Some fun facts about the Appalachian Trail, according to the AT Conservancy: (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail)

• The Trail is roughly 2,180 miles long, passing through 14 states.
• The total elevation gain of hiking the entire A.T. is equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 times.
• Maryland and West Virginia are the easiest states to hike; New Hampshire and Maine are the hardest.
• The A.T. is home to an impressive diversity of plants and animals. Some animals you may see include black bears, moose, porcupines, snakes, woodpeckers, and salamanders. Some plants you may encounter include jack-in-the-pulpit, skunk cabbage, and flame azaleas.
• About 2 to 3 million visitors walk a portion of the A.T. each year.
• 1 in 4 who attempt a thru-hike successfully completes the journey
• Hikers usually adopt “trail names” while hiking the Trail. They are often descriptive or humorous. Examples are “Eternal Optimist,” “Thunder Chicken,” and “Crumb-snatcher”.

Also, a brief history of the AT can be found @ http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about-the-trail/history… Benton MacKaye was an awesome guy.