Hiking the most well known trail in Georgia, what you need to know!
Thinking about taking a hike....
On the first day of our honeymoon in the Great Smokey Mountains we hiked the Appalachian Trail. We entered on the upper section leading to Clingman's Dome. 13 miles later we ended our hike triumphantly! However, this is no small feat for any hiker. In fact, my husband and I actually began our trek unprepared.
The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest and most deadly trails in America. The danger of the trail doesn't come from cliffs etc, but from the sheer remoteness and length of the trail. Surprisingly the two biggest killers are exposure and believe it or not--murder!
Several unsolved murders have occurred on the trail, and due to the remoteness of the trail, the lack of daily foot traffic etc it is a prime place for this. Exposure is another killer and it can creep up on you.
We neared the end of our hike we approached an area of the trail that was a bit overgrown. Night was only three hours away and the temperature began to drop. I can't pin point what exactly caused it, maybe the state of the trail, the temperature dropping, or night approaching--an eerie feeling set in. We departed from the trail, and the next day I discovered that an experienced hiker had lost her life not far from the overgrown spot on the trail.
Once again nature is both beautiful and dangerous.
“It is in the still silence of nature where one will find true bliss.”
The trail itself changes from place to place. We have at this point hiked the sections in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. We haven't nearly hiked even a third of it however.
The trail in North Carolina was my favorite, it felt like something out of the Lord of the Rings! Absolutely beautiful!
Final Notes
Despite it's danger, this hike is amazing and absolutely worth the hard work. There are many different portions to hike, depending on your skill level. My advice would be not to over strain or push too hard on a trail like this.
Gear for this Hike
1) Survival Kit
2) Lots of water
3) food
4) Change of socks
5) Treking poles
6) Some sort of shelter
7) Always bring a form of protection!
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