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
McAfee Knob in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the Appalachian Trail's most scenic vistas.Ben Townsend/Flickr, CC BYThe 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...

