The Book that Broke the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail (AT) is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world, but its popularity has skyrocketed in recent decades.

In the 1970s, fewer than 100 people attempted to hike the AT each year, but by the 2010s, that number exceeded 3,000 annually. Many point to Bill Bryson's 1998 book, A Walk in the Woods, as the turning point that helped ignite this dramatic surge in interest. 

We spoke with Morgan Sommerville (Director of Visitor Use Management at the ATC) and Larry Luxenberg (Founder of The Appalachian Trail Museum) to find out how one man's story impacted the trail and the strategies taken to combat the rise in hikers.

Chapters:

• 00:00 INTRO
• 00:49 OVERVIEW: BILL BRYSON AND A WALK IN THE WOODS
• 03:28 THE BOOK: POPULARITY AND IMPACT
• 06:18 THE MOVIE: MORE POPULARITY AND FURTHER IMPACT
• 10:02 CONCLUSION