Thinking of taking the family on a trip along the Appalachian Trail this summer?
Here’s a little background on this historic trail that, for all intents and purposes is really a simple footpath.

Some call it a “greenway,” or a “flyaway.”   The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937 and now serves as the country’s longest marked footpath stretching approximately 2,175 miles.

The Appalachian Trail was designated the first national scenic trail in 1968 and today is managed by the National Park Service.  It crosses 14 states, where more than 2,000 examples of rare, threatened or endangered plants and animal species live.

The AT, as it is referred to by those who know it well, including the core of some 1,000 volunteers and trail clubs who help maintain the trail and care for it’s services, crosses six national parks and cuts a swath across some of the most coveted land in the country, including prime North Georgia real estate and areas that are dotted with some of North Georgia’s most coveted log homes and some of the finest North Georgia homes on the market.

The AT’s southern stretch ends in Georgia, where it traverses the Chattahoochee National Forest, offering miles and miles of steep and somewhat rugged wilderness hiking during spring and summer months.

Here are some fun facts about the AT:

• It’s Lowest elevation: 124 feet.
• Highest elevation: 6,625 feet.
• There are 165,000 blazes along the length of the Trail.
• More than 9,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.
• It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.
• The Appalachian Trail Conservancy offers several useful links for those interested in hiking the trail, including a state-by-state break down of its route.  You can also visit http://www.atctrailstore.org/ to buy jewelry and other IT souvenirs.

———————————————————————————-

http://www.capitalco.com/baby-showers-on-a-budget/entertainment/2009/03/

Article Rating: