Industry News
The Appalachian Trail turns 80 years old this month!
Stretching 2,190 miles from Maine to Georgia, the A.T. passes through 14 states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Completed in August of 1937, the A.T. is one of the longest continuously marked footpaths in the world.
The key to the A.T.’s long life is the preservation and management work done by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Ron Tipton, President & CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, stated that “In the 80 years since the Appalachian Trail first offered a continuous hike from Maine to Georgia, millions of individuals have been inspired by both the unique experience the Trail provides and the legacy of volunteer commitment that is the heart and soul of the A.T.”
With three million hikers trekking the A.T. annually, keeping the natural beauty and hiking heritage alive is essential to the past, present, and future of this historic footpath. However, the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, spearheaded by the EQT Corporation threatens to tarnish the A.T.’s scenic landscape and contaminate local drinking water sources for areas surrounding the footpath. The MVP if carried out would stretch over 300 miles through the countryside of Virginia and West Virginia. The ATC strongly opposes the MVP project, and urges the A.T. hiking community to take action.
