Just read that the Appalachian Trail has over 500 trailheads for access points

I was looking at the official AT website yesterday and saw that number. It's wild to think about how many different spots you can jump on the trail from. I always pictured it as just a few main starting points, not hundreds. That's gotta make planning a section hike way more flexible than I thought. Has anyone here used a less common trailhead for a weekend trip? Looking for ideas that aren't the super crowded spots.

3 comments

3 Comments

brown.victor1mo ago

I get what you mean about less crowded spots, but that "parked his car off the gravel shoulder" part sketches me out. I had a friend do that in PA and came back to a broken window. I'd rather start at a known lot, even if it's busier, than risk my car getting messed with.

robertb701mo ago

Yeah, the "less common trailhead" thing is key. My buddy did a weekend section last fall starting at some random forest service road crossing in Virginia, maybe it was VA-611? He said he didn't see another person for the first whole day, which was exactly what he wanted. Just parked his car off the gravel shoulder and walked into the woods. Makes you realize how much of that trail is just out there waiting.

olivia55420d ago

Totally, I found a great spot in Tennessee last spring. We used the crossing at Sam's Gap, right off the highway. There's a small pull-off that fits maybe three cars, and we just left ours there for two nights. Saw maybe two other groups the whole weekend, it was perfect.