The historic Appalachian trail is the world's longest continuously-marked trail. It starts in Maine and then winds down through fourteen states, and officially ends in Georgia. Though it's meant to be walked, a hike from end to end can take between five and seven months-- and only 20% of those who set out to conquer it actually complete the journey. 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 Appalachians. The New England stretch of the trail takes you from Maine to New Hampshire, though a bit of Vermont, and into Connecticut. The Mid-Atlantic states include New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Then you'll hit the Southern Appalachians, which include Virginia and West Virginia, then over to Tennessee and down to North Carolina and Georgia.
Beginning in the New England section of the Appalachian Trail, a few breathtaking highlights include Baxter State Park and the White Mountain National Forest. The trail picks up again in eastern Vermont and goes up to the New York-Connecticut border: this section of the trail is much less difficult for hikers than the northernmost segment. Expect to see many stone walls from previously existing structures such as farm buildings. This section also contains some hiking through gorgeous farmland and lovely pastoral views. Consider resting your legs at the waterfalls in Gifford Woods State Forest Park or Kent Falls State Park. Maine's Grafton Notch State Park is a major highlight of this section, and actually the perfect place to start your Appalachian Trail road trip, surrounded by beautiful waterfalls and gorges.
After Grafton Notch, plan on driving the Mt Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire, which is a seasonal byway up the highest peak in the Northeast, along which you'll find mountain tours, a gift shop, a cafe, and ever-changing panoramic views. It's especially gorgeous at sunrise... and once you've completed the drive, you'll earn a "This Car Climbed Mt. Washington" bumper sticker!
While in New Hampshire visit Story Land, a super quirky theme park that was founded by Bob and Ruth Morell after purchasing large, whimsical dolls from Germany. Their park is based on these massive storybook dolls, and has all kinds of rides and attractions, from swan boats to vintage cars to an antique carousel, and tons more.
Next up is Crawford Notch State Park. This 5,700-acre park has loads of hiking trails, a few waterfalls and some 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-- if you can't hike it, you can at least camp out the way a hiker would!
The New England portion of the Appalachian Trail offers plenty of delicious places to eat. There's Polly's Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH, which is famous for its pancakes, obviously, but also its ambiance, as it's set in an early 1800s building that provides fantastic mountain scenery. A little drive away is the Sunny Day Diner in Lincoln, NH and the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, VT, which is a classic 1945 railcar diner, where you can play some tunes on the jukebox while you eat all-day breakfast.
When you're ready to call it a day, head to Crawford Notch Campground in the White Mountain National Forest, or lakeside Loch Lyme Lodge, which offers cabins and cottages. Inn Of The Six Mountains in Killington is another great choice. The resort is surrounded by the Green Mountains, and if you're visiting during winter for skiing, they provide free shuttle service to the slopes.
Or you could spend the night in luxury at the Four Chimney's Inn in Bennington, VT, which is housed in a beautiful 1913 mansion, on 11 acres, and is just a few minutes walk from The Bennington Museum and the Bennington Battle Monument. Lastly, the Maple Terrace Motel in Williamstown, MA will make you feel right at home with simple rooms decorated in a charming country theme.
Once you hit Massachusetts, head to Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams, to learn about the history of this part of Massachusetts. And a can't-miss museum is the Arrowhead Museum, which is the name of Herman Melville's House (he's the guy who wrote "Moby Dick").
Over in Hancock, MA is the historic Hancock Shaker Village, which was established in 1791 and has been turned into a living history museum where you can listen to interpretive talks on history, see demonstrations on how the Shakers farmed and danced, and even meet some cute baby animals. Nearby, you'll also find Bash Bish Falls State Park, home to Massachusetts' highest single-drop waterfall.
Before you leave Massachusetts, if you're hungry, there's East Side Cafe in Pittsfield, which has been a local favorite since the 1950s. Or, over in Connecticut, there's Collins Diner, a classic retro aluminum diner.
Mount Washington State Forest is one of the prettiest forests along the route, and lies in the southern part of the Taconic Mountain range. After soaking in the woodland beauty there, take a leisurely stroll across the covered bridge at Kent Falls State Park, and hike to the cascading waterfalls.
The Mid-Atlantic section of the Appalachian Trail weaves in and out of some heavily populated urban areas, but the trail retains a feeling of remoteness as it passes to the west of major cities like Philadelphia and New York City. For hikers traveling through this section, the Mid-Atlantic makes it easy to resupply considering its proximity to so many cities. Dig the beautiful scenery at New York's Bear Mountain State Park and Pennsylvania's stunning Pinnacle Overlook. Also plan to make a stop at Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY. It's a fun outdoor, open-air sculpture museum where you can easily spend an afternoon wandering around exhibits.
If you get hungry, head to Milford Diner for traditional, home-cooked diner food, set in a very cool colonial-themed diner.
Next you'll come to Bear Mountain State Park in Tomkins Cove. It's 5,000 acres of scenic beauty located on the Hudson River. Also, the nearby Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is one of New Jersey's best-kept secrets. It's forty lush miles of the middle Delaware River, surrounded by shady forests, rolling hills and peaceful river inlets.
If you're a hot dog connoisseur, in Belvidere, NJ there's Hot Dog Johnny's, which will make you tingle with retro road food nostalgia. Their simple menu includes no-frills hot dogs, delicious fries, and homemade birch beer (it's like root beer, but better!)
When you're ready to pull over for the night, Pennsylvania's Historic Hotel Bethlehem is a beautiful boutique hotel that's also pet-friendly, and has an onsite ice cream shop.
For a history kick, head over to the Friends of The Daniel Boone Homestead in Birdsboro, PA, where it feels like you've stepped back in time. It's a fantastic place to learn about the culture of Oley Valley during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Also nearby is the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, where you can learn about the industrial revolution at an actual "iron plantation", and the Ephrata Cloister, in Lancaster County, PA: here, you'll find an old, 18th-century religious community that's been beautifully preserved.
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-- but since this is the 21st century, they come with flat-screen TVs, and some even feature their own private deck. There's also an onsite country restaurant and petting zoo and you can even catch a buggy rides. Keep in mind, the Red Caboose Motel closes in winter.
Next along the route is the Haines Shoe House in Stonybrook. This is a great place for a photo op. The house was initially built by a shoe salesman as an advertisement for his business, and today it's a quirky, but iconic, roadside attraction.
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 building 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 along the hike. It's also 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 history as one of the first great adventurers.
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 and muggy, but autumn is pretty much perfect. From September through mid-November the leaves will be changing and provide a gorgeous backdrop to your journey. Spring is lovely as well, with wildflowers in bloom and mild temperatures, although you might run across the occasional April shower.
