Thru-hikers nearing the end of their 2,200-mile journey on the Appalachian Trail may have to alter their route or even suspend their efforts due to severe damage caused to the iconic trail by Hurricane Helene.
The September hurricane was the deadliest to strike the US since 2017 and caused extreme damage and devastating floods in the southern Appalachian Mountains. States of emergency were declared in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, all states through which the AT passes and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy advises hikers to avoid the 864-mile stretch of trail from the southern terminus at Springer Mountain to Rockfish Gap in Virginia.
