- This event has passed.
On this day in 1937, the Appalachian Trail was formerly completed
August 14, 2023
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 14 of August, repeating indefinitely
On this day in 1937, the Appalachian Trail was formally completed. The hiking trail, covering over 2,000 miles and passing through 14 states, was conceived as a way to enjoy the wilderness and mountains of the eastern United States. The trail runs from its southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia to a northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine. 🏕 ⛰
Did you know? Though completed in 1937, nobody hiked the entire trail in one stretch until 1948, when World War II veteran Earl Shaffer decided to “walk the Army out of his system.” The opportunity had been delayed because of trail disrepair caused by a hurricane and parkway construction.
Today, over three million people visit the trail each year, and over 3,000 attempts a continuous thru-hike. 🌳🚶♂️🌲🚶♀️🌳🚶🌲
Mount Katahdin from Lake Katahdin, Maine, Frederic Edwin Church, c. 1853
