Sporting

Virginia boasts 550 miles of the AT, with hikes ranging from easy strolls to advanced climbs. Serious hikers say the Virginia AT has some of the wettest and most challenging terrain along the entire route, between the spring thaw and all those rocks. Hike it in sections—north, Shenandoah, central or southwest—or tackle the whole state at once!

Northern—54 miles

• Stretches from the Virginia/West Virginia state line south to Shenandoah National Park

• Features a long, low ridge including the notoriously strenuous Rollercoaster section south of Snickers Gap

• One of the best places for “Spring Break” hikes

Shenandoah—104 miles

• Abundant wildlife, great vistas

• Great for beginner hikers

• Side trails provide opportunity for one- or two-day circuit hikes

• Near Skyline Drive—good for resupply stops

• Busy in late October; park

facilities closed from late November through late March

Central—226 miles

• Somewhat more difficult hikes as you travel south

• Features the mature timber, high summits and spectacular wilderness found in the George Washington National Forest, north of Roanoke

• Unusual rock formations including Humpback Rocks, Three Ridges, the Priest, McAfee Knob and Dragon’s Tooth

Southwest—166 nukes

• Gorgeous displays of rhododendron and azalea in June and July

• Features state’s highest mountain, Mt. Rogers, reachable via an eight-mile round-trip hike over rough terrain that can be strenuous for those who are not fit

• Damascus, known as the “friendliest town on the trail”

• Best area for those who crave solitude

TRAIL SPEAK

Trail name: hiker’s trail moniker

SOBO: southbound thru-hiker

NOBO: northbound thru-hiker

Slack-packer: a hiker who hikes without a pack and instead sends it ahead for pick-up

Flip-flop: to hike a section of trail in one direction, and then return to the starting point and hike in the opposite direction

Thru-hiker: a person who more or less hikes the entire length of the trail in one continuous trip, in 12 months or fewer

2,000-miler, end-to-ender: alternate terms for thru-hikers

SECTION-HIKER: a hiker who completes the AT in sections over a period of years

Vitamin I: Ibuprofen

P.U.D.’s: pointless ups and downs (arduous climbs without views)

Bounce box: a package containing hard-to-find items (batteries, chargers, field guides) that hikers might buy at a town stop before shipping ahead (or “bouncing”) to the next stop

Mouse trapeze: a food hanger in a shelter consisting of a nylon cord and an upside-down tuna can suspended halfway down its length. Used to keep food out of the reach of rodents