and are extensively intruded by igneous bodies.

The highest peak in the Blue Ridge is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina at 6,684 feet.

The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. It is located in the eastern United States and stretches about 900 miles from New York to Alabama.

The eastern border of the Piedmont runs along a fall line, the point at which rivers traditionally drop rapidly from harder metamorphic rocks to softer sedimentary rocks. Because the fall line is the spot where rivers become unnavigable, port cities typically have sprung up where rivers cross this boundary.

Richmond and Raleigh are both located within the boundaries of the Piedmont. The west side of the Piedmont runs through lesser populated areas, from south of Harrisburg to Lake Martin in Elmore County, Alabama.

There are two sections of the Piedmont. The primary portion is called the Uplands section.

The Piedmont is characterized by rolling hills and valleys that are underlain by crystalline metamorphic rocks. The Piedmont is a region of great geological diversity.

The oldest rocks in the Piedmont are gneisses and schists that formed more than a billion years ago during the Grenville orogeny. These rocks were later intruded by granites and other igneous rocks during the Paleozoic era.

These sedimentary rocks were later deformed and uplifted during the Cenozoic era.

The region has long been known for its deposits of gold, which were mined extensively during the 19th century. Other important minerals found in the Piedmont include copper, iron, mica, and granite.

The New England province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands division of the United States. It includes five subdivisions: the New England Uplands, New England Seaboard Lowland, Green Mountain, White Mountain, and Taconic.

Much of the New England province’s bedrock aquifers are in consolidated rocks of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic origin. Some of these aquifers, mainly in the western portion of Vermont, consist of carbonate rocks (primarily limestone, dolomite, and marble).

Like the adjacent physiographic provinces, a large part of the New England province was peneplained during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, then uplifted, extensively dissected, and finally glaciated.

Lawrence Valley is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division, containing only the Champlain physiographic section. The St.

This area was originally a forest-wetland complex, although very little of the forest remains today.

Lawrence River in New York along the Canadian border and contains most of Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York. Most of the northern border of the St.

Canada considers all land of the St. Lawrence Valley to be part of the Central Lowlands.

Lawrence Valley province that abuts the Appalachian Uplands of Canada meets the Eastern Quebec Uplands.

It is bordered on the east by the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and on the west by the Appalachian Plateau. There are three sections of the province, the Hudson section, the Central section, and the Tennessee section.

The province is a series of northeast-southwest trending synclines and anticlines composed of early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Limestones and shales are more susceptible to erosion and make up much of the valleys, whereas more resistant sandstones and conglomerates form the ridges.

The Valley and Ridge province extends for nearly 1,200 miles (1,930 km) from the St. Lawrence Valley in upstate New York to the Coastal Plain of central Alabama.

The area is home to many valuable resources, both economic and geo-heritage. Vast beds of anthracite coal exist in Pennsylvania and are mined at depths up to 600 m (2,000 ft).

40°N 78°W / 40°N 78°W / 40. -78.

The Appalachian Mountains,[b] often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. Here, the term “Appalachian” refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain.

The US uses the term Appalachian Highlands and Canada uses the term Appalachian Uplands. (The Appalachian Mountains are not synonymous with the Appalachian Plateau which is one of the provinces of the Appalachian Highlands).

The Appalachian range runs from the Island of Newfoundland in Canada, 2,050 mi (3,300 km) southwestward to Central Alabama in the United States.

The range is older than the other major mountain range in North America, the Rocky Mountains of the west. Some of the outcrops in the Appalachians contain rocks formed during the Precambrian era.

The first mountain range in the region was created when the continents of Laurentia and Amazonia collided, creating a supercontinent called Rodinia. The collision of these continents caused the rocks to be folded and faulted, creating the first mountains in the region.

Around 480 million years ago, geologic processes began that led to three distinct orogenic eras that created much of the surface structure seen in today’s Appalachians. [d] During this period, mountains once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rockies before natural erosion occurred over the last 240 million years leading to what is present today.

The Appalachian Mountains are a barrier to east-west travel, as they forms a series of alternating ridgelines and valleys oriented in opposition to most highways and railroads running east–west. This barrier was extremely important in shaping the expansion of the United States in the colonial era.

The range is the home of a very popular recreational feature, the Appalachian Trail. This is a 2,175-mile (3,500 km) hiking trail that runs all the way from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, passing over or past a large part of the Appalachian range.

While exploring inland along the northern coast of Florida in 1528, the members of the Narváez expedition, including Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, found a Native American village near present-day Tallahassee, Florida whose name they transcribed as Apalchen or Apalachen [a.paˈla.tʃɛn]. The name was soon altered by the Spanish to Apalachee and used as a name for the tribe and region spreading well inland to the north.

Now spelled “Appalachian”, it is the fourth-oldest surviving European place-name in the US.

The first cartographic appearance of Apalchen is on Diego Gutiérrez’s map of 1562. the first use for the mountain range is the map of Jacques le Moyne de Morgues in 1565.

The name was not commonly used for the whole mountain range until the late 19th century. A competing and often more popular name was the “Allegheny Mountains”, “Alleghenies”, and even “Alleghania”.

In U.S. dialects in the southern regions of the Appalachians, the word is pronounced /ˌæpəˈlætʃɪnz/, with the third syllable sounding like “latch”.

the third syllable is like “lay”, and the fourth “chins” or “shins”. There is often great debate between the residents of the regions regarding the correct pronunciation.

Perhaps partly because the range runs through large portions of both the United States and Canada, and partly because the range was formed over numerous geologic time periods (one of which is sometimes termed the Appalachian orogeny), writing communities struggle to agree on an encyclopedic definition of the mountain range.

The landforms are referred to as physiographic regions. The regions create precise boundaries from which maps can be drawn.

The Appalachian Uplands is the name of one of seven physiographic regions of Canada.

The lowest level of classification is “section”. Following are the physiographic provinces and sections of the Appalachian Highlands using USGS terminology.

The Appalachian Uplands are one of the seven physiographic divisions in Canada. Canada’s GSC does not use the same classification system as the USGS below the division level.

While the Appalachian Highlands and Appalachian Uplands are generally continuous across the U.S./Canadian border, the St. Lawrence Valley area is handled differently in the physiographic classification schemas.

Lawrence Valley in the United States is one of the second-level classifications, part of the Appalachian Highlands. In Canada, the area is part of the first-level classification, the St.

This includes the area around the city of Montreal, Anticosti Island, and the northwest coastline of Newfoundland. The dissected plateau area, while not actually made up of geological mountains, is popularly called “mountains”, especially in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, and while the ridges are not high, the terrain is extremely rugged.

The glaciated regions are usually referred to as hill country rather than mountains.

The Appalachian belt includes the plateaus sloping southward to the Atlantic Ocean in New England, and southeastward to the border of the coastal plain through the central and southern Atlantic states. and on the northwest, the Allegheny and Cumberland plateaus declining toward the Great Lakes and the interior plains.

The mountain system has no axis of dominating altitudes, but in every portion, the summits rise to rather uniform heights, and, especially in the central section, the various ridges and intermontane valleys have the same trend as the system itself. None of the summits reaches the region of perpetual snow.

In Pennsylvania, there are over sixty summits that rise over 2,500 ft (800 m). the summits of Mount Davis and Blue Knob rise over 3,000 ft (900 m).

On the same side of the Great Valley, south of the Potomac, are the Pinnacle 3,007 feet (917 m) and Pidgeon Roost 3,400 ft (1,000 m). In West Virginia, more than 150 peaks rise above 4,000 ft (1,200 m), including Spruce Knob 4,863 ft (1,482 m), the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains.

Cheat Mountain (Snowshoe Mountain) at Thorny Flat 4,848 ft (1,478 m) and Bald Knob 4,842 ft (1,476 m) are among the more notable peaks in West Virginia.

South Mountain achieves its highest point just below the Mason-Dixon line in Maryland at Quirauk Mountain 2,145 ft (654 m) and then diminishes in height southward to the Potomac River. Once in Virginia, the Blue Ridge again reaches 2,000 ft (600 m) and higher.

Stories from the Parkway. I bet most of us have an example of a vacation that didn’t go as planned.

It throws a wrench into your travel plans and can even derail your trip. So, what should you do to help prepare for the unexpected.

I bet most of us have an example of a vacation that didn’t go as planned. A road was closed, a parking lot was full, traffic slowed or halted your progress to your destination.

So, what should you do to help prepare for the unexpected. Here are nine practical tips for planning a successful Blue Ridge Parkway road trip.

I bet most of us have an example of a vacation that didn’t go as planned. A road was closed, a parking lot was full, traffic slowed or halted your progress to your destination.

So, what should you do to help prepare for the unexpected. Here are nine practical tips for planning a successful Blue Ridge Parkway road trip.

I bet most of us have an example of a vacation that didn’t go as planned. A road was closed, a parking lot was full, traffic slowed or halted your progress to your destination.

So, what should you do to help prepare for the unexpected. Here are nine practical tips for planning a successful Blue Ridge Parkway road trip.

*To display shelter locations: click on this icon in the top left corner of the map (menu options will expand). Scroll down and check the “Appalachian Trail Shelters” box.

Highest Point: 4,458 ft (Blood Mountain). Overview and Why it is Awesome:.

This is where it all begins (or ends). Blood Mountain is the first big mountain for Northbounders.

An historic stone shelter, built in 1934 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) is perched on the summit. Mountain Crossings Outfitters at Neels Gap is the first real hostel and outfitter you will reach.

A tree full of hanging hiker boots stands as a marker for all of those who have come before. Most thru-hikers go through what is called a ‘shakedown’ here.

Despite being the warmest state the AT goes through, Georgia is often the coldest section for most thru-hikers. It can still snow in March in North Georgia when the big bubble of Nourthbounders sets off.

Southbounders finishing in Georgia in November have been known to encounter heavy snow storms as well (I did. ).

The Trail is well marked and well maintained. There are not any bogs, swamps or heavily rocky areas either.

Length: 386.7 miles (78.5 to 465.1). Highest Point: 6,643 ft (Clingman’s Dome).

Tennessee and North Carolina are listed as ‘one state’ here because the Trail snakes in and out along their border making it hard to differentiate the two. When I think of North Carolina and Tennessee, I think of wild flowers, flowing streams, spruce-fir forest and grassy balds.

There are two record-high elevation landmarks in this section. Roan High Knob Shelter and Clingman’s Dome.

At 6,643 ft, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point on the AT. ‘The Smokys’.

This section contains the largest old growth forest and the densest population of black bears in the East. ‘Old growth’ means forest that has been relatively undisturbed by man (logging, etc).

I had no idea how little old growth actually remained in the USA until I hiked through this section. The spruce-fir forest is simply majestic.

Roan Highlands is a small section that contains the longest stretch of grassy bald on the entire Trail. The Trail goes along an elevated, open, grassy ridge line with amazing views.

It is an historic and charming town with fewer than 1,000 citizens. You can walk down the main street to French Broad River or to one of the only natural hot springs in the entire Southeast.

Highest Point: 5,729 ft (Mt. Rogers down a short side trail).

This state is massive. It makes up 25% of the entire trail length.

Damascus is one of the most well known trail towns for it’s famous festival, Trail Days. Most Northbounders bottle neck into Damascus for the festival in mid May.

Set half a mile off trail, this log cabin and 100 acre farm was built in the 1880’s. The owners make some great homemade meals.

Since then, they have grown to a herd over 100 strong and freely graze the grasslands. In addition to ponies, the Grayson Highlands section offers long, flat trails with big views at 5,000 ft above sea level.

This emblematic rock jets out like Pride Rock from the Lion King and is the cover of the movie, “A Walk in the Woods”. The Trail continues to follow the beautiful limestone ledge into Tinker Cliffs and provides even more views.

The Shenandoahs, or ‘Shenny’s’, is a 75 mile long subrange of the Appalachian Mountains located in central Virginia. The high concentration of black bears and beautiful overlooks make it a popular and more touristy section (Shenandoah National Park) of the Trail.

It is not flat by any means. There are plenty of big climbs as well as the ‘roller coaster’ section.

Length: 17.7 miles (1,005.7 to 1,023.4). Highest Point: 1,650 ft.

This section is tiny and can be covered in a day. The main attraction in West Virginia is the historic town, Harper’s Ferry.

Meaning this is the largest town near the halfway point. Most hikers use this point to flip-flop north or south from.

These books document decades worth of thousands of hikers. This is as official as it gets for your thru-hiker award and recognition status.

I recommend reading Midnight Rising before you reach Harper’s Ferry. It tells the tale of the famous raid on Harper’s Ferry by the abolitionist John Brown.

Highest Point: 1,795 ft. Overview and Why it’s Awesome:.

There was nothing bad about it, but nothing too noteworthy either. You also cross a ‘Mason-Dixon Line’ marker from Maryland into Pennsylvania and a nice overlook at Washington Monument.

Highest Point: 2,040 ft. Overview and Why it’s Awesome:.

But, rocks, rocks, rocks. Maybe some more rocks after that.

The constant angling of ankles can be extremely frustrating on long days when you just want to WALK and not tip toe or calculate every hop. Pennsylvania destroys shoes and will test your rattlesnake spotting ability.

The Doyle Hotel is a must stop. This place has character.

It has inexpensive rooms and a great second floor balcony to chomp down on a burger and enjoy cold beer. A few more random notes.

I saw several groups of Amish hiking and a horse and carriage at a road crossing as well. The Pinnacle is a big climb with a great view.

Highest Point: 1,653 ft (Sunrise Mountain). Overview and Why it’s Awesome:.

Expect several bear sightings and a beautiful wildlife sanctuary. The Trail wraps around the perimeter of the grassy sanctuary.

Sunfish Pond is beautiful – a pristine and glass-like body of water engulfed by rich forest. There is a massive 1.5 mile wooden boardwalk in New Jersey that is great for an easy stroll.

*Note the trail overlaps in and out of CT and NY here. Highest Point: 1,433 ft (Prospect Rock).

You are able to see the New York City skyline off in the distance for a small section. There is even a railroad station on the Trail that takes you directly into Grand Central Station.

Just be aware of your smell. Most subway passengers were not pleased with my hygiene.

You will cross over the famous Hudson River and pass West Point Academy where Dwight D. Eisenhower, Robert E.Lee, George S.

Just after the bridge is a ‘trail zoo’ that hosts rescued animals. Black bears, coyotes, owls, snakes and a wide variety of other animals from the area are there.

A few more notes… New York has the biggest tree on the entire Trail. No hitchhiking in New York.

Bear Mountain was particularly congested. Bear Mountain, at 124 ft, is also the lowest point on the Trail.

Highest Point: 2,316 (Bear Mountain). Overview and Why it’s Awesome:.

Still pretty, but not much noteworthy. No wildfires are permitted.

There is a rope swing and a small convenience store nearby. My hiking crew and I sprawled out eating junk food and swinging into the river for hours.

Highest Point: 3,491 (Mt. Greylock).

Greylock is a landmark. You can see five states from it’s summit and.

The Appalachian mountains were formed in the Ordovician Period, which is roughly around 480 million years ago. Since these mountains are extremely old, their heights have been greatly reduced due to erosion.

states. So what states do the Appalachian mountains go through.

In this article, we’ll answer this question and provide you with various information about the Appalachian Trail. Let’s dive in.

Contents. Advertising Disclosure: What States is a for profit reference website, supported by advertisements.

The Appalachian Mountains run through 14 states. Arranged from the North to South, these states include:.

You can find the highest point of the Appalachian Mountains in the southern division, in the Southern states like North Carolina. States featuring the highest elevations include:

The Appalachian Trail is a public footpath that extends across the mountain. The trial was completed in the late 1930s and is currently managed and moderated by the National Park Service.

The exact length of the Appalachian Trail changes slightly from time to time depending on the safety regulations.

❓ Trivia Time: What states are the Mid Atlantic.

The Appalachian Trail starts at Mount Katahdin of Maine and passes through all of the 14 states that the Appalachian Mountain goes through, and ends at the Springer Mountain in the State of Georgia.

We bet you can’t guess all 7 states that the Rockies are in.

Walking the entire distance of the trail continuously is known as “Thru-Hiking”. In fact, as little as 25% of all the hikers that attempt to cross the Appalachian Trail make it all the way to the end, although thousands of them are always lining up at both ends of the trail.

❓ Trivia Time: Which US states are considered part of the Bible Belt. We bet you can’t name all the Bible Belt states.

With that said, you now have an answer to the question “what states do the Appalachian mountains go through. ”.

As you can see, the mountains run through 14 of the U.S. states, making it quite a unique journey across the East Coast of the United States.

Starting at the southern end of Shenandoah National Park and winding along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains all the way to Great Smoky Mountains National Park some 469 miles away, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the country’s great scenic drives. This is especially true during autumn, when the dogwoods and gum trees turn deep red, and the hickories yellow, against an evergreen backdrop of pines, hemlocks, and firs.

First proposed in the 1920s, the bulk of the Blue Ridge Parkway was constructed in many stages between 1935 and 1967, during which time it grew from a network of local roads to the current route, along which billboards and commercial traffic are both banned. The last section near Linn Cove Viaduct in North Carolina was completed in the mid-1980s.

For ease of use, we’ve divided the Blue Ridge Parkway into three main sections, starting with the drive between Shenandoah National Park and Roanoke. Rockfish Gap at the southern end of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive, marks the northern start of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Yankee Horse parking area has an exhibit on an old logging railroad, part of which has been restored, and a short trail to Wigwam Falls. The James River Visitor Center (434/299-5496) offers exhibits and trails along the James River and Kanawha Canal.

Great views can be had over both valleys from the highest point on the parkway in Virginia, at 3,950 feet. The most popular—and most developed—stretch of the parkway, the Peaks of Otter section includes a visitors center (540/586-4496), gas station, restaurant, and pleasant lodge (540/586-1081, year-round, $129 and up) Three peaks rise above a small lake and give great sunrise and sunset views.

This section ends at the city of Roanoke. South from Roanoke, the Blue Ridge Parkway winds another 100 miles before crossing the North Carolina border.

In place of the spectacular vistas, you’ll see many more houses and small farms, a few pioneer cabins (preserved and not), miles of split-rail fences, and some picturesque cemeteries. The southern reaches, approaching the North Carolina border, get better and better.

A 2.6-mile loop trail leads to a pioneer cabin overlooking the Smart View for which it’s named. Blooming dogwoods abound in May.

The 4,800-acre Rocky Knob area contains a campground (540/745-9664), a visitors center, and a strenuous but rewarding 10-mile round-trip trail (starting at milepost 167.1) leading down through Rock Castle Gorge and over 3,572-foot Rocky Knob. A short trail leads to Mabry Mill, in use from 1905 to 1935.

A restaurant, open spring through fall, sells old-fashioned pancakes made from stone-ground flour, plus country ham and hamburgers. This is the junction with US-52, which runs south to Mount Airy, North Carolina, home of Mayberry, RFD.

The highest and most memorable parts of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway are the 250 mountainous miles leading along the backbone of North Carolina. Following the southern Blue Ridge Mountains as they fade into the taller and more massive Black Mountains, the parkway skirts three other mountain ranges before ending up at Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee border.

Take your time and drive carefully, however hard it is to keep your eyes on the road. A couple of worthwhile detours—to the mountain hamlets of Blowing Rock and Little Switzerland, and to the city of Asheville—are covered in greater detail in the main text of Road Trip USA.

This section starts at the Virginia-North Carolina border. An easy half-mile trail leads to the top of 2,885-foot Cumberland Knob.

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is a 3,500-acre former private estate, with many miles of mountaintop hiking trails.

The marvelous engineering feat of the Linn Cove Viaduct carries the parkway around rugged Grandfather Mountain. Completed in 1987, this was the last part of the parkway to be built.

US-221, which used to carry the parkway before the viaduct was built, leads a mile south to 5,946-foot Grandfather Mountain (828/733-4337 or 800/468-7325, daily, $20 adults), the highest peak in Blue Ridge, now a private park with nature trails, a zoo, and the famous Mile-High Swinging Bridge. A half-mile nature trail leads to 3,995-foot Flat Rock for a view of Grandfather Mountain.

short trails lead to scenic overlooks. At the junction of Hwy-226, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals (828/765-2761, daily 9am-5pm, free) displays all kinds and sizes of local gemstones, which you can watch being polished.

Drive to within 200 yards of the weather-beaten 6,684-foot summit, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Best seen in late spring when the rhododendrons are in full bloom, the lush greenery of Craggy Gardens feels like an Appalachian Shangri-La.

At the highest point on the parkway (6,047 feet in elevation), a self-guided nature trail leads through a first-growth spruce and fir forest. The southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway is at the junction with US-441 and the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Hiker Parade at Trail Days 2013 in Damascus, VA.

You know about people hundreds of miles in front of you and hundreds of miles behind … through only the most rudimentary of mechanisms – paper notebooks, message boards and the word of hostel owners. And being a hiker, living out in the Woods with the scorpions, the snakes, the trees and the dirt … you inexplicably feel bound to each and every other person who does the same.

It spans ages and breaks class boundaries. – Voodoo, NOBO 2008.

tend to revolve around the people of the trail. Whether they be hikers, townies, hostel owners, Trail Angels, or another part the A.T.

Compared to other long-distance trails the A.T. is considered a more “social” trail.

While the A.T. takes hikers out into the wilderness and at times into very remote areas, it is intertwined with civilization more frequently than many of its sister long-distance trails.

As a result countless nearby communities have come to embrace it as a part of their culture. Many hikers will flood you with stories of the deep and meaningful connections they made with other hikers.

Today being a part of this A.T. community is as much a draw as the wilderness that surrounds it.

hikers is “trail magic”. Trail magic describes random acts of kindness bestowed upon hikers often by complete strangers.

Unsurprisingly, many Trail Angels are former thru-hikers “paying it forward”–returning the kindness they received on the trail to current hikers. However, anyone can be a Trail Angel whether they are familiar with the A.T.

Trail Magic can be something as simple as a free snack or it can be as elaborate as setting up a small coffee shop at a road crossing. Some Trail Angels even make a habit of inviting hikers into their homes.

You can find information for “professional” Trail Angels offering shuttles and lodging in some guidebooks and occasionally at outfitters. Hikers will find these memorable encounters throughout the entirety of the A.T., but due to the higher concentration of northbound hikers there is often an over-saturation of trail magic in the Southern Mountains in the spring.

Regardless, should you be fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of trail magic do not take it for granted and be sure to show a deep level of appreciation. Should you be a former, future, or even current hiker looking to grant a little trail magic yourself be sure to carry it out responsibly.

Please read these guidelines by the ATC to help get you started. ARTICLE: Trail Angels and Trail Magic on the Appalachian Trail ARTICLE: The Generosity of Trail Magic ARTICLE: Trail Magic – Love It or Hate It.

The National Park Service holds the ultimate legal responsibility for the A.T. and the ATC acts as its primary advocate to the public and government.

There are currently 30 official maintaining clubs affiliated with the ATC, each with it’s own specific stretch of trail to care for. Maintenance sections can be as small as the Wilmington Trail Club’s 7.2 miles or as large as the Maine Appalachian Trail Club’s 267 miles.

Clubs do everything from maintaining existing trails and painting blazes to excavating trail reroutes and building new shelters. The trail got its beginnings thanks to the volunteer efforts of men like MacKaye and Avery and its continued existence relies on people like you and I taking time out of our day to give back to the trail.

volunteer visit the ATC’s volunteer page here. ARTICLE: From Thru-Hiker to Volunteer: How to Give Back ARTICLE: How the AT Works: What DOES a Maintainer Do.

It’s 2,200 miles long. it is roughly 300 million years old, and it’s the only trail in the world to span an ocean.

Separated by tectonic shifts millions of years ago the once-shared mountain ranges of North America and Europe are again linked for walkers and hikers by the International Appalachian Trail. From its origins in Georgia, the trail eventually reaches land again in the most spectacular way: Donegal’s Slieve League Cliffs.

Slieve League boasts some of the highest cliffs in Europe with the Leagues path leading up to nearly 2,000 feet. That’s almost three times the height of Ireland’s other scenic cliffs in County Clare – The Cliffs of Moher.

From the Slieve League cliffs, the trail continues through Donegal crossing the birthplace of an Irish saint: Columba. The trail brings hikers down from the cliffs to the sandy beaches of Silver Strand and Maghera.

Here the locals are bi-lingual and can be relied on to teach visitors a few words in Irish, accent included too. Both history and beauty await you, as the journey continues through Donegal’s Bluestack Mountains.

After crossing Kelly’s bridge into Northern Ireland, you learn that it is much more than just the trail that links Ulster to the Appalachian Mountains, it is also centuries of emigration. At the Ulster American Folk Park in County Tyrone, you can relive the story of Ulster families search for new lives in the Appalachian Mountains and other parts of America.

Here majestic beauty and rugged wilderness collide to produce truly stunning results. So much so that National Geographic included it in the 101 top scenic drives in the world but make sure to keep your eyes open for more than just the Sperrins majestic scenery, because dotted along these rolling mountains lies traces of gold, hardly surprising considering it is home to a gold mine.

At the end of the Sperrin Mountains, the route begins to drop down along Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route. Here you’ll pass Mussenden Temple, built on the cliff edge in 1785.

This medieval castle is perched on the edge of a crumbling cliff, above pounding waves. It’s easy to see why it provided the inspiration for Antrim author C.S.

Proceed along the Antrim coast and you reach the stunning geological wonder of the Giant’s Causeway. This World Heritage Site has caused many a debate over its creation.

However, local legend tells that it was created by a giant and once reached all the way to Scotland. After the Giant’s Causeway, you’ll reach another one of Northern Ireland’s finest attractions- the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

The Appalachian Trail (usually shortened to the A.T.) is one of the most famous thru-hikes in the world. Known for its scenic beauty, distance, and wildlife, the A.T.

Although the trail is quite famous, most people don’t know just how tough it can be. Today, we are going to take a look at some of the most interesting info about the A.T.

Let’s find out where the Appalachian Trail starts and ends (plus a few other fun facts).

©EWY Media/Shutterstock.com. The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a long trail that stretches across the mountain range in the eastern United States known as the Appalachian Mountains.

MacKaye conceptualized a potential trail but died before anyone took up the cause. Soon after his death, however, people realized the value of such an achievement and began to map and blaze the trail themselves.

Although the 1936 hike was the first accepted thru-hike, the trail as it is today is quite a bit different. Different groups have remodeled the trail to reduce erosion and increase scenic viewing, with the modern version of the trail being completed around the turn of the century.

Since then, the A.T. has become one of the National Scenic Trails.

Among them, however, the Appalachian Trail is still the longest “hiking-only” trail, with the others being accessible by car and horseback. The Appalachian Trail begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia.

The Appalachian Trail begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and ends at Mount Katahdin, Maine. The trail stretches across most of the eastern U.S., with a total length of 2,200 miles.

The vast majority of the trail is through extremely wild portions of the United States. Still, it does make intentional crossings through towns, roads, and farms.

Although the official route of the A.T. is 2,200 miles and extends from Georgia to Maine, there are extensions that are widely recognized.

Other extensions of the Appalachian Trail include the Eastern Continental Trail (from Florida to Quebec) and a potential trail extension heading into the ancient Appalachian regions of Scotland and Ireland. Although there is some debate as to which direction to go on the Appalachian Trail, the vast majority of people head north, starting in Georgia.

As you may guess, someone hiking south on the trail is known as a SoBo (southbounder). The most common way to hike is from south to north, starting in Georgia.

The peak time for NoBo hikers begins in March and ends in April, with most beginning the route sometime during those months. Overall, the trip takes between 5-7 months, with most people completing it in 6 months total.

©drewthehobbit/Shutterstock.com. The Appalachian Trail is one of the most popular trails in the United States, although few actually thru-hike the entire thing.

Although visiting the trail is great, few attempt to actually hike the entirety of it at once. These thru-hikers, if completed, have done something that many members of the hiking community respect deeply due to its difficulty and distance.

Of those 250 people, about 75% begin in the south and hike north, with the remaining beginning in the north and hiking south. When an individual hikes to one end and then returns back the way they came, it’s known as a “yo-yo” and is particularly tough.

They are usually spaced about a day apart across the trail and are small, three-walled structures you can throw a sleeping bag in. In larger ones, tents can fit inside.

©drewthehobbit/Shutterstock.com. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is sort of a badge in many outdoor communities.

The entire time you are dirty, tired, and uncomfortable. Despite this, the ability to say you’ve hiked the majority of the east coast along mountain ridges is something noteworthy.

Mountains, forests, snow, valleys, and wildlife are commonly seen during the trip, and they make up some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of the United States. Additionally, there is a strong sense of community around the trail, with online groups and supports established all over the country.

Few will understand what it’s like to hike the trail than someone who did it with you.

©Nico Giuliani/Shutterstock.com. The trail is known for its abundance of wildlife and it is highly likely you will encounter quite a few of them during your adventure, including:

All the better to avoid waking up to find a bruin scarfing down their jerky and granola bars. North America’s most abundant cervid tends to hang around the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Smokies.

Species of the bushy-tailed rodent you are likely to encounter include the eastern gray squirrel and the red squirrel known for their penchants for larder and nest swapping, respectively. While squirrels generally tend to give humans a wide berth, it is worth noting that they can become infected with rabies and can bite.

The Laurel Falls path on the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee is very popular, but there can be dangers behind the beauty, so take precautions to stay safe. ©anthony heflin/Shutterstock.com.

While they are not official law enforcement officers, there are trail “ridgerunners” and “caretakers” who report to trail managers on any potential dangers. There can be crimes along the trail, so it’s important not to be too trusting of strangers, even though most people are hiking the trail for the right reasons.

Other dangers can involve severe weather, high winds, and steep, rugged terrain. The threat of being attacked or killed by bears, coyotes, or snakes is very low.

The more common threats from hiking the trail would be ticks, mosquitos, spiders, and other bugs. Bites from them could possibly result in illness, so it’s important to carry bug spray among your travel items (as well as pepper spray for larger animals or threats from humans).

©iStock.com/ehrlif. If you are considering an attempt at hiking the A.T.

Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding this rewarding endeavor: The photo featured at the top of this post is © drewthehobbit/Shutterstock.com.

The Appalachian Mountains are a North American mountain chain of 2,000+ miles going from central Alabama to Newfoundland, parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, short, rugged, bunched up, a barrier to early European settlers, subject to strip mining and mountaintop removal, and home to the iconic “A. T.” hiking trail.

The Appalachian mountain chain formed approximately 500 million years ago through the collision of continental plates. Older than the Rocky Mountains or the Himalayas, the Appalachians are nowhere near as high and may not seem imposing, but their rugged, steep, bunched-up formations are typically at around 5000′ or higher , and they formed a barrier to European settlers hoping to move west in the early days of the United States.

For European settlers trying to go west starting anywhere from North Carolina to New Jersey, there were two southwest-to-northeast mountain ridges that had to be crossed: the Cumberland Mountain ridge (more westerly) and the Pine Mountain ridge (more easterly). There were two gaps across Cumberland Mountain, at either Pennington Gap (Virginia) or, about 40 miles southward, Cumberland Gap.

Thus, Cumberland Gap became the only feasible way through for wagon trains, and in 1775, Daniel Boone led an expedition to blaze a trail across the Cumberland Gap. Cumberland Gap became a famous place and is today the meeting point of three states: Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky.

Forty years later (and much farther north), a second, more practical route across the Appalachians was developed when the Erie Canal was built through the Mohawk Valley, across New York state to Buffalo, New York, at the eastern tip of Lake Erie.

This iconic, 2200-mile trail is used annually by around 3 million people, and about 3000 people attempt to hike it completely in one season beginning from Georgia in early spring. Only about a quarter of those attempting the through-hike are able to complete the entire trail continuously in one season.

In modern times, much of the Appalachian chain in the United States (especially in Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania) has been subject to surface mining and mountaintop removal, usually for coal. In many cases, all it took was a back hoe and a dump truck.

This surface mining and mountaintop coal removal has been done because it’s cheap and easy, and the quick profits from it can then be used to fund deeper, more costly shaft and drift mines. And among some local people, the need for jobs overrode a desire to preserve the land.

Since the 1970’s, environmental regulations applied to such practices, but in reality, there was lax enforcement because at first, enforcement was left to the states, which were unable to stop the practice because of local pressures on inspectors. Only after the federal Environmental Protection Agency intervened in regulating the practice in the late 1970’s was it slowed (though not stopped).

What’s hotGeography of the united states by Geography of the united statesAaron Carn5.1K views•39 slidesTypes of landforms by Types of landformsmerlene12K views•10 slidesMajor landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthFaraz Iqbal16.3K views•18 slidesHistory ch 1 When Where and How by History ch 1 When Where and Howjaisiebinoy178 views•17 slidesIndustries by IndustriesTeetiksha Sheoran22.7K views•26 slidesEight Regions Of North America by Eight Regions Of North Americaguest8d1309c759.6K views•25 slidesElection of 1824: A Corrupt Bargain by Election of 1824: A Corrupt Bargaincortezushistory7.3K views•8 slidesLandforms by Landformslavadoods Masta13.3K views•24 slidesMajor landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthAkanksha 36.7K views•20 slides5.1 – North American Landforms and Resources by 5.1 – North American Landforms and ResourcesDan Ewert7.4K views•31 slidesMaya, Aztec, and Inca by Maya, Aztec, and IncaSeth Thompson81.2K views•43 slidesMayan Slideshow by Mayan Slideshowisruas17.6K views•16 slides10.2 – Central America and the Caribbean by 10.2 – Central America and the CaribbeanDan Ewert1.9K views•27 slidesThe 5 Themes of Geography by The 5 Themes of GeographyTim Bonnar224K views•15 slidesWorld editable continent map with countries by World editable continent map with countriesSlideTeam.net11.7K views•69 slidesPhysical region of north america by Physical region of north americabadtrainerno12.8K views•13 slidesIndus Valley Civilization by Indus Valley CivilizationVilla Santa Maria12.1K views•62 slidesGeography 6 by Geography 6DuppalaSreeHarsha21.9K views•49 slidesThe Inca Empire by The Inca Empire Boutkhil Guemide5.6K views•22 slidesChinese civilization by Chinese civilizationNaimAlmashoori30.5K views•44 slidesWhat’s hot (20)Geography of the united states by Aaron CarnGeography of the united statesAaron Carn•5.1K viewsTypes of landforms by merlene1Types of landformsmerlene1•2K viewsMajor landforms of the earth by Faraz IqbalMajor landforms of the earthFaraz Iqbal•16.3K viewsHistory ch 1 When Where and How by jaisiebinoyHistory ch 1 When Where and Howjaisiebinoy•178 viewsIndustries by Teetiksha SheoranIndustriesTeetiksha Sheoran•22.7K viewsEight Regions Of North America by guest8d1309c7Eight Regions Of North Americaguest8d1309c7•59.6K viewsElection of 1824: A Corrupt Bargain by cortezushistoryElection of 1824: A Corrupt Bargaincortezushistory•7.3K viewsLandforms by lavadoods MastaLandformslavadoods Masta•13.3K viewsMajor landforms of the earth by Akanksha Major landforms of the earthAkanksha •36.7K views5.1 – North American Landforms and Resources by Dan Ewert5.1 – North American Landforms and ResourcesDan Ewert•7.4K viewsMaya, Aztec, and Inca by Seth ThompsonMaya, Aztec, and IncaSeth Thompson•81.2K viewsMayan Slideshow by isruasMayan Slideshowisruas•17.6K views10.2 – Central America and the Caribbean by Dan Ewert10.2 – Central America and the CaribbeanDan Ewert•1.9K viewsThe 5 Themes of Geography by Tim BonnarThe 5 Themes of GeographyTim Bonnar•224K viewsWorld editable continent map with countries by SlideTeam.netWorld editable continent map with countriesSlideTeam.net•11.7K viewsPhysical region of north america by badtrainerno1Physical region of north americabadtrainerno1•2.8K viewsIndus Valley Civilization by Villa Santa MariaIndus Valley CivilizationVilla Santa Maria•12.1K viewsGeography 6 by DuppalaSreeHarshaGeography 6DuppalaSreeHarsha•21.9K viewsThe Inca Empire by Boutkhil GuemideThe Inca Empire Boutkhil Guemide•5.6K viewsChinese civilization by NaimAlmashooriChinese civilizationNaimAlmashoori•30.5K views.

Geography of the united states by Geography of the united statesAaron Carn5.1K views•39 slidesTypes of landforms by Types of landformsmerlene12K views•10 slidesMajor landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthFaraz Iqbal16.3K views•18 slidesHistory ch 1 When Where and How by History ch 1 When Where and Howjaisiebinoy178 views•17 slidesIndustries by IndustriesTeetiksha Sheoran22.7K views•26 slidesEight Regions Of North America by Eight Regions Of North Americaguest8d1309c759.6K views•25 slidesElection of 1824: A Corrupt Bargain by Election of 1824: A Corrupt Bargaincortezushistory7.3K views•8 slidesLandforms by Landformslavadoods Masta13.3K views•24 slidesMajor landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthAkanksha 36.7K views•20 slides5.1 – North American Landforms and Resources by 5.1 – North American Landforms and ResourcesDan Ewert7.4K views•31 slidesMaya, Aztec, and Inca by Maya, Aztec, and IncaSeth Thompson81.2K views•43 slidesMayan Slideshow by Mayan Slideshowisruas17.6K views•16 slides10.2 – Central America and the Caribbean by 10.2 – Central America and the CaribbeanDan Ewert1.9K views•27 slidesThe 5 Themes of Geography by The 5 Themes of GeographyTim Bonnar224K views•15 slidesWorld editable continent map with countries by World editable continent map with countriesSlideTeam.net11.7K views•69 slidesPhysical region of north america by Physical region of north americabadtrainerno12.8K views•13 slidesIndus Valley Civilization by Indus Valley CivilizationVilla Santa Maria12.1K views•62 slidesGeography 6 by Geography 6DuppalaSreeHarsha21.9K views•49 slidesThe Inca Empire by The Inca Empire Boutkhil Guemide5.6K views•22 slidesChinese civilization by Chinese civilizationNaimAlmashoori30.5K views•44 slides.

Geography of the united states by Geography of the united statesAaron Carn5.1K views•39 slides.

5.1K views•39 slides. Types of landforms by Types of landformsmerlene12K views•10 slides.

Types of landformsmerlene12K views•10 slides. 2K views•10 slides.

Major landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthFaraz Iqbal16.3K views•18 slides.

16.3K views•18 slides. History ch 1 When Where and How by History ch 1 When Where and Howjaisiebinoy178 views•17 slides.

History ch 1 When Where and Howjaisiebinoy178 views•17 slides. 178 views•17 slides.

Industries by IndustriesTeetiksha Sheoran22.7K views•26 slides.

22.7K views•26 slides. Eight Regions Of North America by Eight Regions Of North Americaguest8d1309c759.6K views•25 slides.

Eight Regions Of North Americaguest8d1309c759.6K views•25 slides. 59.6K views•25 slides.

Election of 1824: A Corrupt Bargain by Election of 1824: A Corrupt Bargaincortezushistory7.3K views•8 slides.

7.3K views•8 slides. Landforms by Landformslavadoods Masta13.3K views•24 slides.

Landformslavadoods Masta13.3K views•24 slides. 13.3K views•24 slides.

Major landforms of the earth by Major landforms of the earthAkanksha 36.7K views•20 slides.

36.7K views•20 slides. 5.1 – North American Landforms and Resources by 5.1 – North American Landforms and ResourcesDan Ewert7.4K views•31 slides.

5.1 – North American Landforms and ResourcesDan Ewert7.4K views•31 slides. 7.4K views•31 slides.

Maya, Aztec, and Inca by Maya, Aztec, and IncaSeth Thompson81.2K views•43 slides.

The Appalachian Mountains , often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period, and once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rocky Mountains before they were eroded.

Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians.

The range is mostly located in the United States but extends into southeastern Canada, forming a zone from 100 to 300 mi (160 to 480 km) wide, running from the island of Newfoundland 1,500 mi (2,400 km) southwestward to Central Alabama in the United States. The range covers parts of the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, which comprise an overseas territory of France.

The highest of the group is Mount Mitchell in North Carolina at 6,684 feet (2,037 m), which is the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The term Appalachian refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range.

However, the term is often used more restrictively to refer to regions in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, usually including areas in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina, as well as sometimes extending as far south as northern Georgia and western South Carolina, as far north as Pennsylvania and southern Ohio.

During the earliest Paleozoic Era, the continent that would later become North America straddled the equator. The Appalachian region was a passive plate margin, not unlike today’s Atlantic Coastal Plain Province.

Thick layers of sediment and carbonate rock were deposited on the shallow sea bottom when the region was submerged. When seas receded, terrestrial sedimentary deposits and erosion dominated.

The once quiet Appalachian passive margin changed to a very active plate boundary when a neighboring oceanic plate, the Iapetus, collided with and began sinking beneath the North American craton. With the creation of this new subduction zone, the early Appalachians were born.

Thrust faulting uplifted and warped older sedimentary rock laid down on the passive margin. As mountains rose, erosion began to wear them down.

This was just the first of a series of mountain building plate collisions that contributed to the formation of the Appalachians. Mountain building continued periodically throughout the next 250 million years (Caledonian, Acadian, Ouachita, Hercynian, and Allegheny orogenies).

Microplates, smaller bits of crust, too small to be called continents, were swept in, one by one, to be welded to the growing mass. By about 300 million years ago (Pennsylvanian Period) Africa was approaching the North American craton.

Continent vs. continent collision raised the Appalachian-Ouachita chain to a lofty mountain range on the scale of the present-day Himalaya.

Pangea began to break up about 220 million years ago, in the Early Mesozoic Era (Late Triassic Period). As Pangea rifted apart a new passive tectonic margin was born and the forces that created the Appalachian, Ouachita, and Marathon Mountains were stilled.

By the end of the Mesozoic Era, the Appalachian Mountains had been eroded to an almost flat plain. It was not until the region was uplifted during the Cenozoic Era that the distinctive topography of the present formed.

Some streams flowed along weak layers that define the folds and faults created many millions of years earlier. Other streams downcut so rapidly that they cut right across the resistant folded rocks of the mountain core, carving canyons across rock layers and geologic structures.

Note : The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wikipedia Plate Boundary By : USGS.

Whenever I travel, I try to learn as much about where I’m going as I can, in as many ways as I can. So I’ve been spending some time studying the creeks and rivers of the Appalachian Trail.

It’s easier to think in terms of rivers that flow directly to the coast—there are only 20 of those. Put them all on a map, and America looks like a weird assortment of little countries.

In the rest of this post, I’ll take a look at the trail’s path through each of these watery realms, moving (roughly) from south to north. All the listed mileages are 2022 NOBO from FarOut and include places where the trail runs along a watershed divide—that’s why many segments overlap.

Our first Appalachian river goes all the way to Alabama. The entire approach trail drains into Amicalola Creek, which flows through the Etowah, Coosa, and Alabama rivers down to Mobile Bay.

The namesake of the Appalachian mountains, the Appalachicola finds the Gulf near Pensacola. Its main representative in Georgia is the Chattahoochee, the state’s longest river, which has its source along the trail at mile 48.2.

(I can’t write “Chattahoochee” without hearing this song in my head. Thanks, country music.).

Almost the whole southern third of the trail either borders the Mississippi basin or lies within it.

It stays in the New River basin for a hundred miles, crossing the river at Pearisburg (mi. 637.5).

The Mississippi River Basin in all its glory. Notice the Tennessee and the Kanawha off to the east.

About that Eastern Continental Divide… the trail actually runs along it for 33 miles way back in Georgia. After it leaves the Chattahoochee behind, the southern side of the Blue Ridge flows down to the Savannah, heading straight to the Atlantic sea islands.

The only river along the AT that finds the sea in the Carolinas, the trail joins up with the Roanoke just south of Roanoke, Virginia. Well, it’s actually in the Roanoke watershed for only 15 miles—for the rest of this 50-mile stretch, the trail runs along a divide between the Roanoke River to the south and the James to the north.

Save the Bay. (image by Karl Musser via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).

This is one of the biggest rivers in Virginia, the only one apart from the Potomac to cut through the Blue Ridge. The trail crosses the James (mi.

North of Saddleback Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, the east side of the Blue Ridge slopes down towards the Rappahannock. The trail runs the full length of this divide except for a brief detour at its northern tip, and the source of the river itself is just downhill from the trail near Front Royal (mi.

We’ve arrived at another big one. At Meadow Mountain south of Waynesboro, the Shenandoah Valley begins on the west side of the Blue Ridge, and there it remains all the way to the Shenandoah’s mouth at Harpers Ferry (mi.

North of the Rappahannock, the east side of the trail lies in the Potomac watershed too, and it stays all the way to Pennsylvania. The AT finally crosses over into Susquehanna drainage west of Pine Grove Furnace, almost exactly at the midpoint of the trail (mi.

(Contrary to popular belief, the song “Shenandoah” is about the daughter of the Oneida chief John Skenandoa, and not about the river at all. Still makes for a nice tune.).

1151.2). This is the first big northern river that flows south instead of east, and the last that goes down to the Chesapeake.

The Appalachian Trail traverses the Delaware Valley on one long ridge, known as Blue Mountain or Kittatinny (aka Rocksylvania) depending on who you ask. It dips down to cross the Schuylkill and Lehigh before reaching the Delaware Water Gap (mi.

But before we get there we need to talk about the…. This one’s an oddball.

And so, deep into in the Hudson valley, almost within sight of the river itself, the trail takes a detour into the valley of the Ramapo River, which flows south in a windy way until, as the Passaic, it dumps into New York Harbor between Newark and Jersey City. The Passaic shows just how deranged a river can be.

You might know the Hudson River as the low point of the trail, the only place where the elevation hits sea level (mi. 1407.6).

The first section, ending at Greenwood Lake and the Ramapo, is the Wallkill River valley (1330.9-1378.6). the second is the valley of the Hudson itself (1391.9-1447.9).

Then comes the long valley of the Hoosic, flowing north through the Berkshire valley once the Housatonic peters out (1576.2-1634.5). And finally, all the way in Manchester, Vermont, a last goodbye to the Hudson where Batten Kill comes up from the west (1658.2-1662.3).

It starts in Pittsfield, Mass, and flows south through a tidy little valley to the coast. The whole thing is barely 150 miles long, but the trail’s there with it for almost half its length.

The Housatonic may be humble, but it has a special relationship with the trail. The Housatonic seen along the trail in Connecticut.

Thanks to the trail’s snaky path through the Green and White mountains, it has a crazier, more complicated relationship with the Connecticut. You first meet the Connecticut watershed at Becket Mountain, Massachusetts, where the east side of the ridge flows down to the Westfield River (1555.8-1564.9).

The trail then dives north away from the watershed for a while, but comes back up to the divide in the Coolidge Range, finally descending and crossing the Connecticut at Hanover (mi. 1751.6).

Adams. The Eastern and St.

(Photo by pfly via Wikipedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0). Remember that Eastern Continental Divide.

Lawrence from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast. (The two come together on a farm in central PA, but let’s stay on topic).

Lawrence Divide and crosses over it, where Otter Creek flows north into Lake Champlain and then to the St. Lawrence near Montreal.

The trail first touches its divide on Smarts Mountain, picks it up for good on Mount Cube, and crosses its tributary the Baker River at Glencliff, New Hampshire (mi. 1795.4).

1821.2), then leaves the Merrimack watershed on its way down to Crawford Notch. This is the first of four rivers that find the coast in Maine.

1849.0), and the south side of the Presidential Range. The trail arcs north out of the Saco watershed at Mt.

Note: Map pictured includes ‘most impressive sights’ mentioned in the article and are not included in the original map for purchase. Despite being a part of the country that is heavily populated, the eastern United States has an epic outdoor experience that rivals any in North America.

It passes through a total of fourteen states and covers 2,200 miles (3,500 km), with bragging rights as the longest hiking-only route in the world. One of the most amazing aspects of the Appalachian Trail is how it takes in so many eastern US high points.

It also affords a trekking experience of one of North America’s oldest mountain systems, created during the formation of the supercontinent, Pangaea, long before the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Although older and less rugged than mountains of the west, the geology is no less complex.

A transition to coniferous forest and alpine tundra even occurs at altitude further north. An unofficial, international extension of the trail takes it from Maine and through New Brunswick, Quebec, and discontinuously on to Newfoundland, Canada.

On your journey through the scenic countryside, here are some of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail’s most impressive sights: Mount Katahdin is Maine’s loftiest peak at 5,269 ft (1,606 m) and provides a glorious and lofty start to the trail in the Acadian-New England Forests of the far north.

The granitic massif contains several peaks, of which Mount Baxter is the highest and is the official start of the trail. Be advised, the hike to the top takes a full day, is ten miles in length, and involves quite a significant climb.

The mountain contains a rich geography, having been heavily glaciated during the most recent ice age, giving rise to steep cirques, moraines, and u-shaped valleys. The mountain is rich in flora, including many maple, beech, birch, aspen, hemlock, fir, spruce, and pine tree species.

Also keep an eye out for moose and deer, while maintaining a comfortable distance from any of the numerous black bears.

Katahdin Summit and northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail | Source: kworth30, WikiCommons.

Katahdin view from Pamola Peak | Source: Famartin, WikiCommons.

Mount Washington is the range’s highest summit and is New Hampshire’s high point at 6,288 ft (1,917 m). It also claims to be the most prominent summit east of the Mississippi – a measure of a mountain from base to summit.

The range affords much of the alpine tundra encountered on the Appalachian Trail. Given the area’s susceptibility to inclement weather, make sure to be very aware of weather forecasts before embarking on this rewarding part of the trail.

Pack your wind-resistant parka on this trek.

Northern part of the Presidential Range, viewed from the northwest side of Mt. Washington.

Clay, Mt. Jefferson, Mt.

Madison | Image: Fredlyfish4, WikiCommons.

It is the final 4,000 ft rise in the hiking route southwards before you reach Viriginia. The peak boasts a ski resort and a gondola, that is reportedly free-to-ride for long-distance hikers.

There is a place for overnight camping at a lean-to-tent site just shy of the summit and takes in beautiful sunset views over the mountains.

This is where the Appalachian Trail makes its way out of New England portion of the range and into the Mid-Atlantic portion. The trail crosses the Hudson River at the dramatic Bear Mountain Bridge that seems to link flanking mountains.

Arthur’s Nose is a ledge that looms over the eastern bank of the Hudson and forms part of 1,086 ft (331 m) Dunderberg Mountain.

The Pinnacle is a picturesque, 1,634 ft (498 m) outcrop at the edge of a ridge north of Hamburg, PA. The site overlooks the eastern-facing ranges and valleys of the Appalachians and towards the city of Allentown in the distance.

Thereafter, the trail loops back south- and westward towards another excellent vantage point at Pulpit Rock, before going on to continue along the southbound Appalachian Trail.

A must-see vantage point that is reported to be the most-photographed site on the Appalachian Trail. The site is so iconic, it even features in blockbuster films like A Walk in the Woods (2015) with Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson, and Robert Redford.

McAfee Knob comprises of several limestone outcrops that jut out dramatically over the mountainside, providing uninterrupted views of the Catawba Valley below. It is possible to reach this iconic viewpoint using a four-mile trail from SR-311 outside the town of Catawba.

Mount Rogers is 5,729 feet (1,746 m) high and is Virginia’s tallest mountain, located within the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The peak is unique geologically, displaying evidence of vulcanism that occurred 750-million-years-ago in its rhyolitic rocks.

Grayson Highlands State Park is to the south and is where the 10.5-mile, day hike to Mt. Rogers is accessed.

The state park also includes some of the state’s highest peaks, deciduous forest, alpine meadows, and waterfalls. This area is the northern limit of the very rare, Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests biome, found in isolated, high-altitude pockets in the Appalachians, with the Great Smokies being another location.

Max Patch is a firm favorite on the Appalachian Trail for its outstanding views that go on for countless miles. It is a lengthy, bald summit at 4,629 ft (1,411 m) in elevation on the North Carolina-Tennessee state border.

It is not a difficult spot to reach for a day hiker either, with a relatively easy route being accessible from SR-1182 (Max Patch Rd) via a 1.5-mile circular hiking route.

Clingmans Dome is a must see due to the altitude superlatives and being in one of America’s most beloved parks, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the highest mountain in Tennessee and the highest point on the Appalachian Trail, at 6,643 ft (2,025 m) high, and is the third highest point east of the Mississippi behind Mount Mitchell and Mount Craig.

The higher altitude Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests are an impressive and rare biome. At lower altitudes, deciduous hardwood forests, consisting of many maple, beech, and birch species, predominate.

Blood Mountain, at 4,458 ft (1,359 m), is the tallest peak on the Georgian section of the Appalachian Trail and is the sixth highest peak in that state. The accolade of state high point belongs to Brasstown Bald, located a fair bit north of the Appalachian Trail.

some believing it was named for a bloody battle between Muscogee and Cherokee Tribes, that caused mountain creeks to run red with blood. Others claim it has its origins in color of the red lichen growing near the summit.

There is also a well-known shelter at the summit, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and its breezeway is the only place where the Appalachian Trail passes through a man-made structure.

Muir Way creates a vast array of accurate and visually appealing maps, that can only be described as cartographic works of art. If you have experienced a place-specific, life enriching even.

My best friend from college called me and asked, ‘’Do you want to hike the Appalachian Trail. ’’ I said to her, ‘’Sure.

23 years later, I still can’t find the right words to tell you what possessed me to hike it, nor what keeps me coming back. I just know that after my first thru-hike I could never live my life the same way.

In this article, I’m going to share how to prepare for hiking the Appalachian Trail so you can focus more on the experience rather than what many people consider the boring bits: logistics. Among all the amazing hikes in the U.S., if you’re a serious hiker (or an aspiring one), the A.T.

Just as it is for the 3,000 people that embark on the 2,200-mile journey each year. Even though it is the shortest of the “Triple Crown” trails—the major long trails in the U.S.—only about 1 in 4 who attempt a thru-hike make it all the way.

Many factors play a role: preparedness, how realistic your expectations are, where your motivation lies, and sometimes, it just boils down to luck. Before I went on my first A.T.

However, I’d never done something so intense. When my friend invited me to the trail in the late 90s, I was working full-time as a firefighter and trauma EMT, so I had to do it in sections as my schedule allowed.

I hear this happening to many people: I have friends who sometimes sleep on their porches because the inside “doesn’t feel right” anymore. That’s relatable, afterall I just wanted to be back on the trail most days.

Since I couldn’t seem to leave the trail, I decided to make it my life. Now I help other hikers through Wandering Boots Adventure Tours, guiding them through the planning of the “boring” stuff, such as how to budget, what gear they need, where to resupply, and on and on.

brings me tremendous happiness. The Appalachian Trail runs through the Appalachian Mountains, naturally, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the summit of Mt.

Along the way you’ll pass through 14 states, numerous state parks, national forests, and three national parks. A typical thru-hike takes between five and seven months, and most people do the route from south to north.

For such a long journey, you need to break it down into manageable steps (of which you’ll take about 5,000,000 during your trip). How many miles a day should you walk on the A.T.

That seems approachable, no.

Everyone has a different level of experience and fitness, and their own reasons for being on the trail. If you’ve properly planned for it, you can go at your own pace and feel confident that you’ll have a good chance of reaching the end.

Below, I provide an overview of how to prepare for the hike itself.

Or maybe you don’t feel ready to take on the whole thing and want to try it in bits first. For that, section hiking—completing a trail in bite-sized chunks, typically over several seasons—is a flexible way to fit a larger endeavor into your schedule.

This is the option I recommend for beginners. If you’re not yet ready to commit to several weeks or months on the trail, there are plenty of iconic treks under a week, such as the Torres del Paine W Trek in Chile or the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu.

On hard mode. It is daunting, committing, and ultimately, nothing can quite match that sense of accomplishment that comes from a long trial.

Most people start in March or early April in Georgia, which is the perfect beginner state. It is one of the flatter sections you’ll encounter and will help you get your legs under you.

However, the AT fraternity is likely to warm you up with their company and excitement to get underway. Some clients will ask me, can I start my thru-hike earlier to beat the crowds.

Let’s be clear: starting in February is a bad idea. In the last few years, as the number of prospective thru-hikers has increased, more people are starting sooner to avoid the throngs.

), and will have to replace your cold weather carry for summer goods—all of this requires more logistical planning and potentially increased spending. The total cost will vary depending on what gear you already have and how much time you allot to the trip.

I often get asked, why do we need so much money if we are sleeping in shelters and tents.

Each week or so you need to go into town to re-supply and food will be one of your biggest expenses (plus there’s usually transport costs into-and-out-of town). Sometimes you’ll encounter dangerous weather and have to get off the trail for lodging, or maybe you just need a break.

Another large budget item: gear will need to be replaced, repaired, and exchanged. And don’t forget that you’ll meet new friends and encounter all kinds of events along the trail—a cottage industry and culture has developed around the hike, and a bbq here or a folk festival there will add up.

In my experience, for a 6-month trip you can expect to spend up to $4,000 on gear if you buy new. This is because gear wears out and needs to be replaced, or you want to exchange what you have as the weather and seasons change.

I realize this seems like a lot—always look for sales or used gear when you can—but that’s what I’ve found from experience. Backpack and raincover: You will need a 50-65L backpack.

You’ll be carrying 35+ lbs. for long days and, like your boots, want something that is comfortable.

What type of filtration process do you want. (gravity-fed, chemical, manual squeezing, etc.

I also find it clogs easily). How important is durability and reliability to you.

What do you want to filter for. And on and on.

Tent and a sleeping pad: The most common options are a ground tent or a hammock setup. The ground tent has more space, privacy, and obviously doesn’t require trees (though it does require a flat surface, which can be in short supply in sections where you’re hiking with 50-75 people per day).

A sleeping pad is vital because it provides a barrier between you and the ground or the cold air beneath you—a warm and comfortable hiker is a happy hiker.

There are other cooking options, like alcohol stoves and different gas types which are important to factor in with the weather (i.e., propane still tends to work in cold temperatures while butane does not). Sleeping bag: In the beginning, when it’s still very cold, I recommend a 0-degree rated sleeping bag.

Clothes and hiking boots: This is all about layers. You are going to be passing through a lot of different weather conditions so layering up and down is going to simplify your life.

Over the course of the hike, you will often go through two and sometimes three pairs of hiking boots. Begin with waterproof boots in the cold and wet areas and once you reach summer season switch to a lighter pair.

In its short run across the eastern tip of West Virginia, US-340 passes through one of the most history-rich small towns in the United States: Harpers Ferry, located at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. Lovely mountain scenery surrounds Harpers Ferry, especially during early autumn when the hardwood forests rival Vermont’s for vibrant color.

The best route to follow by car, US-340 swings to the west through the historic mountain resort of Charles Town before entering Virginia. Climbing the steep slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Harpers Ferry (pop.

Protected since 1963 as a national park, its many well-preserved wood, brick, and stone buildings are palpable reminders of early American enterprise: Besides the country’s first large factory, first canal, and first railroad, scenic Harpers Ferry saw abolitionist John Brown’s 1859 rebellion against slavery, and it was later a strategic site during the Civil War.

Small museums, housed in separate buildings along Shenandoah and High Streets along the riverfront in the “Lower Town,” trace the various strands of the town’s past. From the Shenandoah River, the Appalachian Trail (AT) winds south down what the third president called “one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature,” Jefferson’s Rock.

Especially in summer, the best first stop is the small visitors center (304/535-6029, daily, $10 per person, $20 per vehicle) above the town along US-340. Park here and take one of the frequent free shuttles down to the historic area, as parking elsewhere is limited.

The eastern portions along the Potomac riverfront have remained in private hands, and here you can indulge your taste for American food, wax museums, and schlocky souvenirs. There’s excellent cycling, a couple of companies offer white-water rafting trips, and for another sort of adventure, you can head down to the cute red clapboard depot and hop aboard one of the Amtrak/MARC trains, which run to Washington DC on a limited schedule.

Washington St., 304/535-1528, $140 and up). Founded in 1786, the former colonial resort of Charles Town (pop.

Many of the streets are named after other family members, over 75 of whom are buried in the cemetery alongside the Zion Episcopal Church, on Congress Street on the east side of town. Charles Town, which shouldn’t be confused with the West Virginia state capital, Charleston, later played a significant role in John Brown’s failed raid on Harpers Ferry.

With his last words, Brown noted the inevitable approach of the Civil War, saying he was “quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.” A small museum (11am-4pm Tues.-Sat., $4 adult) operates on the first floor of the town library, a block from the old courthouse on Washington and South Samuel Streets.

The Appalachian Trail runs nearly 2,200 miles along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the summit of Mt. Katahdin in Maine.

Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail means traversing tunnels of trees, rocky ridgelines, open summits and rolling balds. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but experiencing the east coast from Georgia to Maine on foot is something I’ll never forget.

Considered one of the best thru-hikes in the USA, each year thousands of hopefuls flock to the AT to follow the white blazes end to end in one long push. In 2015, I took just over five months to hike the 2,189 miles from Georgia to Maine.

Hikers starting in Maine and heading south typically start in early summer and finish in late fall. If you’re really adventurous, along with the AT, you could try hiking the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, completing the coveted Triple Crown of Hiking.

Section hikes along the Appalachian Trail can be accessed from thousands of trailheads and road crossings. This interactive Appalachian Trail map from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a good place to start for planning.

While you’ll need a permit or a small fee for backcountry travel through several sections, most camping along the AT is free. The Appalachian Trail is known for its on-trail, three-sided shelters located every 8-10 miles along the entire length of the trail.

Shelters are usually located in conjunction with established tent sites, so stealth camping isn’t necessary. It’s better to stay at an established site to have less of an impact on the ecosystem.

The Appalachian Trail can be roughly divided into four sections. The first section includes the southern states: Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

The Mid-Atlantic comes next, with the trail passing through West Virginia, Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Last comes New England, which includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Northbound thru-hikers will hit the southern states during the cold months of early spring. Just because you’re hiking through Georgia and North Carolina, don’t expect to be warm.

The southern states are characterized by sweeping views from balds as iconic as the best hikes in Yellowstone, steep climbs through deciduous forests and rhododendron tunnels. If you aren’t thru-hiking, aim for these states in late spring.

At over 500 trail miles, Virginia is the longest state on the AT featuring everything from long ridge climbs to iconic rock formations and overlooks. This state was a bit of a mind game for me.

And when the state is over 500 miles long. That’s a long way to hike without a state crossing.

Not even close. The climbs are long, but the views through the trees of the below valleys are rewarding.

Don’t miss McAfee Knob, the most photographed spot on the entire Appalachian Trail. Dragon’s Tooth and Tinker Cliffs are right in the same area, and are some of the must-see spots on the AT through here.

Wild ponies are known to approach hikers in Grayson Highlands State Park and try to chew backpack straps. This is the fastest hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Northern Pennsylvania is legendary for rocky terrain. I wore through the outsoles on my shoes in just 100 miles of non-stop walking on rocks of all shapes and sizes — from pebble fields to softball-size ankle rollers.

It was exhausting. New Jersey is surprisingly delightful with low, long ridge walks overlooking ponds and forests.

This section is home to the halfway point of the Appalachian Trail. Hikers can get their photo taken at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Thru-hikers rave about the best hikes in New Hampshire, and it has always been one of my favorite parts of the AT. I’m from New Hampshire, so I might be a little biased, but still.

Once you’re out of the challenging New Hampshire terrain, southern Maine doesn’t give you a break. We were slowed down to around one mile per hour for much of southern Maine — a tough pill to swallow after hiking nearly 2,000 miles.

Northbound hikers gain their first glimpse of Mt. Katahdin thanks to sweeping views after traversing a lush forest.

You don’t have to hike the entire 2,000-plus miles to experience the Appalachian Trail. Here are a few of my favorite sections that are worth the outings, logistically easy to access and have some of the best views on the trail.

The good news is that this section of the Appalachian Trail really isn’t that bad. The Appalachian Trail runs just over 70 miles through this national park.

The Smokies are easily accessed at different gaps, with shuttles and hitches easy to come by. The weather can be unpredictable and cold in early spring, thanks to the trail staying between 4,000 and 6,000 feet in elevation.

McAfee Knob in Virginia can be done as a day hike or overnight for anyone looking to experience a night on one of the section hikes of the Appalachian Trail. McAfee Knob can be reached from a well-maintained parking lot near Catawba and is a pretty mellow 4.5-mile trek to the iconic overview.

Hike a few more miles to the nearest shelter, stay the night and hike out the next morning. Located in Baxter State Park, Mt.

Katahdin is also famous for being the northern terminus of the trail. The peak is challenging and sections can feel exposed.

The best times to hike in Baxter State Park are mid-summer to early fall. The peak technically closes each fall.

The expanse of the White Mountain National Forest spreads as far as the eye can see. Stopping in the AMC Huts is a must-do for any hiker in the area.

The steep climb to the ridge is rewarded with a long ridge walk with 360-degree views, reminiscent of a scene from Lord of the Rings. Don’t want to fight the crowds along the ridge.

Really, you can’t go wrong in the White Mountains at all, on or off the Appalachian Trail. A few of the most common questions about hiking the Appalachian Trail answered:

The rest went to on-trail expenses. I was lucky and didn’t have to pay bills at home while I was gone.

Beginners will find section hikes and days hikes the best option for hiking the Appalachian Trail. McAfee Knob in Virginia offers scenic overlooks after a short 4.5-mile trail.

Springer Mountain in Georgia is one of the original sections of the AT, and a solid introduction to multi-day backpacking trips. The warm weather in spring is also helpful.

Popularity also means some planning is involved ahead of time. Reservations are required to secure shelters or campsites.

Another option for beginners is to take an Appalachian Trail preparation course or to spend their time hiking with an Appalachian Trail guide.

Yes, that’s Tail, not Trail.

The southernmost tip of the Appalachian Mountain range. It delights me that I can stand at the tail end of the Appalachian Mountain range in my current state of Alabama.

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park is where it happens – or happened, in geological terms.

It befuddled me that I passed this Appalachian Mountain range sign on my way to the park entrance booth. As I drove by it, I thought, Wait.

What. No, of course not.

No, I imagined, the “real” marker is in the park proper, where you and your posse can take a group photo showing y’all have Been There.

It would be akin to standing on the southernmost tip of Argentina, in Tierra del Fuego, on the above-water foot of the Andes, though admittedly not as sexy.

the roadside sign was the marker.

Alabama does not like shoulders. I walked carefully to the sign after I parked my car in the lot beyond the fee booth.

Alabama’s shoulder issue first confronted me when I visited Oxford, Alabama, in July, and I attempted to walk alongside a road near my motel. Not being ready to bite the dust literally or figuratively that day, I abandoned my attempt soon after I began, hoping I wouldn’t die during my retreat.

If you think that Alabama might set aside its shoulder prejudice to accommodate an Important Marker in a state park (a park, for fuck’s sake. ), you would be wrong.

A check into Alabama’s pedestrian death rate revealed that in 2018, Alabama had the 12th highest pedestrian death rate in the US. This analysis placed it even higher.

Mushrooms. In another Alabama surprise (its prettiness being the first, and its antipathy toward shoulders being the second), it appears that mushrooms might be my Alabama “thing.” In New Mexico, it was sonic booms and tarantulas.

While I do adore mushrooms for their sexy, earthy umami-ness, my knowledge of wild mushrooms is low. I know a morel when I see one, but anyone can do that.

In wandering some of Tannehill’s trails, I encountered three mushroom types.

Later, a yellow mushroom bottom, textured like a tasty English muffin, beamed sunnily at me from the leafy, woodland floor. I tipped it over to reveal a reddish cap.

Finally, a gaggle of green scalloped shells clung to a tree next to a pretty ledge.

COVID detritus. Sadly, I saw two pale yellow paper masks at one of the trailheads.

I will consider taking a bag and gloves with me in future walks so I can pick up trash like this.

Pumpkins in the stream. Odd.

A park is a good place to spend Thanksgiving.

Thanksgivings from my rootless past:.

Post a Comment.

Bobbie Gentry’s cryptic “Ode to Billie Joe” resonated with segregationists’ evasive response to the Civil Rights Movement and the use of the Black communities’ War on Poverty funding. These combined efforts to reimagine whiteness after Jim Crow corresponded to what W.

Du Bois memorably described as “a sort of public and psychological wage” that accompanied whiteness after the Civil War and chattel slavery. Poor and working-class white people, he argued, came to rely on their social and legal superiority instead of organizing collectively with their Black neighbors against the propertied class of white southerners.

While Appalachian Mississippi’s first star sang on the radio, its politicians reshaped the earth. They succeeded in fabricating the state’s topographical kinship with a white-coded mountain South.

In effect scaling up Pound’s idea of a “living history park,” lawmakers created and celebrated a white cultural geography that silenced the region’s agricultural history of racial slavery and sharecropping. Meanwhile, Gentry claimed what it meant to “sing southern.”.

It allowed state lawmakers to skirt federally funded racial reform in the pivotal years after the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. Segregationists circumvented the War on Poverty’s required participation of low-income and minority residents by creating an alternate route to federal dollars.

It funded entirely different projects from the Office of Economic Opportunity. it funded the dreams of local white institutions and planners.

The ARC redirected almost $300 million in federal tax revenue to North Mississippi in less than twenty years. Instead of funding Black-owned agricultural cooperatives, childcare, or community improvement for segregated neighborhoods, it built watersport recreation areas, highways, and historical landmarks to celebrate white settlers who dispossessed native Chickasaws and enslaved people of African descent.

In North Mississippi, Jim Crow’s parting shot was the weaponization of Appalachia against Black community movements with their own historical and political imaginations. One local Black activist, John Buffington, felt this earthquake and fought to reclaim his local civil rights movement’s cultural and political footing.

His community’s objective: to document the lives of former Black sharecroppers.34. In November 1967, college students at Mary Holmes College in West Point, Mississippi, recorded the Sharecropper Oral History Project’s first interviews—just one month after Lyndon Johnson admitted the Magnolia State to Appalachia.

They sought, in other words, to preserve the human cost and indignities of the plantation cotton economy while a new culture of whiteness fought to erase their home’s history of racialized exploitation. Speaking with Black residents born as early as the 1870s, college-age interviewers rediscovered that past.35.

But the promise of Black community empowerment—the possibility to self-define remembrance and repair—lived on in grassroots organizing and truth-telling. The survival of the Sharecropper Oral History Project is only one reminder that Mississippi’s white Appalachians may have owned the earth, but they could never own the past.

No sign greets you as you leave the Delta. And contrary to any forged map, there are still no mountains on your horizon.

If you stopped and asked anyone how it felt to live in Appalachia, they’d laugh. Appalachian Mississippi remains the secret a few people held among themselves in the 1960s but never bothered to tell anyone else.

You might catch sight of a small blue sign reading simply “Appalachian Highway.” Only then does it become clear. You’re not in Appalachia.

Today, the reality of the Appalachian Regional Commission masks the radical democratic alternative imagined by North Mississippi’s Black freedom movements—a world that might have been. Instead of a landscape dotted with publicly funded housing, farming cooperatives, and childcare facilities, we have militarized police forces and a landscape marked with prisons and jails.

MOUNT KATAHDIN, Maine — The Appalachian Trail, which begins 2,190 miles away in Georgia, ends on Mount Katahdin, with a final scramble up Maine’s highest peak. For those who have trekked five or six months, Katahdin’s iconic summit is an exhausting challenge with a rewarding end.

“Just to be there, it’s like an audience with the Lord.”. That experience is in jeopardy.

The idea has stunned the hiking world. Katahdin has been the trail’s northern terminus for more than 80 years.

“It would lose all its epicness,” lamented Ryan Mennett, 22, a trail hiker from Burlington, Conn. “Where would they end it.

On a piece of grass. ”.

More urgently, the Appalachian Trail is bracing for a surge in hikers after the release in September of a movie about the trail, “A Walk in the Woods,” with Robert Redford.

The concern about crowds has also highlighted a deeper conflict between Baxter State Park, which wants to limit the number of hikers, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which wants to encourage the trail’s use. Officials at Baxter have been sounding the alarm about crowds for years.

That was a jump of 18 percent over 2013. Jensen Bissell, Baxter’s director, said the park already curbed the number of day hikers by limiting cars in the parking lots.

He said his goal was to “make sure that the 2,000 people we have today won’t become 3,000 next year or 8,000 in 10 years.”. Protecting the park is his job, he said.

Baxter has some of the strictest rules along the trail. It bars hiking in groups larger than 12, drinking alcohol in public, littering, camping off the trail and generally whooping it up in a party atmosphere on the mountaintop.

His concerns received little notice outside the hiker world until July 12, when Jurek, 41, a champion ultramarathon runner, arrived atop Katahdin from Georgia after breaking the speed record for a supported hike. (His wife, Jenny, met him each night, allowing him to avoid carrying a heavy pack and to sleep in a van.) He ran the trail in 46 days, eight hours and seven minutes, beating the record by more than three hours.

He uncorked it, inserted his thumb and shook the bottle vigorously until it exploded like Old Faithful. He then took a long swig before sitting on the rocks and talking with journalists and other hikers about his accomplishment.

Among those watching was a park ranger, and Jurek later received three citations, for having a group larger than 12 (the citation said 16), drinking alcohol in public and littering — the result of that Champagne spilling on the rocks, which the ranger said attracted bees and made the summit “smell like a redemption center.”.

He took the unusual step of scolding the runner in a post on the park’s Facebook page. He noted the rule violations but trained his ire on what he said was Jurek’s commercialization of the wilderness: The runner’s headband and support van showed corporate logos.

Bissell said Jurek and his sponsors had exploited the park for profit. And he repeated the threat to move the trail off Katahdin.

While some lauded Bissell’s stance, the majority found it churlish and unprofessional. Readers were dismayed that he had singled out Jurek when so many others routinely celebrate with alcohol and don’t get tickets.

Shortly afterward, Jurek struck back with his own blog post, casting himself as a wilderness advocate and saying he hoped he had inspired others to test their limits. Word of the exchange traveled up and down the trail.

But many also said Jurek had violated the rules and missed the true Appalachian Trail experience. As Paul Nuckols, 59, of Springfield, Mass., put it as he descended the summit: “Doing this in 46 days is like going through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in one minute and 17 seconds.”.

“I’m a man of integrity,” Jurek said in a telephone interview from his home in Boulder, Colo., when asked why he was contesting the charges. Though pictures from the summit show him drinking alcohol, he said his friend who had brought it had told rangers about it in advance and the rangers had said only to avoid drinking in front of children.

He is a strict practitioner of packing out what he packs in and leaving no trace, and he said he had taken 4,000 energy-bar wrappers out from the trail as well as his own used toilet paper and sorted it all for recycling. He also removed the empty Champagne bottle and cork and left the summit as clean as he had found it, he said.

While many hikers are reverential at the top of Katahdin, some are boisterous. Many drink.

A few get naked. And yet citations are rare.

The dispute and the pending surge in hikers prompted officials from Baxter and the conservancy, and other trail stakeholders, to meet last month to try to avoid having the trail moved off Katahdin. They plan to meet again in October.

“It’s hard,” he added, “when 200 people are there at the summit, to say this is a wilderness experience.”.

Stretching more than 2,000 miles from Georgia’s Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin in Maine, the AT explores mountain summits, river valleys, and some of the most beautiful vistas on the East Coast.

The trail travels 95 miles in North Carolina, and another 224 miles along the border between NC and Tennessee, summiting the fire-tower-capped peaks near Franklin before crossing Fontana Dam and entering Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Beyond the Smokies, the AT climbs Roan Mountain, exploring a mossy balsam fir forest at Roan High Knob and the rolling, grassy balds on the Roan Highlands.

Visit Trailful, our full-service hiking outfitter shop in Hiawassee, Georgia, an official Appalachian Trail trail community located just south of the North Carolina state line. We’re located ten miles from the A.T.

Check out our A.T. thru-hiker resupply and outfitter page for info on our A.T.

Our favorite hikes on the AT’s North Carolina stretch make for a great day hike or trail run – or an even better backpacking adventure under the stars. Not sure what to pack.

And please remember, wherever you hike: please pack out everything you pack in, and Leave No Trace, to help preserve the trail and its surrounding natural beauty. Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.

Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.

As the United States Geological Survey explains, the rocks at the core of the Appalachian mountains formed more than a billion years ago when North America and South America merged together. However, the mountains did not form at all once.

This cycle continued and as one mountain set crumbled another would emerge. Today, the topography of the Appalachian Mountains is about 20 million years old.

These, however, are not the oldest rocks on earth. those can be found in Canada and Greenland (at about 4 billion years old).

Thanks to their continuing rebirth through their billion-year lifetime, they are simultaneously young and old. With its vast beauty and fauna, one can enjoy the mountain’s offerings by hiking the Appalachian Trail.

However, it’s also an incredibly difficult hike. Although 3 million people walk parts of the trail each year, only 10 to 15% of people who start make it through all the way.

October 11, 2019. Posted by larryohanlon.

Prince, Virginia Tech Active Tectonics and Geomorphology Lab. The question of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River came from a reader of the “biggest mountains” post.

River gorges and their shape and depth also have a close connection to bedrock geology as well as the overall evolution of the Appalachian landscape. The gorge question is difficult to “definitively” answer because defining the presence and extent of a “gorge,” in terms of its rim or top, can be somewhat arbitrary in many Appalachian settings.

1 is Nantahala River Gorge, and 2 is the Pigeon River Gorge, both in North Carolina. These are located in the geologic and topographic Blue Ridge, and are set into complex, rugged landscapes.

These are carved into nearly flat-lying sedimentary rocks of the Appalachian Plateau, so the gorges and surrounding landscapes look totally different. Scale is the same for all four.

This corresponds to the Appalachian Plateau (and the western edge of the Valley and Ridge) and the Blue Ridge and very western edge of the Piedmont. As you can see from the comparison above, the “background” landscapes into which the gorges are carved tend are different for the distinct geological zones.

In practice, even this can get complicated, but it is still a different exercise from looking at the metamorphic and igneous rock landscapes to the east. The Blue Ridge and Piedmont examples are much tougher to define, so I tried to put together some baseline rules.

You can find a very high peak above the Pigeon River, but you would need to cross several smaller drainages to do so (path shown by red line). I don’t consider this high topography part of the gorge in the measurements used in this blog, so the Pigeon was excluded.

Cheoah Bald is straight shot up out of the Nantahala Gorge. This one is good to go in terms of the conditions I used.

This is admittedly “un-scientific,” but it’s intended to exclude headwater streams and their tributaries that actually rise in the area of topography where a depth measurement would take place (this is also just a blog). Even with these rules put in place, naming a deepest gorge in the Appalachians is still very subjective and nearly impossible to do when you actually think about the process of gorge development.

At the end of the day, the point of this blog is mostly to talk about the size and shape of some Appalachian landforms and how they relate to bedrock, so an unequivocal “deepest” winner doesn’t matter anyway.

Red line shows the measured distance and associated gorge depth from here on out. I pass through here occasionally and have not seen any historical markers mentioning gorge depth, but it is regionally impressive here.

This is actually the point at which the Dry Fork of the Cheat changes its name to the Black Fork of the Cheat. Interestingly, if you apply the rules I will use for the Blue Ridge examples, you might squeeze out a number a touch closer to 2,000 ft a bit further up the Dry Fork, but the ground length distance is also a bit longer.

The fact that they are pretty much the same number and within a few miles of each other on the same river is good enough for me. These numbers are effectively equal to number 2, which is interesting.

New River Gorge just below Hinton, West Virginia, 1,960 ft over 1.3 miles (597 m in 2.1 km).

Around Hinton, the rock layers have been ever so slightly tilted by folding, and this gives the landscape some more defined high points that continue to survive right next to the river. Geologically, this setting has a lot in common with the Black Fork and Dry Fork locations.

A notable location in the Valley and Ridge is at Narrows, Virginia, where the New River passes through the East River/Peters Mountain ridge. I think you would see comparable numbers to Hinton here, and you would also have to use the “Blue Ridge Rules” because the structured rock makes a different style of landscape.

Breaks Gorge, Russell Fork River, at The Breaks in Pine Mountain, Virginia/Kentucky, 1,300 ft over 0.56 miles (or, if you stretch things) 1,900 ft in 1.85 miles (blue line). (396 m in 0.9 km) (579 m in 3 km).

Breaks claims the “deepest gorge (or canyon) east of the Mississippi” title, but the overall distance from river to high point on gorge rim just won’t exceed the numbers farther north. That said, the inner parts of the Breaks Gorge are ridiculously steep…that’s the 1,300 ft in 0.56 miles part.

To get the 1,900 ft number, you have to measure all the way to a high point on the Pine Mountain ridge, which is arguably well away from the gorge proper. Either way, this one certainly gets a nod for extreme gorge topography east of the Mississippi.

Some portions of this gorge drop ~1,150 ft (~ 350 m) in 0.6-1 mile (1-1.6 km). BLUE RIDGE AND WESTERN PIEDMONT (intensely folded metamorphic and igneous rocks).

If you were floating down the Nantahala River, you could hop out of your boat just upstream of the quarry and climb 3,200 ft to Cheoah Bald on a perfectly straight path, uphill the whole way, without wetting your feet again. You can’t meet those same conditions anywhere else in Appalachia.

One is that the gorge is very lop-sided, meaning the elevations on the northwest side (with Cheoah Bald) are much higher than those on the southeast side. It is also important to note that the Nantahala did not carve down 3,200 ft in one fell swoop to produce the feature.

The end result is a regionally huge vertical distance from river to peak, but it actually results from a more modest episode of gorge-carving within an already rugged, pre-existing landscape. I think this concept applies to all the gorges to some extent, but it’s particularly notable here.

Nolichucky River Gorge just upstream of North Carolina-Tennessee border 2,930 ft in 1.6 miles (893 m in 2.6 km).

The climb from river to high point is overall steeper, but the Nantahala still offers a slightly larger elevation gain. That being said, the two are very similar in their metrics.

The layout of the Nolichucky system is quite interesting, and it interacts with a very complex geologic zone just downstream of its gorge. 3.

Linville (the title image on this post) is also sometimes referenced as the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi. Its river-to-high point numbers won’t beat the Nolichucky or Nantahala in the way I measured them, but it is SERIOUSLY steep and easily outclasses them in abruptness and ruggedness.

Linville’s position on the Blue Ridge Escarpment puts it in a very different process setting than the Nantahala or Nolichucky, so a direct comparison is not totally appropriate. Given its steepness and landscape context, though, I wouldn’t argue with you if you gave Linville some sort of superlative title.

Tallulah Gorge near the “Amphitheater” cliff 800 ft in 0.3 miles (244 m in 0.49 km).