A century after the Appalachian Trail was proposed, millions hike it every year seeking 'the breath of a real life'
- Written by Charles C. Chester, Lecturer in Environmental Studies, Brandeis University

The Appalachian Trail, North America’s most famous hiking route, stretches over 2,189 mountainous miles (3,520 kilometers) from Georgia to Maine. In any given year, some 3 million people hike on it, including more than...