Joe ‘Triton’ Schmidt, founder of the Facebook group Still on the A.T, crosses the James River during an 800-mile section hike last year. Donated photo
Appalachian Trail thru-hiker season was already in full swing when coronavirus fears prompted widespread lockdowns in March, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy was swift to react.
On March 17, the ATC — the nonprofit organization tasked with protecting and managing the trail — asked long-distance hikers to postpone their adventures, and in the following days it suspended all new thru-hike registrations and asked day hikers and weekend warriors to stay off the trail as well. As of March 16, 1,229 people had started the trail in Georgia.