The historic Appalachian trail is the world's longest, continuously-marked trail. With over 2,000 miles of hiking trails, there are plenty of opportunities to hop out of the car and explore the outdoors. The trail starts in Maine and then winds down through fourteen states, and officially ends in Georgia. Some people prepare for months to actually hike the entire length of the trail, which has been around since the 1920s, and is a permanent part of America's hiking heritage. But, it's also pretty fun to drive the Trail, which is divided into three major sections: New England, Mid-Atlantic, and the Southern Appalachias. The New England stretch of the trail takes you from Maine to New Hampshire, a bit of Vermont, and Connecticut. The Mid-Atlantic states include New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Then you'll hit the Southern Appalachias, which include Virginia and West Virginia, then over to Tennessee and down to North Carolina and Georgia.
Laconia, NH, US
Wells Beach, ME, US
Next up, is Crawford Notch State Park. This 5,700-acre park has loads of hiking trails, a few waterfalls and insanely gorgeous mountain views. There's also a campground onsite. And a little ways down the road is Gifford Woods State Forest Park, which also features Appalachian trail camping.
Franconia, NH, US
Over in Hancock, MA is the historic Hancock Shaker Village, which was established in 1791, and Bash Bish Falls State Park, home to Massachusetts' highest single-drop waterfall.
For a quirkier place to sleep, there's the Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant in Ronks, PA, which is located on 10 acres in Amish Country. Here you can sleep in a historic train car and caboose, which comes with flat-screen TVs, and some come with their own private deck. There's also an onsite country restaurant, petting zoo and buggy rides are also offered. Be warned, the Red Caboose Motel closes in winter.
Next up is the Appalachian Trail Museum in Gardners, PA, which has been dedicated to protecting the legends and stories of the community of hikers who work to preserve and protect the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail, since its creation in 1923. The museum is located along Pennsylvania’s Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The museum itself was built over two hundred years ago, and at that time was used as a grist mill. Today it’s across from one of the most famous points of the Appalachian Trail, the Pine Grove General Store, which is traditionally the half-way mark, and where hikers stop to attempt the famous ritual of trying to eat half a gallon of ice cream in one sitting. Today the museum currently exhibits over 13,000 images of hikers who have passed though the area over the years, and they also have a trail shelter built by famous hiking legend Earl Shafer. In 1948 Shafer was the first person to hike the entire trail and has gone down in hiker glory.
From Gardners, head south to Gettysburg. Gettysburg National Military Park is probably the most important battlefield in America, commemorating the turning point of the Civil War. There's so many exhibits and a fantastic driving tour of the park. Plus, Gettysburg is a beautiful historic town to spend the day.
If you want to get out to stretch your legs, head to Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont, MD, which is home to a 78-foot tall cascading waterfall, Maryland's largest. Washington Monument State Park in Middletown features a 34-foot tall monument, and is just 4 miles from the town of Boonsboro, another great town to visit while on the Appalachian Trail.
Lothian, Maryland, United States
Annapolis, MD, US
Then drive down to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, located smack dab where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet. This historic town has hiking and a charming downtown district that will make you feel like you're stepping back in time to the 1800s.
Another must-stop along the route is the 110-mile Skyline Drive, which runs the entire length of Shenandoah National Park, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL: The best time to drive down the Appalachian Trail is in the fall. Many places are seasonal along the route, and some are closed in winter, also some roads will be closed seasonally as well. Summer can be hot, but autumn is pretty much perfect. From September through mid-November the leaves will be changing and provide a gorgeous backdrop to your journey.