Hiking the Appalachian Trail, New Hampshire

Pilot Guides Essentials, new england, Travel, Trek

Trek Essentials

Where: Path runs from Maine to Georgia – this treks is in New Hampshire, New England, USA
Best season: The Fall
Best Sights: Rage and beauty of epic Mount Washington & autumnal paradise
Remember to Bring: Outdoor wear for all seasons

The Appalachian Trail is a continuous marked footpath that goes from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, a distance of about 2160 miles. It follows the Appalachian mountain range through fourteen states and it generally takes around 5 months to trek the entire length, but many sections of it can be done in a day, two days, two weeks or a month – it’s up to you!

Highlights

The beautiful colours of changing leaves in the White Mountains in fall.

Battling with the elements. Yes, this is a highlight: experience the rage and beauty of Mother Earth on the top of Mount Washington.

The food in the AMC huts. The staff are well-trained in the art of cooking hearty meals for weary trekkers and the camaraderie in the huts is special!

Our Journey Path

We head to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a two hour drive from Boston, Massachusetts. This section of the Appalachian Trail is great if you are looking for a 3-5 day trek in this area and you want to catch some of the beautiful fall colours of the White Mountains. We begin our trek at the trailhead at Franconia Ridge. We hike up four thousand feet to the Greenleaf Hut where we stay overnight. From there, we head north east to Zealand Falls before finally attempting to climb the highest mountain in the Northeast United States – Mount Washington.

Survival Tips

Bring clothing for all seasons. The northern reaches of the Appalachian Trail can experience freezing temperatures at night, especially on the top of Mount Washington. In the film, you’ll see Holly donning her waterproofs – and boy did she need them!

The Appalachian Mountain Club, or AMC, runs a network of nine huts in the White Mountains. They provide bunk beds and meals that cost around fifty dollars per night. Give them a ring in advance to make a reservation – they get booked up, especially on weekends.

Once you reach the top of Mount Washington, you can always take the Cog Railway back down – go on, you deserve it – you made it to the top!

Did You Know?

At 6,288 feet, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington is the highest peak in Northeast USA.

If you do succeed in hiking the whole length of the trail, you earn the right to change your name to something more earthy, such as Hawk, Wind or Squirrel. This is known as your trail name. Every year, about two thousand people attempt to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, but only around three hundred last the distance.

Mount Washington is legendary for its extreme weather conditions. In 1934, the world record wind speed of 231 miles per hour was recorded on the summit of Mount Washington.