Walking the Appalachian Trail

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Trip Overview

This adventure through Northeastern USA lets you hike in the footsteps of history, exploring the twists, turns, valleys and peaks of America's oldest and most popular footpath, the Appalachian Trail! Explore the many mountain ranges of New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts on our guided day hikes, including a visit to the highest peak in the Northeast - Mt. Washington. Autumn transforms the countryside to crimson and orange as we look out across the best preserved forests of New England.

Optional Activities (paid locally)

• Canoeing US$35-US$75
• Microbrewery visit US$10
• Visit the famous 'Cheers' bar US$FREE
• White Mountains Cog Railway US$62

Tour Notes

Early bookings are recommended due to the popularity of fall foliage tours.

In New York, we are now using the Hilton Newark Airport as our gateway and all tours will now depart and end at this property. The Hilton hotel offers full facilities including restaurant, bar, exercise room/spa and direct rail transportation in to central Manhattan. If you have previously booked accommodation with TrekAmerica, your booking will be transferred to this new hotel.

Mini Adventures

Our range of 3 - 4 day Mini Adventures are just the ticket for extending your tour and experiencing North America's most incredible 'must see' highlights. Check out the following adventures relevant to this trip.

NEW YORK CITY TO NIAGARA FALLS

> Scenic Drive through the Delaware Water Gap/Poconos
> Finger Lakes hiking & swimming
> Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist scenic boat cruise
> College town of Ithaca, NY
> Woodbury Common Outlet Mall
> View tour

City Sightseeing Tours

If you are spending extra time in our gateway cities, you can now plan in advance by pre-booking unique city sightseeing day tours in addition to your trip.

NEW YORK

All city day tours are operated by local experts who are dedicated to take you behind the scenes so you know it like a local! When booking your trip, simply select your chosen city tours from the Tour Extras section on the online booking form.

> View City Sightseeing Tours

Private Group Departures

Why not arrange your own Grand American Adventures departure? For groups of 8 or more, we can offer private departures on any of our published itineraries enabling friends, families or organizations to enjoy our style of travel at special rates. Although tours will run as per our standard itinerary shown here, slight modifications may be considered and dates can be chosen to suit your needs. (Subject to seasonal/operational restrictions). So contact us today and start planning your own adventure.

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Trip Itinerary

Our routes have been carefully chosen to include the best night stops and highlights. However, as local and operational conditions may vary and unforeseen circumstances can arise, the following itinerary should be used as a guideline.

As this tour departs at 0730 we recommend that you book pre-tour accommodation at our gateway hotel. Please request at the time of booking.

Day 1: New York Area to Green Mountains National Forest

After leaving New York-Newark area, we begin our journey passing through the Catskill Mountains into the state of Massachusetts where Mount Greylock, the highest point in the Berkshire Mountains, and the famous Appalachian Trail awaits. We relax as we stroll along the wooded paths of the Berkshires that once inspired the famous American authors, Melville and Hawthorne. From here, we drive north into the foothills of the Green Mountains where we set up camp and relax around the evening campfire, topping off a relaxing first day.
Accommodation: Camping with meals included

Day 2: Green Mountains National Forest

"The Greens", as local hikers sometime refer to this small mountain range, are a perfect warm up for the hikes that lay ahead over the next few days. Choose from various short walks in the wooded valleys or, if you prefer a challenge, try the Stratton Mountain Trail which encompasses parts of the Appalachian Trail and Vermont's famed Long Trail.
Accommodation: Camping with meals included

Day 3-4: White Mountains National Forest

Walk the 'backbone' of the northern Appalachians, the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Many of the trails here are above the timberline offering wonderful views of this impressive range.

We have the opportunity to enjoy the Franconia Ridge Hike that starts right at our campsite. Rated as one of the best hikes in New England, we get to scale three peaks (Little Haystack, Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette) that are all above the timberline and offer wonderful views. This area is known to hikers all over the world, both for its stunning scenery and constantly changing weather. Challenge the elements here or catch the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which began operation in 1938 and was the first passenger aerial tramway in North America. From the top there are panoramic views of three states. We take time exploring and discover nature's changes from the alpine zone to the temperate zone on our way to the protected valleys below.
Accommodation: Camping with meals included

Day 5-7: Baxter State Park

We travel from one of the most well-known segments of the Appalachian Trail, to the most pristine. Baxter State Park is home to Mount Katahdin, the starting point of the 2200 miles long Appalachian Trail. Wander and enjoy the largest and most remote wilderness in the eastern United States. Here you can truly 'get away from it all' on footpaths that wind through undisturbed forest and along the crystal-clear lakes and streams of northern Maine.

Keep both eyes and ears open for the chance of meeting some of the wildlife that abounds here. This tranquil wilderness is virtually untouched since the days of the first settlers, over three hundred years ago. As we pause to reflect in the solitude of this beautiful place, it is quite impossible to imagine that two-thirds of America's population lives within a day's drive.
Accommodation: Camping with meals included

Day 8-9: Boston

We continue our journey by visiting one of America's most historic cities - Boston - the capital of the State of Massachusetts. Founded in 1630 by Puritan colonists, it has been in the forefront of American history and in particular the country's fight for independence. Events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party played pivotal roles in that struggle and have become part of American Folklore. Faneuil Hall has been a government centre and a market place for centuries and even today it makes the hive of activity in the city centre.

You have now walked back to the beginning of America's national trail so it seems only fitting to top off the adventure with a walk on the Freedom Trail in Boston, where we get to visit many historic sites and learn about the story of America's own road to independence. Some may wish to pay a visit to Harvard University, located in the suburbs of Boston, or the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum at Columbia Point. We can also re-adjust to civilisation again with a night out on the town and a chance to sample New England seafood at its finest, including the thick seafood soup known as New England clam chowder. Please note that our second night in Boston is also our final night on tour. Our groups usually elect to eat out at a restaurant in town (at own expense) to commemorate the end of our exciting adventure and enjoy some farewell drinks together, rather than return to camp to cook up a meal.
Accommodation: Camping with meals included

Day 10: Boston to New York Area

From Boston we complete our journey by travelling back to New York.

This tour ends at our gateway hotel at approximately 17:00 hrs. We can book you post-tour accommodation at our gateway hotel if required. If you are planning to fly tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 21:00 hrs.

Book Online

You can easily book your trip online using our secure booking engine. You only need to pay a 10% deposit or (whichever is greatest) with full payment due 8 weeks before departure. We are members of ABTA (Association of Britsh Travel Agents) and are fully financially bonded so your money is 100% safe & protected at all times whether you pay by debit, bank or credit card. If you prefer to book by telephone, please contact our sales office and speak to one our friendly travel consultants.

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