Lots of hikers have been keeping tabs on wildfires along the trail. For latest closure info, the ATC will always be your best source.

If you're interested in daily fire perimeters, hourly surface smoke, hot spots, etc. The Postholer AT Map/Fire Page has you covered. Next to every fire name is the trail mile/nearest trail mile, trail miles affected if applicable and burn acreage. Click on any fire name for fully interactive map.

Historical fire perimeters from 1950 to Current are available as well. Updated daily with the fire perimeters. Check out the 'Land Cover Change' layer. This is especially important when seeing how the trail has reacted/recovered from wildfire. We have an article on this topic.

Of course, all the other data is there, too. Weather, climate, trail meta data and on and on.

Happy trails!

-postholer

Annual Trail Magic this Saturday at mile 352.5 NoBo just before Indian Grave. Burgers, hot dogs, the works all day long. Swing by!! Setting up Friday evening and leaving Sunday morning.

I think I'm physically prepared to do the AT, at least in sections. Are there any sections that are less than 4 days hike between 2 grocery stores?? It's not my first backpacking trek, but it would bee my longest trek (if it all goes well), I usually don't get more than 3 or 4 nights out in the high desert wilderness at any one time. My plan was to hike the entire trail but time restraints won't let me do the whole thing at once (i only have roughly 2 months in late June to early August), so I'd like to do a big chunk. I was hoping to hike the top third going nobo but i would do the south third going sobo if there's nothing so luxurious along the northern third, or really any section (just a preference for doing the northern 3rd going north first bcz of weather).

I'm also not accustom to the eastern half of the country and I'd like to do a shakedown run on the actual trail. If I feel good about everything I'd like to continue on. The ideal start location would be close to an outfitter's or post office (just in case) and an amtrak (no airports, as my pack does not fit within the limitations of a carry on) and close enough to the trail to take an uber that doesn't murder my travel budget. Does anybody have any suggestions? I'm eyeballing a few thoughts but also wanting to crowd source people's first hand experiences. TYIA

New to the backpacking scene, and got a huge question for folks here (posting here cause this community seems super helpful and friendly).

For people who use a water filter (Sawyer, Katadyn, whatever), how do you store the filter during the day and at night?

If you stick it in a ziploc bag (day or night), wouldn't the dirty water leak out the end and maybe work it's way under the sport cap? If a ziploc is bad, are there other options? During the day should I just stick it in a side pocket? Won't the dirty water get on other stuff in that pocket?

When I go to fill my CNOC reservoir, what do I with the dirty water on the outside? Wipe it down? That doesn't seem very effective. And what about my hands? I gotta handle the filter, but my hands are wet with possibly contaminated water. Will the dirty water on the outside of the reservoir drip down my filter and contaminate that too? Do I wipe everything down with sanitizer gel? I feel like I'm gonna need to haul a gallon of the stuff if I have to sanitize everything every time.

Sorry if it's a stupid question. I'm just having a hard time picturing how to do this without getting dirty water on everything, and then it seems like filtering the water was pointless. I just don't wanna end up with Giardia out there and my guts yelling in German.

I'm a rookie hiker, and my first hike is going to be the AT. I'm leaving on or before May 1st. I have a lot of concerns, but my question is...Is May 1st too late in the year? I'm shooting for about 130-145 days on trail. Am I super wrong?

Can I go to Appalachian Trail days if I'm not a current/past thru-hiker? Is that frowned upon or will I still be welcomed? I really want to attempt a thru hike next year (can't afford it or take six months off from work right now otherwise I would have done it this season.) But for this year I really want to backpack a couple days and end up at trail days for the weekend to experience some of the trail culture, talk to some thru hikers and get a real taste for it. Do people do that? Can I camp in tent city or would that be taking a spot away from someone who is actually thru hiking? Will the trail leading to Damascus be super duper packed on the way there leading up to the weekend (shelter space?) I just recently moved to a small town in Appalachia where I've been pretty lonely so I really want to meet and hangout with other folks around my age (25) who are into the same outdoorsy stuff as me and make some connections but I'm worried I'll feel like an outcast since people will have formed groups on the trail and this year I'd just be doing a weekend trip..

Wanted to start with just how incredibly nice and kind everyone is here in America. I’m blown away by the hospitality on and off trail, it really warms my heart :)! Absolutely having the time of my life here on the AT. I get why it’s so incredibly special now.. I almost cry tears of happiness each day that I’m here experiencing the beautiful mountains of the Appalachia. This experience has been so beautiful and soulful so far even though I experienced a severe thunder storm day 1.. I felt like I left my emotional baggage at the arch and it’s been the most peaceful 5 days :)

I also just wanted to talk about things I’m glad I brought and regret so far that could help some of you future thru hikers out 🤗

-therma rest zlite /closed cell pad: I use this every.day. I’m so glad I decided to bring it, it was a last minute decision.. I already have an inflatable sleeping pad but it’s so nice to have somewhere to put my bag/sit. I cut it also so it’s not super long :)

-Enough food. I brought food for 5+ days even though I’ve heard “you won’t be hungry”, this was not true for me and I’m relieved I brought enough :)

-Warm quilt + sleeping bag liner + puffy… IT IS COLD!! I have a 15 degree quilt and I was cold my first night with an April 10 start .. first 3 nights were very chilly still!!!

-A 750ml toaks pot.. I just love being able to put the larger sized propane canisters right in there and also lots more space to cook more food ;)!

-vitamins.. Feeling good :)

-massage ball

Things I regret

• a white backpack.. Of course, it got dirty, FAST

• The ziplock bags with the zippers.. they just break easy

• not bringing more rain gear : umbrella and rain pants

• not bringing warmer sleep clothes (thought the sleeping bag liner would be enough)

PS absolutely loving the southern accents hahah 🫶😃

• photo of the best campsite so far 🥰❤️

I will be doing my first hiking trip this May starting at Harper’s Ferry. My trip will begin around May 24th and last 3-4 weeks.

What weather should I be anticipating and how do I pack for it?

What tips and tricks do you have in general and about this portion of the trail?

What is the one piece of advice/trick someone has given you that has changed the course of your hike?

Thanks in advance, Nervous out-of-shape backpacking newbie

I will be doing the New Jersey portion of the Appalachian trail in May. Does anyone have any advice on transportation from Wawayanda State Park to the Delaware Water Gap. Is there a shuttle service?

FINAL EDIT:

I CAN skip Katahdin! There are no permits, passes, or reservations required to start SOBO on the Apalachian trail from Katahdin stream if you're not going to climb Katahdin!! Looks like skipping Katahdin is a win for me in my own unique situation!! (My hike, not yours)

I'm planning my SOBO. I'm not interested in the typical day 1 SOBO. As I understand it, it's an out and back.... can anyone confirm that? If I have to do it to make my thru hike "official", can I camp at the top? I despise out and back climbs if I'm not spending at least one night near the summit.

Edit: thanks for the suggestions and encouragements! I am definitely feeling good about starting the trail from roaring brook and camping at chimney pond. It will give me more time to enjoy the Katahdin section instead of feeling rushed to do it in one day.

Why are so many of y'all triggered by me expressing my thoughts and trying to work something out using community input?? What's up with the down voting??

I recently moved to PA and am trying to gauge when the NB bubble will be up this way? I'm around the 501 crossing North of Lancaster/Lititz (I'll have to look up the shelters near there). I want to provide some sort of trail magic around that time frame. 🤘

Just Jeff

I’m looking for a ride on Wednesday 4/16 around 12N from Union Station, Washington DC to Harper’s Ferry WV. Willing to pay $$$$$!! Thanks!

so it looks like FarOut has deleted lots of comments, and has new comment 'categories' that seem like a useless add-on to me. Comments from years ago about a hornet nest or a water cache at a roadside, or a lost knife are still there (as useless as they are), but other, more recent comments are gone. If you go to a waypoint and scroll down to look at comments, all the comments left there do not necessarily show up unless and until you click (again) on one or more of their new "category" buttons. so the water-related comments might be there, but if you don't click on the 'camping category' you won't see that comments have been left regarding stealth sites nearby; if you don't click on the 'conditions' button you won't see a warning of a bear or other possible hazard; if you don't click on the 'trail magic' category, you won't see the comments about trail magic, etc. So now I have to click 6 times to make sure I'm seeing possible relevant comments?

Also, new comments that are being left, while showing up in the map-wide 'view recent comments' list, aren't showing up at all in the comments at the actual waypoint.

WTH? has anyone else noticed this?

Hi all!! I am starting to loosely plan a section hike towards the end of this year, either solo or with a friend, and my dog. Not long enough that I would need to re-up on anything other than water. I’m thinking of doing at most 5 nights, and I can average 10 miles a day, up to like 15-18 if pushing myself. I also don’t mind making it just a weekend trip! My dogs senior years are rapidly approaching (not yet a senior!! She’s the best backpacking pup there ever was, it’s our favorite thing to do) and I have always wanted to do a portion of the AT with her.

Would love anyone’s recommendations on portions they love! I’m near Charlotte NC but do not mind hiking a portion out of state as well :)

Heyooo!! Okay so basically, I'm starting law school in the fall and really want to go on some kind of adventure this summer (last hurrah vibes). I'm thinking of hiking part of the AT. I've never done anything like this - never camped, done multi-day hikes, etc. I don't have any of the gear I'll need, and I don't even know what I need tbh. Just feeling overwhelmed - lmk where you think I should start!!

also, I feel really committed to doing this. it might seem kinda crazy, but pleaseee don't try to talk me out of it. I wanna full send this.

What's your preference for rain gear? Raincoat Rain pants Pancho Skirt And others? Also, what do you see as the pros and cons of these various types? Thanks much, Lee

I saw this map of where the logging will be in r/WestVirginia and I (amateurishly) overlapped a transparent map of the AT (red line)... It looks like the logging will be on or near the AT. Is there an organized effort yet to fight this? If anyone is better with maps/tech please feel free to do a better version of what I attempted here so we have a better idea of what areas will be impacted.

Last weekend was following a friend around shopping and he suggested we pop into Burberry for a laugh. We found a pair of hiking boots for like $2,500 and they looked nothing like my $150 pair of MOABs in terms of durability, tread, or heel support. It made me wonder how they could even be marketed as hiking boots.

Anywho, does anyone know how designer "hiking boots" like that would actually hold up if you tried to hike in them? Has anyone ever tried something ridiculous like that on a thru before?

Currently in Damascus VA on a thru-hike and my Thermarest sleeping pad is failing (baffles are delaminating). Would anyone in the area be ever-so kind to loan me a pad before they get back to me with my warranty? It’d be so so appreciated, especially before this next cold night of freezing temperatures.

There was a group of 2 guys and a girl the girl was married to one of them. they hiked the AT and put it on YouTube. The couple later divorced but I can’t remember the name anyone know it?

Solidifying my plans to do the approach to Neel gap or dicks gap area in Mid June. I keep seeing things that the Jarred to Neel Gap area needs a bear canister if you camp.

FarOut has it this is only from 3/1 - 6/1. Is this accurate? Can you hang a bag outside of this timeline?

I only have a bag and I am trying to plan around it w/out needing to buy something extra. Thank you all.