2,000 Milers

Interesting Facts

The number of people hiking the entire Trail has risen dramatically over the years. From 1936 to 1969, only 59 completions are recorded. In 1970, the numbers began to rise. Ten people completed the Trail in 1970, including Ed Garvey, whose thru-hike was well-publicized. The trend was further fueled by the release of Garvey’s popular book, Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime. The term “2,000-miler” was coined in the late 1970s to help identify this growing group of hikers.

By 1980, the total number of 2,000-milers had increased more than ten-fold. The total had doubled by 1990 and again by 2000. More hike completions were reported for the year 2000 alone than in the first 40 years combined. The 10,000th hike completion was reported in 2008, 71 years after the Trail’s completion; the 20,000th hike completion was reported just ten years later in 2018.

Women represented 15% or less of those who completed the entire A.T. in the Trail’s first several decades. Trends are changing, though. The percentage of women has grown steadily over the years; by 2018, women represented a third of thru-hikers.

International hikers from Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Wales have reported completing the Trail.

Hikers of a wide range of ages have completed the A.T. While about half of all thru-hikers are in their 20s, many people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s have thru-hiked the A.T. About 750 people in their 60s have completed thru-hikes, but only about 50 people age 70 and above have completed thru-hikes. Teens comprise about four percent of thru-hikers; a very small number of children have completed the A.T. with their parents. Section-hikers tend to be older, with a median age of 40. Their ages at the time of their hike completions have ranged from 15 to 86.

Early section-hikers

Five others reported completing the entire Trail between 1939 and 1946, including a 1939 completion by George W. Outerbridge, who now has a shelter named after him just south of Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania, on the first stretch of Trail he completed in 1932.

Hikers with disabilities

Although hiking the entire Appalachian Trail is a demanding endeavor for a person in the best physical condition and optimal health, hikers with a variety of disabilities have successfully completed the entire A.T. These include several blind hikers, an above-the-knee amputee, hikers with diabetes, and organ transplantees.

First female thru-hiker

Mildred Norman is the earliest female thru-hiker on record, having reported a flip-flop hike in 1952. Under the name “Peace Pilgrim”, Norman later walked over 25,000 miles throughout North America.

2,000 Milers in Recent Years

Overall 2,000-Milers

Northbound

Northbound thru-hikers walk from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin in Maine in 12 months or less.

Southbound

Southbound thru-hikers walk from Katahdin to Springer Mountain in 12 months or less.

Flip Flop

Flip flop thru-hikers complete the Trail in twelve months or less, but start and/or end at a location other than the southern or northern end.

Section

Section-hikers complete the Trail in pieces, taking more than 12 months. Some may complete the A.T. in two or three summers, others may complete the Trail on shorter trips over a decade or more.

*The Harpers Ferry Visitor Center was closed due to the pandemic in 2020 and until May 2021. Due to the pandemic, the ATC paused the 2,000-miler program from March 31, 2020, to May 11, 2021. For more information, see our 2,000-miler policy.