Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
From Dream to Reality: History of the Appalachian Trail

From Dream to Reality: History of the Appalachian Trail

Johnson, Thomas

Paperback

20th Century United States HistoryRegional: Middle AtlanticRegional: South

Currently unavailable to order

ISBN10: 1944958150
ISBN13: 9781944958152
Publisher: Mountaineers Books
Published: Feb 24 2021
Pages: 584
Weight: 2.55
Height: 1.50 Width: 6.00 Depth: 8.70
Language: English
The story of how the Appalachian Trail developed from an idea into the iconic footpath we know today

In From Dream to Reality: History of the Appalachian Trail, career historian Thomas Johnson traces the first eight decades of the Appalachian Trail project, following the people, places, debates, and decisions that shaped the footpath from its earliest vision to its protection as a national scenic trail.

  • Explores Benton MacKaye's original vision and the mountains, forests, and hikers that inspired the trail
  • Profiles key leaders and builders, including Myron Avery, Horace Kephart, Paul Fink, Earl Shaffer, Stan Murray, Ed Garvey, and others
  • Follows the trail's development through the Southern Appalachians and the North
  • Examines major route changes, including relocations in Pennsylvania, Roanoke, Roan Mountain, the southern terminus, and other critical sections
  • Details the role of the National Trails System Act and the work required to implement and amend federal trail protection
  • Documents land-preservation efforts, greenway planning, trail-club leadership, and volunteer collaboration across regions

Drawing on deep historical research and the perspective of a hiker, trail-club official, and trail maintainer, Johnson explores the questions many hikers have wondered about on the trail: where the route was first laid out, who built it, why certain paths were chosen, where the trail was later moved, and how volunteers across regions worked together, disagreed, adapted, and endured.

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