AT A GLANCE

The Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937:

• Is a unit of the National Park Service.
• Is the nation's longest marked footpath, at approximately 2,175 miles.
• Is the first national scenic trail, designated in 1968.
• Houses more than 2,000 occurrences of rare, threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant and animal species.
• Crosses six national parks.
• Traverses eight national forests.
• Touches 14 states.
• Crosses numerous state and local forests and parks.
• Is maintained by 30 trail clubs and multiple partnerships.

Threats to the A.T. experience include:

• Highway construction
• Housing developments
• Invasive exotic plants
• Declining air quality

Fun facts about the Appalachian Trail:

• Lowest elevation: 124 feet.
• Highest elevation: 6,625 feet.
• There are 165,000 blazes along the length of the Trail.
• More than 9,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail.
• It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.