2023 State-By-State Photo Contest Favorites
January 4, 2024
In 2023, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy put out the call for photos from each of the 14 states through which the Appalachian Trail passes. The A.T. is over 2,100 miles long, connecting the rolling green mountains of Georgia to the rocky ranges of Maine. With such diverse landscapes, weather patterns, plants, and wildlife, each Trail state has unique features and beauty worth capturing and celebrating.
Seeing the iconic and natural beauty of the A.T. through the perspective of more than 580 individuals who submitted 1,900 photos is a testament to the Trail community’s passion for this special and ecologically diverse landscape. A handful of photographers submitted photos from nearly every state with 4 people sending in photos for more than 10 of the 14 Trail states.
Georgia
1/5
The snowy Georgia path on its way north. Photo by the Corbet Family ("Spreadsheets", "Cautious K", "Bananas", "Goldfish") @ourownflow
Hiker shadows on Cowrock Mountain. Photo by Erika "Sunny" Maguire
Approach Trail steps in Amicalola State Park. Photo by Thomas "Papabean" Spiltoir
Miles of views from Blood Mountain. Photo by Beulah "Bad Bat" Cannon @badbathikes
Tesnatee Gap to Cow Rock Mountain. Photo by Emma Edwards
North Carolina
1/5
Roan Mountain, North Carolina. Photo by Thomas Mabry @honeybadgerimages
Picture taken at sunrise in the Little Hump Mountain during autumn. Photo by Daniel Bauer @naturemediaworks
Golden Hour at Max Patch. Photo by Scott Ramsey @scottramseyphotography
Jane Bald, Roan Highlands. Photo by Theresa Rasmussen
"Legolas" and "Rockman" relax at the Fontana Dam Shelter. Photo by Michael "Ishkabibbel" Nieves (@kryptic_blue)
Virginia
1/5
Photo near Mount Rogers by Mark "TwoPack" Wagner (@Hikewytheus)
Photo of a misty morning near Petite's Gap by Kevin "Terrapin" Bodine
Photo at McAfee Knob by Tim Lewis
Sunrise view from Chestnut Knob Shelter, overlooking Burke's Garden by Christopher MacArthur (@CMacArthur22)
McAfee Knob by Joe "Peach" Turner
Maryland & West Virginia
1/5
Photo by Megan Curry at Annapolis Rocks
Photo by Alesha Donohue at the view from the Weverton Cliffs in Knoxville, MD
Photo by Maurice Fliess in Harpers Ferry, WV
Photo by Laura "Wildflower" Gosnold in Harpers Ferry, WV
Shenandoah River Bridge, overlooking Staircase Rapids at sunrise by Alesha Donohue (@sideeyesmiling)
Pennsylvania
1/5
Photo by Marian "Ginger Hiker" Orlousky (@gingerhiker) on the South Mountain
Photo submitted by Brandon Strohl on Stony Mountain
Blueberries growing along the Trail in Pennsylvania by Michele "Griswold" Coleman
Photo by Chloe "Prickleberry" Gigliotti near Quarry Gap
Caledonia State Park by Nathan "Zipline" Glomb
New Jersey
1/5
Photo by Jacob F. Bryant (@jacobfbryant)
Photo by Jacob F. Bryant (@jacobfbryant) near the I-80 overpass
Photo by Brandon Strohl at Parker Lake in Wawayanda State Park
NY/NJ state line by Kevin "The Flash" Valenza
Photo by Melanie "Bambi" Schuck (@melanie_schuck_writer) on the Pochuck Boardwalk in Vernon, NJ
Massachusetts
1/5
New Hampshire
1/5
Photo by Trevor Staton along the Presidential Range
Photo by Csilla Mathe (@_chi11axin) showing the sunrise from Guyot camp just past the Franconia Ridge
Photo by Kyle Russo (@kjr.jpg) near the Franconia Ridge
Photo by Diana "Holy Ghost" Hayden near the Franconia Ridge
Photo by Kurt Banker Photography (@kurtbankerphotography) near Carter's Notch
Maine
1/5
Photo by Taylor Mahony (@tfmahonyphoto) of the sunset view of Katahdin
Grassy Pond in Baxter State Park by Amelia Stach
Photo by Melanie Heurich (@ melanieheurich) in the 100 Mile Wilderness
Photo by James Davis (@zameszavis) of the twilight view of Katahdin from Knife Edge
Trail between the Long Pond Stream lean-to and the Barren Ledges by Graham Dickie (@instadickie)
Action Photos
1/12
Photo by Zoe Skiver (@zoe__skiver) at Bigelow Mountain in Maine
Photo by Paul Burks at Mahoosuc Notch, Maine
Photo by Kathleen Lamontagne shows the sunset on Crawford Path in the White Mountain National Forest
Photo by Anita "Low Gear" Smith of Debby Allen playing peek-a-boo at St. John's Ledges, Connecticut
Photo by Patrick "Deceiver" Hare (@happycamphares) at the Upper Goose Pond shelter in Massachusetts
Photo by Matt "Grasshopper" Zimmerman (@hawsomehikes) at Lehigh Gap in Pennsylvania
Photo by Nancy Comstock of Jeff Comstock carrying supplies for a new privy at Stoney Brook shelter in Massachusetts
Photo at Virginia's McAfee Knob by Elizabeth "Worm" Denham
Photo by Leslie Newton (@dragonflyhikes) in Tennessee
Roan Highlands, North Carolina - Hump Mountain Descent. Photo by Patrick Hare (@HappyCampHares)
A snowy day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Anita Wagner (@hikewytheus)
View point on the ridgeline shortly before Franklin in Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Photo by Patrick Hare (@HappyCampHares)
Weather Photos
1/10
Photo by Sheehan Twomey (@sheehantwomey) on the summit of Katahdin
Photo by Zoe Skiver (@zoe__skiver) in Maine
Photo by Will "Sisyphus" Peterson (@_will.peterson) near Old Speck, Maine
Photo by Louis Gardiner-Parks (@lou_gp) shows the View of Pinkham Notch from Sarge's Crag in New Hampshire
Photo by Vince "Wise Acres" LaMonica (@thebrickhiker) at Kid Gore Shelter in Vermont
Photo by Anthony "Caboose" Sacco (@Anthonysacco413) of the clouds rolling across the Mount Greylock summit in Massachusetts
The snowy Georgia path on its way north. Photo by the Corbet Family ("Spreadsheets", "Cautious K", "Bananas", "Goldfish") @ourownflow
A snowy campsite near Overmountain Shelter in North Carolina. Photo by Brian Corbett @ourownflow
Looking South to a snowy Big Bald in North Carolina. Photo by William Rhyne @williamrhyne
View from Shuckstack Tower Great Smoky Mountains on April 12, 2022. Photo by Ed Tobin
Wildlife Photos
1/7
Red eft in Connecticut. Photo by Robbie Stitt
Photo by Brenda "Songbird" Kelley of a common yellowthroat bird near Gore Pond, Massachusetts
Photo by Amelia Stach of a barred owl near Mount Prospect Overlook, Massachusetts
Photo by Brad "Jaws" Gibson at Wallkill Reserve, New Jersey
Photo by Kathy "Snaps" Foster (@Snapsfoster) on the A.T. in New Jersey
Photo by Brenda "Songbird" Kelley at Wiley Shelter, NY
Wilburn Ridge via the A.T. near Massie Gap, Grayson Highlands, VA, by Mark Dunn
Night Photos
1/6
#AT2023 begins! The light painting photo was taken by using six headlamps and volunteers with the red light setting on. Photo by Brennan "Mo" Hartman in Georgia @brennan.hartman
Twilight on Max Patch. Photo by Scott Ramsey @scottramseyphotography
Photo by Dob Dobbin (@dob_dobbin) near Holmes, NY
Photo by Patrick "Deceiver" Hare (@happycamphares) near Mt. Hight
Photo by Carly Rae Brunault (@hippeagypsy) inthe 100 Mile Wilderness
Max Patch, North Carolina. Photo by Michelle Aguilar
To all who submitted, thank you for sharing the beauty of the Appalachian Trail with the world!
Visit the State-by-State Photo Contest submission page to view more of our favorite photos from each state.
Don’t forget to share your photos of the Appalachian Trail by tagging your photos with #ATCSpotlight on Instagram, Threads, and X (formerly Twitter). We also accept photo and story submissions on an ongoing basis via our submission form below.