The News from Appalachian Trail

Unwelcome Invaders on Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a haven for thousands of hikers annually. However, the Trail is also home to other – unwelcome – guests: invasive plants.

To rid the Trail of these harmful species, The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, Connecticut AT Committee of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Appalachian Trail Conservancy announced today that they have joined together in a removal effort near the Connecticut and Massachusetts border. The work is part of a five-year conservation initiative to remove non-native, invasive plants from over 9,000 acres of the Berkshire Taconic forest plateau.

Climb led to hankering for hiking

It all began with a hike up Mount Wachusett when he was 16.

Since then, Philip J. Carcia, 24, has managed to hike all 92 miles of the Mid-State Trail in Massachusetts, the 275 miles of the Long Trail in Vermont, and is now more than two-thirds of the way through the Appalachian Trail.

“I heard about the AT (Appalachian Trail) when I was 17 or 18 years old,” Mr. Carcia said. “I was seduced by the idea of going into the mountains for days or weeks without re-entering society, so I put it on my list of things to do.”

Hitting the trail with Fido

There’s no question that America’s great outdoors is a paradise for pets. From flower-carpeted mountain sides to spectacular waterfalls and panoramic vistas — there are so many wonderful pet-friendly hiking trails to discover.

While each individual state’s tourist board boasts a mind-boggling selection of state and national parks, sometimes there’s no need to escape further than one’s own backyard to enjoy an invigorating fresh air experience with your pooch.

Tanya Tschesnok, Publicity Manager of the Sierra Club, a nationwide organization whose credo is to explore, enjoy and protect the planet says hiking with dogs is popular, and many of the Sierra Club’s individual chapters plan special pet-friendly hikes on a regular basis.