Increasing Opportunities for Access on the Appalachian Trail: A Design Guide

The 2,175 mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail traverses 14 states from Maine to Georgia. Visited by three to four million people each year, the Appalachian Trail is considered one of the most popular units of the National Park System. In 1968, the United States Congress designated the Appalachian Trail as the Nation’s first national scenic trail, “to provide for maximum outdoor recreation potential and for the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which such trails may pass”. This law, and the extensive land protection programs that followed, underscore the significance of the Trail as one of our nation’s most important recreational and scenic resources.

The Comprehensive Plan for the A.T. outlines the guiding principles for managing the A.T. It says that “The Trail will be continuous in its marking and be open to all to walk upon it.” (emphasis added) (p. 8). The purpose of this document is to build upon the core management philosophies outlined in the Comprehensive Plan including management through the Cooperative Management System; managed for traditional A.T. values and goals; diversity and character of A.T. lands will continue; maintenance and construction will be carried out in accordance with A.T. “Trail, Design, Construction, and Maintenance”; hikers are responsible for their own safety and comfort; an unregimented atmosphere and encouragement of self reliance; and providing opportunities for all hikers to experience the Appalachian Trail.

This manual was a direct result of an effort by A.T. managers to navigate the many issues related to trail management and accessibility and distill the numerous nuances down to an easily digested, and most importantly, user friendly document. Many sources were used in the development of this manual; however it is not intended to cover all aspects of trail management or accessibility. Rather, it attempts to integrate traditional design concepts with increased awareness of accessibility issues to provide managers with an additional tool in sustaining the values of the Appalachian Trail.