easiest hiking questions

[lescaster]

I want to do a short trip - 3 to 5 days - in Sept. It will be myself and three friends who have never hiked before. I want them to have a good time. Is there a stretch of the trail that is considered easy? Less taxing? But still gives a good walking experience?

Thanks

[Hippie dust]

Harpers Ferry to Pen Mar Park

[illabelle]

"Easiest hiking questions."
You fooled me with your thread title. I thought the questions would be easy. Instead you want to know where the hiking is easy. That is a hard question!

Answers will vary. We all have our favorite parts of the trail.

Shenandoah National Park is often favored as a good place for beginners. Not flat, but not extreme either. Skyline Drive roughly parallels the AT through the park, so it's always within a short walk if you decide you need to abort.

Maryland is a nice state, as Hippie Dust recommended.

Pennsylvania is mostly flat, but it's awful rocky, and just no fun.

If you have time to do a quick weekend in the woods somewhere closer to home before you get to the AT, you could even consider doing half of the Smokies. Start at Newfound Gap and walk downhill either south or north to the edge of the park. Easily done in your time frame. But not a good idea without having at least one weekend's experience elsewhere.

Some gorgeous country near Roan Mountain, TN, but it has some significant climbs and high elevations. Still, if you're up to it, I wouldn't mark it off.

Southwest Virginia has the wild ponies at Grayson Highlands. Terrain isn't difficult.

See what I mean? It's not an easy question!

[MuddyWaters]

Easy often is non scenic.

I'll second Grayson highlands though for newbs. It won't kill them, or dissapoint them.

[rocketsocks]

Anything but the Easterly leg of Rocksylvania.

[Wyoming]

I want to do a short trip - 3 to 5 days - in Sept. It will be myself and three friends who have never hiked before. I want them to have a good time. Is there a stretch of the trail that is considered easy? Less taxing? But still gives a good walking experience?

Thanks

With brand newbies you want to strictly avoid any really steep climbs and/or really rocky areas. This will kill the enjoyment for your buddies. They are NOT going to be in hiking shape and used to carrying packs. Even on fairly flat terrain the morning after the first day their legs are likely to be very sore and, if you don't watch out for them, they are likely to get blisters. Watch their feet for them. There were good ideas on where to go above so pick from them.

The above newbie issues are why the failure rate is so high in the beginning on thru hikes starting at Springer. If the AT started on terrain like Shenandoah NP and folks had an easy time (relatively) to get used to what they were doing a lot more of them would continue on rather than give up.

So make it easy for them.

Be in charge of what they bring in their packs and take out a lot of the crap they are going to want to bring. Getting their pack weight down will be a big factor in making their hike enjoyable also. If you can hit places along the way where you can buy a meal it saves a lot of weight and they will love a pizza/beer or a burger.

[Wyoming]

Oh. I meant to add the issue of mileage.

For brand newbies don't plan on mileage over 10 per day. If you do your 3 day trip maybe only 25 miles. IF the 5 day trip I would still keep it under 50 as a plan. If they turn out to be extra frisky you could have a backup plan for some shorter side hikes to add in some extra stuff. Shenandoah would be good for this. You might on one day hike a shorter day and set up a base camp and hike a 5 mile loop or so without packs also.

[nsherry61]

If you are going for 3 to 5 days on a first backpacking trip, and if you currently reside in MN as your profile suggests, why in the world are you looking to hike a stretch of the AT????!!!

For me, the hardest part of backpacking is the logistics of transportation getting to the trail head(s). Keep it simple!!

Living in MN you have more, more beautiful, backpacking in your own back yard than most of the AT has to offer.

Start here.

Or here.

Or here.

But, most of all, have fun.

P.S. If you haven't already, I HIGHLY recommend doing some day hikes together with your friends along with at least one overnight a short distance from your car (near home) to make sure you work out the bugs you will surely find in your practices, procedures and gear you are planning on using. Troubleshooting close to home dramatically increases the likelihood and level of success on "the big trip".

[OCDave]

From Robbinsdale you can reach a really nice section of the Superior Hiking trail in less than 3 hours (Consider starting at Gooseberry Falls). You can get to the Western Terminus of the Ice Age trail in a bit over an hour (ends inside Interstate State Park). You can get to Lake Maria State Park in 45 minutes (lots of trails and rustic hike in camp sites).

The easiest hike will be any hike that is not your first. Get out and hike, camp, fail some, succeed some. If your friends cannot join you on these training hikes, at least they will have the benefit of your experience.

See: wasn't that easy?

[Slo-go'en]

I agree with the others, stick close to home. I really don't understand why anyone would travel long distances just to spend 3-5 days on the AT when there are options closer to home.

[MuddyWaters]

I really don't understand why anyone would travel long distances just to spend 3-5 days on the AT when there are options closer to home.

There's always options close to home.
Why would anyone hiked the AT?

How about cuz there's not always Mountains close to home?
And mountains are more interesting to hike in than flatland

And have a lot fewer mosquitoes sometimes...

[Dogwood]

If it has to be the AT I'll second S NP and Grayson Highlands. Lots of ease and scenic interest, wild ponies, pizza delivered to the trail, blackberry milkshakes, lower food wt to haul, opps to bail or change it up off the AT, foul weather bail outs,...

[Slo-go'en]

There's always options close to home.
Why would anyone hiked the AT?
How about cuz there's not always Mountains close to home?
And mountains are more interesting to hike in than flatland
And have a lot fewer mosquitoes sometimes...

Granted, it's worth going someplace different. I know most people can only manage a week off, but to travel for 4 days and hike for 3 seems kind of silly to me. But if that's what you have to do, then that's what you got to do.

Hum, looking at the map there doesn't seem to be any real direct way to get from Minnesota to any point on the AT. If driving, it's a long haul. Somewhere in Virginia is probably the most direct destination.

Grayson Highlands and the SNP are obvious choices. I think central VA would be nice in Sept. Do the Dragons tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. That could be done in 3 or 4 days.

[OCDave]

I wasn't trying to dissuade the OP from taking their AT hike. I was encouraging them to work in practice hikes prior to their September trip. Hiking trips are is easier after you've got a few under your belt.

Hiking and camping at distant locales is where adventures originate.

[Elaikases]

Harpers Ferry to Pen Mar Park

The path out of Harpers Ferry is really smooth and it is easy to get to. Then wherever you get in 3-5 days you can catch a shuttle and out.

That is great advice.

[Elaikases]

I wasn't trying to dissuade the OP from taking their AT hike. I was encouraging them to work in practice hikes prior to their September trip. Hiking trips are is easier after you've got a few under your belt.

Hiking and camping at distant locales is where adventures originate.

I have to admit that for a practice hike, I'd actually suggest hiking north from Harpers Ferry.

[Dabrains]

The Superior Hiking Trail is near you. Find some loops.

Sent from my FRD-L04 using Tapatalk

[4eyedbuzzard]

... I think central VA would be nice in Sept. Do the Dragons tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. That could be done in 3 or 4 days.

When is a good time in spring to hike this section? My daughter and I were thinking of a week long section. I'm thinking mid to late April to avoid thrus as much as possible, but am unsure about the weather. Too early or okay?

[tenlots]

Massachusetts. start at the Wileys ( if Marilyn is still around, she is known as the cookie lady) and go to top of greylock. worst of it is going up greylock. can end at cheshire, but one can hike to town and spend in a bed each night. tent at the wileys or stay in town.

[nsherry61]

I wasn't trying to dissuade the OP from taking their AT hike. . .

I was! Don't drive hours and hours to hike some well know trail as a first 3-5 day adventure. There are too many awesome places close by and failure is a pretty high risk and a lot easier to deal with closer to home.

There's always options close to home.
Why would anyone hiked the AT?

How about cuz there's not always Mountains close to home? . . .

And there sure as heck isn't always mountain along the AT either. I guess it depends on what you call mountains. If you want mountains, go west, not east!!