2,000-Milers: Facts and Statistics
| 2008 Northbounders as of October 3, 2008 |
| Springer Mtn., Ga. |
1250 |
| Neels Gap, Ga. (30 miles) |
1150 |
| Fontana Dam, N.C. (160 miles) |
1050 |
| Harpers Ferry, W.Va. (1,000 miles) |
667 |
| Katahdin, Maine (2,175 miles) |
148* |
*This number will continue to climb as reports are sent in.
Where do we get these numbers?
It's estimated that 3 to 4 million visitors hike a portion of the Appalachian Trail each year. Most enjoy day hikes and short backpacking trips, but each year a small fraction of those hikers complete the entire Trail. How many? Since 1936, more than 10,000 hike completions have been recorded by ATC. This includes thru-hikes, multiyear section-hikes, and more than 300 hikes by people who have already completed the A.T. one or more times. We call all these hikers “2,000-milers.”
2,000-milers in recent years
| 2,000-milers |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Total hike completions recorded: |
622 |
589 |
600 |
578 |
546 |
488 |
492 |
For recording purposes, we sort 2,000-miler reports according to direction and type of hike: northbound, southbound, flip-flop, or section-hike. Starting numbers and completions rates for recent years are shown below, as available.
| Northbounders |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Springer Mountain, Ga. |
1,875 |
1,750 |
1,535 |
1,392 |
1,150 |
1,125 |
| Neels Gap, Ga. (30 miles) |
1,500 |
1,400 |
1,305 |
1,156 |
1,076 |
1,005 |
| Fontana Dam, N.C. (160 miles) |
999 |
1,028 |
864 |
1124 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Harpers Ferry, W.Va. (1,000 miles) |
687 |
741 |
661 |
682 |
659 |
613 |
| Katahdin, Maine (2,100+ miles) |
388 |
408 |
393 |
358 |
334 |
299 |
| Completion rate: |
20% |
23% |
25% |
25% |
29% |
27% |
|
Northbounders hike from Springer Mountain to Katahdin in one continuous journey. They represent more than 65 percent of reported 2,000-milers.
|
| Southbounders |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Katahdin, Maine |
286 |
291 |
233 |
217 |
200 |
184 |
| Kennebec Ferry, Maine (150 miles) |
N/A |
204 |
163 |
161 |
154 |
141 |
| Harpers Ferry, W.Va. (1,170 miles) |
109 |
88 |
102 |
95 |
90 |
94 |
| Springer Mountain, Ga. (2,100+ miles) |
62 |
63 |
51 |
52 |
30 |
45 |
| Completion rate: |
22% |
22% |
22% |
24% |
15% |
24% |
|
Southbounders hike from Katahdin to Springer Mountain in one continuous journey. They represent about 10 percent of total reported 2,000-milers.
|
| Flip-floppers |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Reported finishing |
36 |
33 |
32 |
31 |
25 |
31 |
|
Flip-floppers complete the Trail in one trip, but with an alternate itinerary. They make up about 5 percent of reported 2,000-milers.
|
| Section-hikers |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Reported finishing |
103 |
97 |
102 |
105 |
101 |
120 |
|
Section-hikers complete the Trail in more than one trip. They represent about 20 percent of total 2,000-milers.
|
History
| 2,000-milers by decade |
| 1930s |
8 |
| 1940s |
3 |
| 1950s |
14 |
| 1960s |
37 |
| 1970s |
749 |
| 1980s |
1,410 |
| 1990s |
3,275 |
| 2000-present |
4,600 |
| Total: |
10,096 |
| Get year-by-year details |
The number of people hiking the entire Trail has risen dramatically over the years. From 1936 to 1969, only 61 completions are recorded. In 1970, the numbers began to rise. Ten people completed the Trail in 1970, including Ed Garvey, whose thru-hike was well-publicized. The trend was further fueled by the release of Garvey's popular book, Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime. The term “2,000-miler” was coined in the late 1970s to help identify this growing group of hikers.
By 1980, the total number of 2,000-milers had increased more than ten-fold. The total had doubled by 1990 and again by 2000. More hike completions were reported for the year 2000 alone than in the first 40 years combined. The 10,000th hike completion was recorded in 2008.
Read about noteworthy 2,000-milers.
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