LOOOOOOONG (2,174.6 miles). It took me 5 months.
You don't just hike it, you LIVE it.
Starts: Springer Mt, North Georgia
Ends: Katahdin, Central Maine
Transportation to trailheads is relatively easy as assisting AT hikers is something of a cottage industry in towns near the trail.
Guidebook: The only one you really need is the Thru-Hikers Companion published by ALDHA (Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association). Although there are no trail maps it has everything you need to plan and execute your hike
Although it's the least scenic of the three Triple-Crown trails, it's easily the most conducive to building a hiker community and its regularly spaced shelters and towns make it an excellent introduction to long distance backpacking.
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