These people are already a given, as they now know/use the trail weather or not the actual name is changed.
hmmmmm........Think about the Pinhoti 5 years ago. Hardly anyone knew it existed. Now it seems most hikers in the SE, and many around the US know about it's existence.
The Pinhoti Trail was completed in February 2008, and officially opened to the public on March 16, 2008.
That's what I hear, mainly from these announcements that they're pushing to make it part of the Appalachian Trail. Which proves advertising works, but advertising doesn't necessarily have to be in the form of "we're part of the Appalachian Trail" to be effective.And that's a good thing - cause it's a great trail.