So if you decide to walk the Appalachian trail are there many major roads that need to be traversed? Are footbridges provided over major traffic arteries?
Yes. Here’s a picture of a pedestrian overpass where the Appalachian Trail crosses the MassPike–Massachusetts Turnpike. Page was one of the first off Google–but I’ve driven under the overpass often enough to know that it’s there.
The Trail crosses several Interstate highways (see maps here)
Also see here for a picture of the Trail crossing I-40 in NC.
Thanks guys. I imagined it had to. I read Bill Bryson’s book about walking the trail years back but I don’t recall him talking about crossing any major roads.
Usually the easiest solution is to find a smaller road that crosses the highway via an underpass or bridge, and route the trail along it for a bit.
Until a few years ago the Lacrosse River / Elroy-Sparta trails stopped at I-90 (I think there were some state roads you could take), now there is an overpass
http://www.bikesparta.com/images/sign%20on%20bridge.jpg
Brian
It may not be apparent from the book, but I don’t believe he walked the whole thing, just notable chunks. I’ve heard hikers grousing about it.
Well I think he admits in the book he only walked 20% of it or something like that.
In fact, since there is not an unbroken expanse of public park / forest land all the way from Georgia to Maine, you have to do something to get between those areas. In the absence of gaining access to cross private property, about the only thing to do is route the trail along a highway right of way to get between park areas. Somebody I talked to once mentioned the incongruity of backpacking several miles alongside a major highway to cover the entire AT.
Actually, his book has little to do with hiking the AT. It’s a fun little read, but his experiences were never intended to be like a real thru-hike and, to some degree, aren’t even like normal hiking. And he’s not a very good fact checker, there are lots of things wrong in that book.
I enjoyed reading it, but it’s nothing like the trail.
Since the 1980’s a lot of the trail has been rerouted into the woods and away from roads, especially in New England. There were some contentious issues with land owners so the process was slow and laborious at times. But many of the road walks were eliminated and now nearly all of the trail is on Park Service land or they have permanent easements.
In New Hampshire/Vermont you cross under I-89 on a road going from Norwich Vt to Hanover NH, and then cross under I-93 in Franconia Notch in a small tunnel.
I hiked the New York/New Jersey portion – there’s a bridge over I-87 (along a local road, not a footbridge) but across the Palisades Interstate Parkway you’re on your own. I think the posted speed is 55 MPH, but I’m sure the average speed is closer to 70. It’s hairy.
This is a bit strong - the AT is the subject of the book. Bryson had a notion he’d do a thru-hike, but was rather soon disabused of that. He gives a fair amount of history and many anecdotes, many of which are from his own experiences on the trail.
OK, the book is a light read, intended mainly as humor. But it is certainly about the AT.
IMO, only tangentially. It purported to be about thru-hiking, and it really isn’t. There are parts of the book that are about history, and he got some important facts wrong (I’d have to re-read to remember what they were). The parts with Katz are a character study, and I strongly suspect Katz isn’t a real person and many of the stories are made up or took place elsewhere. I’m also pretty sure he had no intention of thru-hiking when he set out.
Yes, it’s set on the AT for the most part, but (again, IMO) it’s not about the AT. It’s an enjoyable read, don’t get me wrong. But if you are looking for a book that describes what it’s like to hike on the AT, this simply isn’t it.
91, and yep, it’s common to see rather weary-looking folks tromping through town. 
Tangential hijack…
What are the logistics of the through hike? Take travelers checks and cash them along the way to re-supply? I guess getting rolled along the trail isn’t that big of a problem, just wondering how folks manage it.
Money isn’t that big of an issue, as you don’t have too many expenses along the way. You mail your food and supplies to yourself at Post Offices and mail drops along the way. An ATM card will get you money you need since you encounter towns often enough. The food drops are the big logistical hurdle, since you have to know when you are going to be where. There are books to help plan it all out.
There’s a good series of articles on http://www.whiteblaze.net about trail resupply.
Yup, I went to school at Dartmouth and built and maintained a lot of the trail through there in my undergrad days. When the thru-hikers would come to Robinson Hall we’d get them to Thayer, get them some Ben and Jerry’s, and find them a place for the night. Trail magic.
The more I think about it, travelers checks would be even more of a hassle these days. They would have been excellent 25 years ago or more though. Pre-paid cards, debit or credit cards would be more handy.
Oops, missed the edit window.
Right, my mistake. I’m trying to remember how it crosses 89; I think it crossed the White River on a bridge in West Harford then goes under 89 on the Tigertown Road. The only big road crossings in NH are Rt 302 at Dry River, then Rt 16 across from Pinkham, and Rt 2 north of the Rattle River.
How does it go through the Delaware Water Gap? That’s a pretty complicated bit of road / valley / bridge / river.