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Fall Road Trip Along the Appalachian Trail - Part I

By David Reichman

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Published: 18Sep2008
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Hiking the entire 2,167 miles of the Appalachian Trail is too daunting for most folks to seriously consider, but plenty use a ROAD TRIP PLANNER to create a car or RV road trip. Hoofing it would take about seven months at 10 miles per day, though some die-hard hikers manage it in one season. So, traversing the Appalachian Trail in a car or RV road trip is the choice alternative because you could can cover the same distance in about two weeks at the leisurely pace.

This scenic road trip parallels the hiker's route for the most part, with many places where the trail and road intersect. This allows you to hike each day, immersed in the deep woods, then sit back in your car and enjoy nature's colors unfurling before you. Start your road trip planner with a date in the Fall because then you get twice the benefit: Experience the Appalachian Mountains AND see New England's legendary Fall Colors.

That's not to say your trip itinerary will include nothing but trees and trails. On the contrary, you're passing through historically significant states so imagine the quaint villages and historic sites that'll open up for you as you fill your road trip planner.

Even though the Appalachian Trail runs through 14 states, this blog will include details on the first 6 of them (not including Maine): New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania. This leaves New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia for another blog. Keep in mind that even though your road trip planner might initially show a direct route of 1200 miles, to follow the Appalachian Trail, you'll be meandering through the states, which adds another 200 miles to your road trip.

CHOICE SPOTS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR ROAD TRIP PLANNER:

IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: You'll be traveling west from Gorham to Orford before turning south.
* Pinkham Notch Camp
* Mt. Washington in New Hampshire's Presidential Range
* Mount Washington Cog Railway
* The five granite ledges of Old Man of the Mountain at the Franconia Notch Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich

IN VERMONT: Your entry point is White River Junction; exit through Bennington.
* The historic town of Woodstock
* Gifford Woods State Park in the heart of the Green Mountains
* A panoramic view of Mt. Snow as you descend into Wilmington

IN MASSACHUSETTS: You'll be skirting the west on Highway 7 all the way from Williamstown to Ashley Falls.
* Mount Greylock State Reservation
* Hancock Shaker Village
* Mount Washington State Forest in South Egremont (stay at the Weathervane, a great B & B).

IN CONNECTICUT: Enter in Canaan on Highway 7 and exit through Danbury.
* Norfolk, for its sheer beauty, including its private forest
* The Appalachian Trail crosses Highway 7 and the Housatonic River at Cornwall Bridge.
* Allow one luxury stay at the Berkshires. The Berkshires is to western Connecticut what the Catskills is to New York and the Poconos to Pennsylvania.

IN NEW YORK: We're only going to include the Appalachian Trail segment in this road trip planner and keep the "other" New York for another trip (unless you really can't help yourself & decide to spend a few days in New York City...it's your vacation after all :>). Drive along US 6 to Highway 7, touching the southeastern part of New York and exiting through Port Jervis.
* West Point, the Army's famous military academy
* Bear Mountain State Park
* Harriman State Park

IN PENNSYLVANIA: Come in at Dingman's Ferry and exit through Gettysburg (you'll actually dip a bit in the Garden State of New Jersey).
* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
* The Poconos
* Roadside America in the village of Shartlesville to see a scale model of bygone Americana.
* The Pennsylvania Dutch Country
* Gettysburg

That's it...so far. Check back again soon because we've got another 7 states to add to your Road Trip Planner to make this a truly magnificent Fall exploration of the Appalachian Trail.

Tripwiser leverages the collective wisdom of thousands of users worldwide, and makes road trip planning interactive and fun. Check out our Road Tripper blog for more great places to explore.

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