Discovering the Appalachian Trail: A Guide to the Trail's Greatest Hikes

by Joshua Niven, Amber Adams Niven

From beginners to thru-hikers, Discovering the Appalachian Trail has something for anyone that wants a connection with the nation's longest marked footpath at approximately 2,181 miles. Starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia and finishing far to the north in Maine's Mount Katahdin, the A.T. crosses 14 states, 6 national parks, and 8 national forests. Taking on the A.T. is a pilgrimage because of both its beauty and accessibility. Let Joshua Niven and Amber Adams guide you across the best trails that the Appalachian Trail has to offer. Complete with full-color photography, you'll also have hikes suited to every ability, mile-by-mile directional cues, sidebars, and maps.

336 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2022

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great guide packed with so much more than mileage and topo maps! especially love the photos, seasoned thru-hiker personal experiences & wisdom (and the occasional "that's not smart" moments we all can relate to), tales from the trail & trail blazer spotlights. really felt they captured the essence of thru-hiking this footpath well. allowed me to relive memories of reaching the top of katahdin via knifes edge spur, june 1990; and several blue-blazed trails crossing thru the many new england and mid-atlantic states that i've lived in over the years since.

"Maine brings us back to the purpose of hiking the Appalachian Trail, as Benton MacKaye ever so transcendental once said, 'to walk, to see, and to see what you see.'"

[Kayleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did a great job of summarizing the trail and its origins. The hikes it covered are explained well and illustrated with beautiful photos. The maps are first rate.
My beef is that it covers such a small part of the trail. I didn't count miles, but it feels like maybe 10%. I was hoping for something a little more comprehensive.

However, if you know you won't ever get to all of the trail, this book will help you pick out a mile or two (or hundred in Maine) to cover.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a ton of books and memoirs about hiking the AT. This was a nice book because it has tons of great color photos. The information touches on lots of things: plants and animals along the way, specific hikers and their stories, shelters, and details about different hikes within the greater AT. I liked getting both Amber and Joshua’s perspective of their thru hikes.