Posted on Jul 15, 2020
Despite COVID-19, Some Hikers Go The Distance On The Appalachian Trail
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Every year, several thousand adventurous souls set out to hike all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. But in March, thru-hikers were kindly asked to put their dreams on hold because of the pandemic.
"We asked people that hadn't started their hike to postpone it and we asked people who were on the trail to please leave," says Sandi Marra, president and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which manages and protects the trail.
Marra said even before COVID-19 there were regular outbreaks of other viruses in crowded bunkhouses and shelters. Hikers often don't have access to soap and water for days at a time so good hygiene can be a challenge. There were concerns hikers would infect each other or spread the virus to rural towns where they went to pick up food and supplies.
"We asked people that hadn't started their hike to postpone it and we asked people who were on the trail to please leave," says Sandi Marra, president and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which manages and protects the trail.
Marra said even before COVID-19 there were regular outbreaks of other viruses in crowded bunkhouses and shelters. Hikers often don't have access to soap and water for days at a time so good hygiene can be a challenge. There were concerns hikers would infect each other or spread the virus to rural towns where they went to pick up food and supplies.
Despite COVID-19, Some Hikers Go The Distance On The Appalachian Trail
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Posted >1 y ago
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Living within spitting distance to the southern terminus of the AT, I can understand the frustrations of both sides of the equation. For those already on the trail, allowances should have been made. You put everything on hold, to do this one thing.
Here the parking areas were blocked off on many trails, not just access to the AT. If it had been just the area residents on the trails, there would not have been much of a problem. But we had an influx of thousands of folks from the greater ATL area and other places. So, many of the trails that the locals use were shut down as well.
Here the parking areas were blocked off on many trails, not just access to the AT. If it had been just the area residents on the trails, there would not have been much of a problem. But we had an influx of thousands of folks from the greater ATL area and other places. So, many of the trails that the locals use were shut down as well.
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