Nearly every hiker has a why that explains their reasons for stepping foot on the A.T. Some are fulfilling a lifelong dream, celebrating life milestones, looking for ways to protect and preserve the land, or finding solitude and peace in nature. But it’s just as important to explore who. Who is coming to the Appalachian Trail? And who belongs on this national treasure? Many may think the answer is something like, “A.T. hikers are experienced outdoorspeople who have hiked a lot for a long time. They’re probably young, in their physical prime, and live nearby for frequent, easy access to the Trail.” But the true answer to those questions is far more complex. It reflects the many ways the A.T. can be experienced and how the Trail affects anyone who visits.

Hiking the A.T. can be approached in a variety of ways and at various difficulty levels for visitors of all ages — from the very young to the more seasoned Trail enthusiasts. Leona “Little Foot” Harberg section-hiked the Trail over the course of several years, “For my 50th birthday I hiked the Long Trail. I had wanted to hike the A.T. since I was a teenager. I figured the Long Trail would be a good substitute, since I was working full-time and could only take a short leave of absence,” she recalls. “Well, it only lit the fuse to keep backpacking! So I sectioned-hiked the A.T., trying to cover at least 200 miles a year.”

Harberg’s story is one shared by many who either dreamed of someday tackling the Trail or came back to it after time away. “As a 23-year-old in 1981, I set my sight on thru-hiking the A.T. I hiked 830 miles from Springer to Lift Mountain in the Shenandoahs. I had lost much weight and decided to take a break from the Trail,” shares Peter “Bearded Dragon” Butryn. “Well, I raised a family and started section-hiking the Trail around 2007 with family and friends. In 2025 I completed two section hikes in the White Mountains … Looking forward to completing the Trail in a few years with just Maine left to go. My trail philosophy has been shaped by Benton MacKaye’s statement that he would give a prize to the person who takes the longest to hike the Trail.”

For Jenny “Gadget” Costner, hiking the A.T. wasn’t something she planned to do after retiring, “I started in 2018 at Amicalola Falls with a large group of friends, some of whom had completed a section hike. Four of us continued to do sections in Georgia. Eventually, it was just two of us … and we kept on going. I realized I had come so far, I needed to finish! This would not have been possible without the help and support of friends and family, especially my amazing husband! It’s also worth noting that I hiked with two hip replacements and my hiking partner has two knee replacements!”

Costner’s sentiments are echoed by those who draw strength from loved ones to meet their Trail goals. According to London “Frozen” Billis, a key part of her 2025 northbound thru-hike was having her dad take her “on this adventure of exploration and growth.” And as Scott “Papa Bear” Tylicki — a 2025 thru-hiker — shares, “It was a dream come true to be able to thru-hike the A.T. This dream was even better when my adult son (Blaise “Nature Beast” Tylicki) joined me for this journey. We are both similar style hikers with respect to speed, distance per day, breaks, and resupplies. We made a great team and had an amazing experience.”

Joined by family and friends from Indiana, Tom McNulty finished his five-year section hike of the A.T. at the Stony Man Trailhead in the Shenandoahs in October 2025, “It was an epic journey!” Similarly, Scott Redfern completed the Trail after fifteen years, “Even more special was finding my wife and son waiting for me … and being able to walk the last mile together to complete my journey. It is an experience I will remember fondly for the rest of my life!”

“My A.T. journey with my dad as ‘Trip’ and ‘Fall’ (our Trail names) was a true family adventure, completed over ten years together with my mom, [trail name ‘The One Who Waits’] helping as our pit crew manager,” shares Thomas “Trip” Logue, III, who — with his father — completed his section hike of the A.T. in 2025. “Highlights included sharing soup with hikers from around the world at Carter Notch Hut, seeing Katahdin rise in the distance from Avery Peak, and crossing the Kennebec River by canoe. The Trail gave me perseverance, laughter, and community — and finishing together on Baxter Peak was the culmination of countless memories. I am grateful to the ATC and volunteers who made this lifelong dream possible. Having autism, I feel that this hike helped me grow and improve my social interaction skills thanks to all the understanding and supportive people I met on the Trail. I love the A.T.!”

However, for many families, A.T. goals aren’t always related to hiking all 2,100+ miles. Some visit parts of the A.T. for vacations, as day trips to nearby sections, or to hit the big highlights along the Trail. Susan Koger and her family are taking on the 14 State Challenge and have visited eight of the states, “Our highlight was reaching our midpoint (our seventh state) in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. Vermont and New Hampshire are up next!” Andrea Langkamer-Smith and her son hiked up to Pulpit Rock along the A.T. in Pennsylvania for his college graduation photos, “It was funny to see him in his cap and gown at the overlook! We live near the Trail in Pennsylvania and hike there all the time, plus we are looking forward to thru-hiking together in 2026.”

Some hikers are led to the Trail through stories from family members who hiked or worked on the Trail. “I hiked the entire A.T. with a red felt hat that belonged to my grandfather,” shares Nathaniel “Leprechaun” Evans, who completed his thru-hike in 2025. “Supposedly, the hat made me look like a leprechaun. My grandfather hiked all the 48 4,000-foot peaks in the Whites in this hat in the 1960s and 1970s. As a computer scientist, he kept detailed logs of all of his hikes on note cards. I checked all of the registers in the AMC huts to find his name, and was able to find his signature from 1968, along with my grandmother, in the Madison Springs hut.”

Others, like Emily “Cobweb Rose” Johnson are bringing the next generation of Trail enthusiasts to the A.T. According to the 2023 thru-hiker, “My favorite A.T. memory from 2025 was taking my son for his first-ever hike … which, of course, had to be on the A.T. As soon as my doctor cleared me for activity postpartum, I returned to the Trail, taking my new hiking partner with me. He loves being outdoors, and we’ve gone on many hikes since then, but that first hike with my son will always be special.”

Many find themselves on the Trail through programs sponsored by the ATC, its partner organizations, and other similar groups. These include ones for students who wouldn’t normally experience the outdoor recreation the A.T. provides; retreats and networking opportunities for those interested in protecting the landscape; communal outdoor experiences for veterans; or outreach and hiking opportunities for members of communities long underrepresented in A.T. hiker populations.

Nicole “Tracker” Kniffen hiked most of her NOBO 2025 thru-hike by herself but eventually met several other female hikers doing the A.T. solo, “By Vermont we had all become so close we began calling ourselves the ‘girl bubble.’ It was incredible to continue meeting more and more women tackling the entire Trail and succeeding at what might be traditionally a male-dominated sport. The girl bubble summited Katahdin together with many other women just ahead or behind us!”

Finding community — whether it’s becoming part of a tramily, getting a helping hand on the Trail, or being moved by the simple kindness from fellow Trail enthusiasts — enhances the A.T. experience for many. During her hike, Barbara “Bird Song” Wismer met folks during the ATC’s Flip-Flop Kickoff in Harpers Ferry. She then hiked with them off and on during her entire flip-flop trip, “I summited Katahdin with three of them, then hiked the entire southern half with one of them. I’ve made friends for life on the A.T.!”

Tiana “Giggs” Ditzler never imagined the generosity and help she’d receive from strangers would continue through her flip-flop hike in 2025 and then shape how she viewed the Trail and her life afterward, “It really changed my outlook on the good of humanity,” she shares. “All in all, Trail was home for over eight months. I will miss it immensely, but always take the memories, stories, and lessons with me into the rest of my life. Thank you, ATC and trail maintainers, for keeping the Trail alive for the thousands of people who utilize it on a yearly or daily basis. You guys ROCK!”

For some, their commitment to conservation is strengthened by time on the Trail. And time on the Trail doesn’t only mean hiking it — thousands of A.T. enthusiasts are also part of a large community of volunteers who help maintain the Trail. “While I didn’t do a lot of hiking [in 2025], two different activities were my favorites this year,” shares Peter Buak. “I worked as a presenter at Basecamp two days a week while it was up and running. I am also a trail maintainer which leads me to be on my section about every two weeks year-round. I find it enjoyable both for the trail work and also meeting and talking to hikers as they pass through the section.”

During his section hike, Patrick “Slapshot” Doyle — a member and past president of the Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club — made it a point to educate other hikers in the challenges of trail work and the opportunities available through A.T. Clubs. “Whenever I could, [I pointed] out specifics of work done on the Trail. I also carry out small maintenance tasks whenever I am hiking … such as kicking duff or silt out of grade dips or waterbars and clearing fallen branches that I can easily remove.”

In some instances, caring for the Trail and the thoughtfulness of hikers passing through intersect in amazing ways. In Pennsylvania, after a gale-force storm passed through, Alexis “Mery Poppins” McAllister — a Trail Chair for the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club — met “Monarch,” a flip-flop hiker on his last 200 miles. “He volunteered to send me pictures and GPS coordinates of all downed trees for the 65 miles of Trail we manage. This allowed us to mobilize a Sawyer blitz and clear over 75 blow downs in two days of work with various crews taking on each section. The gratitude we had for this hiker to take time during his hike to do this brought tears to my eyes more than once. Many hike, few volunteer while they hike.”

Anybody. Everybody.

Maybe you see yourself in some of these visitors to the Trail or share the same goals or long for the same fulfillment that so many find on this footpath. It may seem intimidating, but there are ways to take on the Trail at your own level and pace. The folks at the ATC — who all spend time on the Trail and many of whom are section or thru-hikers — and A.T. Clubs, Ridgerunners, Trail Ambassadors, and so many more are there to help you find your way to and along the A.T. Dakota Jackson, ATC Senior Director of Visitor Engagement and a 2015 A.T. thru-hiker, shares, “I’ve seen staff and volunteers return to help with events or at the visitor centers after life-changing experiences on Trail. They are able to make unique connections and inspire the next generation of hikers to be responsible recreators on the A.T.” The ATC also manages affinity lists to connect hikers. According to Caitlin Miller, the ATC’s Information Services Manager and an A.T. section hiker, the lists are invaluable and “a testament to both the incredible community on the A.T. and the importance of representation, especially for newer hikers. Being welcomed to the Trail by folks who share some of your life experiences can be the catalyst, that last boost of confidence that turns your plans and dreams of an A.T. hike into reality.”

Perhaps the words of Dr. Jean Stephenson will help you find your way to the A.T. She was a Trail advocate essential to the Appalachian Trail’s development, and described it as, “Just a path, now down a rough shoulder slope, now through old clearings sweet-scented with grasses in the sun, through dim forests, then up through scrub and out over bare mountain ledges, it seems it’s been since the beginning; it seems it will be till the end.”

You belong on the Appalachian Trail. And the Trail is waiting for you.