The
Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the
Appalachian Trail or simply the
A.T., is a marked
hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between
Springer Mountain in
Georgia and
Mount Katahdin in
Maine. The trail is approximately 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the precise length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The trail passes through the states of
Georgia,
North Carolina,
Tennessee,
Virginia,
West Virginia,
Maryland,
Pennsylvania,
New Jersey,
New York,
Connecticut,
Massachusetts,
Vermont,
New Hampshire, and
Maine. The path is maintained by 31 trail clubs and multiple partnerships, and managed by the
National Park Service,
United States Forest Service, and the nonprofit
Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The majority of the trail is in forest or wild lands, although some portions traverse towns, roads and farms. The trail conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world.