Top Ten Trail Hype List

With time winding down to my step-off day, I keep going through waves of nervous energy. Some days I watch Katahdin summit videos from past thru-hikers and vicariously live through them. On other days, I write and rewrite my lists of gear, go over plans for the 10,000th time, or pack and repack my backpack. With all of this excess energy, I decided to do something productive.

So, here are the ten trail landmarks that I am most hyped to experience along the trail as I walk north!

Quick disclaimer, I’ll be leaving out some obvious MVPs like Springer Mountain, Mount Katahdin, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and Shenandoah National Park.

Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap

Where to even start… first outfitter along the trail for NOBOs, the boot tree, the pizza? Mountain Crossings was one of the first landmarks of the trail that caught my eye. Listening to the late “Baltimore Jack” Tarlin describe this AT icon, in his appearance in the documentary Barbarian Utopia, sparked my curiosity and imagination. Along with a great resupply and hiker comforts the outfitter is also part of AT history. The stone facade of the Walasi-yi Interpretive Center has been standing at Neel Gap on the Appalachian Trail since both the trail and building were completed in 1937. Mountain Crossings has called this iconic building home since the early 1980s. I am looking forward to talking gear, getting advice from the staff, and grabbing some grub!

Max Patch, North Carolina

From the USDA Forest Service, “Max Patch sits next to the Tennessee state line in the Harmon Den area of Hot Springs, NC. At 4,629 feet this bald offers 360-degree vistas of Mount Mitchell to the east and the Great Smoky Mountains to the southwest.” The views from Max Patch are an early highlight and a welcome break from the green tunnel up to this point. Even though I won’t be able to camp on the bald this year due to the two-year camping ban – part of a larger sustainability project – I plan to spend as long as possible enjoying the view. Maybe I’ll even hang around long enough to catch some stars, or at the very least, a beautiful sunset.

Hot Springs, North Carolina

The Appalachian Trail runs down main street Hot Springs, and in my research, I found that a ton of hikers named this trail town as one of – if not the – favorite town on the trail. Though small, its vortex is powerful, and its hiker friendliness will pull many a hiker off trail for an unplanned zero.  I’m looking forward to walking through town and checking out the different restaurants, outfitters, and just experiencing this part of trail life. I am especially excited about this since the trail was conceived, in its original design by Benton MacKaye, as a way of connecting rural mountain towns and communities. The modern trail towns and their connection to the AT are a great reminder of this and a window into what he envisioned.

The Roan Highlands

One of the reasons that I love hiking is for moments like these. Walking along ridgelines or across balds, like the Roan Highlands, are a great reminder that this is a wild and wonderful world that I get to explore. From the Ashville Trails Website, “East of Carvers Gap, the sun-drenched, grassy Roan Highlands roll skyward in a series of three summits, Round Bald, Jane Bald, and the enormous Grassy Ridge Bald, offering spectacular, nearly continuous views from the Appalachian Trail on their crest. The Roan Highlands are the longest stretch of grassy balds in the Appalachian Mountains and stand as a contrast to the rocky, tree-covered Roan Mountain duo west of Carvers Gap.” It is overall a small section of the trail but, just like at Max Patch, I plan to take my time while walking here.

Grayson Highlands

Never turn your back on a pony! Hikers through the Grayson Highlands have a million stories about the curious and often fearless wild horses of the highlands. Some try to sneak off with your socks while you’re resting your feet during lunch. Others lack any understanding of personal space and will happily lick your salt-covered arms and legs. Luckily, this beautiful area with its 360-degree views and grassy balds is not far from my hometown. Near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia’s two highest mountains, Grayson Highlands offers scenic views of alpine-like peaks more than 5,000 feet high. I’ve been fortunate to hike through the Grayson Highlands a few different times and I can’t wait to be doing it on my thru-hike.

McAfee Knob

Even AT newbies will know this one. McAfee Knob holds the title for the “most photographed” point along the Appalachian Trail and is one of its most iconic locations. McAfee Knob is part of the Virginia Triple Crown, which also includes The Dragon Tooth monolith and the Tinker Cliffs. Standing on its famous rock outcropping, it doesn’t take long to realize why this spot is a favorite among thru-hikers and day hikers alike. The trailhead parking lot is almost always full and on busy weekdays can spill out onto the road. Right now I’m planning to spend the night at the nearby Campbell Shelter in order to catch both the sunset and the sunrise before continuing north.

Franconia Ridge

Jumping up the trail brings me into the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Franconia Ridge. For many hikers, this is the highlight of the entire trail. Watching videos of hikers making their way along the famous ridgeline on a clear day is breathtaking.  The views are enough to make hiking to New Hampshire from Georgia worth all of the work. The ridge is comprised North to South of Mount Lafayette, Mount Truman, Mount Lincoln, Little Haystack Mountain, Mount Liberty, and Mount Flume. The Whites are no joke, but the work, the weather, and the wind are all worth it for the views.

The Presidential Traverse

Big Climbs above the treeline, wind, weather, and all of the epicness that the White Mountains have to offer. The Presidential Traverse is a 19-mile section of New Hampshire’s White Mountains that consists of 7 peaks: Mount Madison, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, Mount Monroe, Mount Eisenhower, and Mount Pierce. I’m looking forward to hiking through this range and especially summiting Mount Washington. I wonder if there are any trail traditions related to that train that hauls folks to the top…

Mahoosuc Notch

The slowest mile of the AT takes many hikers nearly two hours to complete. To get through this hiker gauntlet you’ll go over, under, and around boulders. This section requires hikers to climb hand over hand to the top. I think that tackling the notch is a great example of mindset on the trail. For many this brutal mile is deemed the “Toughest Mile.” Yet for others, they see it as a fun obstacle course to go through. Whichever way you think about Mahoosuc Notch, you’re right.

The 100 Mile Wilderness

The 100 Mile Wilderness has interested me ever since learning about the AT when I was younger. This part of the Appalachian Trail embodies the solitary walk through nature that many thru-hikers envision their hike to be. This one-hundred-mile section from Monson, Maine to Abol Bridge will mark the beginning of the end of my hike. In many ways, I cannot wait to walk through this last stretch of the trail. But it will mark a different type of milestone. I know that my great adventure is coming to an end soon. Hopefully, this solitary wilderness gives me time to reflect. Thinking back on my hike and the journey that will soon be over.

Honorable Mentions

I foolishly limited myself to ten awesome places. Here are some quick honorable mentions of places that didn’t make the list.

1. Clingman’s Dome
2. Pine Grove Furnace State Park
3. Boiling Springs, PA
4. Vermont and the Long Trail
5. The Keffer and Dover Oak

 

Hope to see you out on the trail! Happy Hiking!