A Century of Inspiration
Benton MacKaye: Celebrating a Vision
The A.T. Experience
Those instincts are pent-up forces in every human and they demand their outlet… The building and protection of an Appalachian trail, with its various communities, interests, and possibilities, would form at least one outlet.” -Benton MacKaye, 1921
The A.T. in Its Second Century
Video Series
Looking forward to the next century of our work, ATC staff members discuss some of our key goals for the next century (and beyond) of A.T. protection.
The A.T. Footpath and Beyond
“A realm and not a trail marks the full aim of our effort. The trail is but the entrance…”
-Benton MacKaye
MacKaye understood, after seeing firsthand the rapid expansion of industrialization in the early 19th century, that a 2,000-mile footpath alone would not be enough. In order to preserve the Trail for future generations, a “realm” of forests, clean water, and other sources of life surrounding the A.T. must be established, nurtured, and protected.
The “Oxygen” of the Trail
“The oxygen in the mountain air along the Appalachian skyline is a natural resource (and a national resource) that radiates to the heavens its enormous health-giving powers with only a fraction of a percent utilized for human rehabilitation. Here is a resource that could save thousands of lives.”
-Benton MacKaye
By protecting A.T. forests and other habitats, improving their health through restoration and stewardship, and improving access to the Trail for visitors to explore and enjoy, the ATC and its Trail management and landscape conservation partners have helped maintain and protect the largest contiguous greenway east of the Mississippi River.
Now we are faced with an accelerating challenge not only for the A.T. but for the world: climate change. As the negative impacts of climate change become more evident through scientific study and analysis, the importance of increasing the resiliency of the A.T. landscape has never been more important.
The Trail’s Natural Beauty
“The Appalachian Trail indeed is conceived as the backbone of a super reservation and primeval recreation ground covering the length (and width) of the Appalachian Range itself, its ultimate purpose being to extend acquaintance with the scenery and serve as a guide to the understanding of nature.”
-Benton MacKaye
By providing an access point to nature within reach of America’s most dense population areas, from Boston to Atlanta, millions would be given a way to easily find the optimism only provided by nature. Yet MacKaye knew that much more than a footpath would be needed — conserving the natural beauty of the lands around the Trail was essential for ensuring this natural experience would remain for the benefit of future generations.
The “Opportunity” the Trail Provides
“And this is the job that we propose: a project to develop the opportunities – for recreation, recuperation, and employment – in the region of the Appalachian skyline.” -Benton MacKaye, 1921
Further Reading
- “An Idea Turns 100: A Photo History of The Appalachian Trail”
Appalachian Mountain Club - “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning”
Places Journal - “The 100-year trail: A century after Benton MacKaye proposed it, millions enjoy the A.T. each year”
Smoky Mountain News
Photographs