The Appalachian Trail And Its People
This new book by Leonard Adkins and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, "Along the Appalachian Trail: West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania" (2015) is part of a series of Images of America photographic histories that offers an overview of the Appalachian Trail in each of the states through which it passes. Prior volumes of the series cover the states of Maine, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Virginia; and New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Adkins, an avid hiker and naturalist, is the author of 19 books and is a five-time "thru hiker" of the entire Appalachian Trail.
As I write this review, a new movie about the trail, "A Walk in the Woods" is being released, based upon a book of the same name by Bill Bryson. With so much material available about the trail, Adkins' new book is fresh and valuable. The book covers only three states which gives it a sense of particularity. Although there are many photographs in the book of scenic places along the Trail, Adkins concentrates on history and on people. The book offers a portrait of the many people who have developed, used, and maintained the Trail over several decades. Since the Trail's inception, most of the groups and individuals responsible for its maintenance have been volunteers, moved by a spirit of community service and a love of the outdoors and of hiking.
In a short introduction, Adkins explains the organizational structure of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and of the thirteen volunteer groups which maintain the Trail along various portions of its course in West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. His book includes photographs of those responsible from the trail, from politicians to executives in business suits, to individuals pruning trees and branches, building shelters, or smoothing roads along the Trail's path. The Trail has flourished as a result of the loyal efforts of many Americans beginning in the late 1920's and continuing to the present. The book also shows many long-term hikers with an emphasis on the "thru-walkers" who have walked the entire 2100 mile length of the trail. There are also photographs and discussions of people who have written about their Appalachian Trail experiences, including Gene Espy ("The Trail of My Life") and Larry Luxenberg ("Walking the Appalachian Trail"). Adkins introduces the reader to some unique people involved with the Trail including "trail angels" who provide assistance to hikers in need of help and owners of homes along the way who frequently provide hospitality and support to weary hikers.
The book consists of four chapters covering West Virginia, Maryland, East Pennsylvania, and West Pennsylvania. The book moves chronologically in part as Adkins covers the Trail from its beginning. In West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the Trail has been rerouted significantly over the years, and the book covers the old Trail routes and the reasons for the changes in course. Adkins leads the reader through the sites and scenes along the way moving generally from South to North in the Trail states. The main focus is on people -- those who give of themselves to maintain the Trail and those who are inspired by the hike.
I enjoyed this book both for what it showed about the Appalachian Trail and for what it showed about the spirit of volunteerism and commitment in the United States. It is immeasurably valuable to have this Trail and to have people devoted to it. The book made me want to go hike the Trail and spend more time with it than I have been able to do. But the main message the book conveys is the importance and value of dedication to a worthwhile endeavor.
