The Southern Terminus Of The Appalachian Trail Is Here In Georgia And It’s An Unforgettable Adventure
By Lisa Sammons|Published November 14, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
The Appalachian Trail is considered one of the most elite hikes in the entire country. This 2,194-mile trek stretches from Georgia all the way to Maine, passing through 14 states on its path. It’s the longest hiking-only trail in the world. Each year, around 3,000 people attempt to hike the entire “AT,” with about 25% of attempts resulting in success. You may not be able to do the entire hike, which is quite strenuous and can take months, but did you know the start of the Appalachian Trail is in Georgia? There are plenty of shorter trails around the trail’s southern terminus where you can enjoy a leisurely hike. Who knows, you may even meet up with adventurers who are on their way up to traverse the entire trail!
Most hikers tend to travel from the southern terminus to the northern terminus in Maine, making Georgia the start. Obviously, the trail can go either way and for hikers who start in the north, Georgia marks the end of the trail.
Springer Mountain is pretty remote and difficult to reach by car, so many explorers begin the trail from Amicalola Falls.
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The Appalachian Trail runs through nearly 80 miles of Georgia woods, traveling through seven counties. Needless to say, there's some amazing scenery here.
Most of us will never hike the entire Appalachian Trail - it's a huge time commitment and physical challenge that the majority of people don't even attempt.