What is the most common date to start an AT thru-hike northbound? I want to start with a lot of people, and I’ve heard March 1 is a very popular start date. What other dates are real popular to start. Thanks, happy trails.
SR
shelter rat
AT Start Dates - Appalachian Trail
system
#2
I started northbound from Springer Mountain on April 10th and had loads of fun people on the trail that I’d hiked with – plenty of great people I’d met every day of my hike.
It wasn’t until Pennsylvania until I had a night or two in a shelter alone. Boy did that seem odd.
I’d guess the most popular date range to start northbound from Springer would be March 15th to April 1st. My start date of April 10th was a little late for the usual crowd (my number crossing Fontana Dam was in the 700dreds) and crossing into Shenendoah was in the 250ish or so.
Datto
Datto
system
#3
Time your start so you get to Damascus for Trail Days. It’s a happy medium and you will meet the “in-crowd”. If you start early, you are in with the more serious mileage crowd, and you don’t get to see Spring until VA. Start too late, and you might be pressed to push your pace later on because the late crowd tend to be more laid-back.
P.S. I never thought I would use the “crowd” word so often in writing about the trail!
RC
system
#4
April Fools Day is a popular start date, and its a fairly good bet for decent weather versus a March 1st start. If you have fun and take a few “zeros” along the way you’ll time it perfectly for Trail Daze where you’ll hit mobs and mobs of your fellow thru-hikers… Happy Trails!
freebird
system
#5
Quite a few choose to “Hike North with Spring” so March 21st is a popular date. I started March 3rd and it seemed to take Spring quite a while to catch up. Draggin’ her feet as usual.
CitySlicker
system
#7
if you really want to be with the main crowd, consider the most popular start date the last weekend in march. Also consider you’re hiking speed and endurance though if you wish to remain with the main pack. If you are a fast hiker maybe leave a week later. if you are in no rush and dont mind the cold maybe leave a week earlier. In '06 i left April 12’th and quickly caught up to a large community of northbounders. Happy hiking all and keep an eye for Canyonmans trail magic around BearMountain, NY or Kent, CT!!!
canyonman