Exploring the Appalachian Trail: Hikes in the
Mid-Atlantic States, by Glenn Scherer and Don Hopey. Stackpole
Books, 1998. 372 pages, $19.95. ISBN 0811726665
Reviewed by John Morgan
This book is worth adding to the library of any
Appalachian Trail hiker interested in the mid-Atlantic states. I
thought the introductory section was mostly boiler plate covering a
lot of territory but not really saying too much. Many references about
where to get more information, but no real information as such, except
a lot of cautions. However, this doesn't distract from the
descriptions of the hikes, which is the basic reason for purchasing
the book. Each hike is exceptionally well-described, including maps,
elevation profiles, and a wonderful narrative of what to see and enjoy
as you travel along each route. Starting with a recommended direction
in which to hike each section, the descriptions cover such things as
the time needed, elevation gained and lost, effort required, social
and natural history, and early exit options. It truly is a hiker's
friend!
One gets an excellent description of features
encountered, including history, special features, viewsheds, and
interesting comments on side trail options. The section trail maps and
elevation profiles inform hikers of what to expect, so there should be
no surprises.
If you are thinking about hiking the AT in
Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, this is a good book
to own. I have fairly recently hiked this area and know I would have
liked to have had this book before I did so. I'm sure I missed some
of the historically significant features described here. Next time I
travel this wonderful section of the AT I will have this book in my
pack.
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