State Impressions

From Jay:

Jay hiking among blooming rhododendron and mountain laurel

Here are some overall impressions of the states I have hiked through so far, meaning states other than denial, confusion and lethargy.


I think of Georgia as the boot camp of the AT. Continuous ascents and descents with little change in scenery serve to develop strong trail legs and determination. Crowds diminish as people realize that thru-hiking demands a different set of priorities than weekend hikes: distance comes first over cooking, bird watching, swimming, fishing,or any other of the pursuits most associated with backpacking.



Close up mountain laurel

 North Carolina and Tennessee reward hikers that persevere through Georgia with beautiful scenery coinciding with the onset of spring. The Great Smoky Mountains adorned with carpets of wildflowers are a highlight of the entire trek. Northern Tennessee offers beautiful scenery as hikers are routed off the ridges to hike along rivers and past thundering waterfalls amongst the blooming mountain laurels.


Sarah climbs a NJ stile

I remember Virginia for its distance (containing over a quarter of the entire trail) and variety. The hiker is treated to everything from rolling pasturelands with fence stiles and cows to challenging boulder scrambling  (with snakes) atop ridges, and everything between those extremes. Virginia also offers the hiker a mile or two of easy walking for each 20 miles hiked, allowing thru-hikers to achieve longer daily distances. I liked southern and central VA best but didn't care for Shenandoah National Park. The trail through Shenandoah NP crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway 28 times and never seems to escape the sounds of motorcycles roaring through. It is, however, a great place to see bears.

West Virginia gives the hiker the major milestone of Harpers Ferry. The ATC headquarters, historical sites, and beautiful scenery make unforgettable memories.

Maryland is a gratifying gift. Easier terrain combined with Civil War historical sites allow the hiker to daydream about the significant things that happened in this very forest, years ago. This section flies by all too quickly, lasting only 42 miles.

Jay at a direction marker at Sunrise Pavilion.
Pennsylvania in the background

Pennsylvania is a place of transition. From easier hiking through occasional cornfields and quaint villages in the Cumberland Valley to painful walking on unglaciated sharp-rocked ridges in the north. North bounders can also feast on their first ripe blueberries. The rocks aren't technically hard to navigate, for the most part, but they have a cumulative effect on the feet as the days add up. By the time you reach New Jersey, your feet feel swollen and bruised.

Sarah on 8/10 mile boardwalk surrounded by cattails.
{Good thing they weren't catskins. ;-)}

New Jersey is a delightful fete, offering smoother, glaciated rocks to walk on, the first lakes and ponds to swim in, and fun boardwalks through swamps. The place is crawling with bears: I saw at least one every day. New Jersey also offered mosquitoes, but they were only bad enough to require the use of deet for 3 of the 6 days I was there.

Sarah coming up the AT, white blaze making her smile.

New York surprised me with its brutal terrain. Although the trail stays low in elevation, it tends to cross ridges rather than run along them. The gradients are very steep. Names such as "Agony Grind," and "The Lemon Squeezer" adorn sections of the trail through New York. New York offered my favorite view of the trip so far. From Black Mountain I saw the mighty Hudson River winding through verdant forests to the NY city skyline some 35 miles distant. It was breathtaking and made me feel like I had truly traveled a long way from Georgia.

The trail has given me many memories to treasure, but I am greedy for more! I am eager to see what the remaining states have in store.