Hiking the Appalachian Trail

A former hospitalist at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, Oregon, Dr. Joshua “Josh” Estep is an experienced medical professional who received his MD from the University of Medicine and Health Sciences and completed his residency at AU-UGA Medical Partnership in Athens, Georgia. He currently practices at Elbert Memorial Hospital in Elberton, Georgia. Outside his profession, Dr. Josh Estep is passionate about hiking and backpacking and has explored the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, also known as the Appalachian Trail or the A.T., is the world’s longest hiking-only footpath. The trail is 2,190 miles long. Backpacking the entire trail from beginning to end, known as a thru-hike, is a daunting adventure. According to appalachiantrail.org, only 10 percent of the trail’s visitors attempt a thru-hike. Thru-hikers who successfully complete the entire trail typically take five to seven months.

Spanning 14 states, the A.T. follows the crests and valleys of the mountain range from Springer Mountain, Georgia (the southern terminus) to Katahdin, Maine (the northern terminus). If you want to thru-hike the A.T., you should pick either terminus as your starting point and register your thru-hike. You should familiarize yourself with the A.T. camping regulations, and also plan your resupply points. You can also share your upcoming adventure’s start date with other thru-hikers through voluntary thru-hike registration at atcamp.org. In this way, hikers can plan their itinerary in a way that avoids overcrowding the trail.