Noteworthy 2,000-Milers

First 2,000-miler. In 1936, ATC Chair Myron Avery became the first “2,000-miler,” having walked and measured every step of the flagged or constructed A.T. route.

Early section-hikers. Five others reported completing the entire Trail between 1939 and 1946, including a 1939 completion by George W. Outerbridge, who now has a shelter named after him just south of Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania, on the first stretch of Trail he completed in 1932.

First reported thru-hiker. In 1948, Earl V. Shaffer became the first to report a thru-hike, walking the entire Trail from Georgia to Maine. He hiked again—this time from Maine to Georgia—in 1965. On his third thru-hike, 50 years after his first, he became the oldest thru-hiker at age 79, a distinction he held until 2004. You can listen to a 1998 interview with Shaffer on the NPR Web site.

First female thru-hiker. Mildred Norman is the earliest female thru-hiker on record, having reported a flip-flop hike in 1952.  Under the name "Peace Pilgrim", Norman later walked over 25,000 miles throughout North America.

Oldest thru-hiker. In 2004, Lee Barry, known as “Easy One,” became the oldest thru-hiker at age 81 when he completed his fifth hike (and second thru-hike) of the A.T. Only 11 thru-hike completions have been reported by hikers age 70 or over, and most of those hikers had already thru-hiked the A.T. at least once before.

Oldest section-hiker. The oldest section-hiker walked the A.T. from 1972 to 1975, completing the Trail after he turned 86.

Youngest thru-hiker. A 6-year-old boy became the youngest person to hike the A.T. when he completed a flip-flop thru-hike with his parents in 1980. Twenty-two years later, in 2002, another 6-year-old boy completed a flip-flop thru-hike with his parents and 8-year-old sister.

Youngest female thru-hiker. The youngest female to thru-hike the A.T. was 8 when she completed hiking the Trail in 2002 as part of a family group.

Youngest female section-hiker. The youngest female section-hiker started the Trail at age 3 in 1984 and completed the Trail at age 15 in 1997.

First solo female thru-hiker. Emma Gatewood, better known as “Grandma Gatewood,” mother of 11 children and grandmother of 23, was 67 when she first hiked the Trail in 1955. In 1957, she completed her second thru-hike at age 69, holding the unofficial title of oldest female thru-hiker for the next 50 years. In 1964, she became the first person to complete the A.T. three time when she finished a section-hike. She was famous for wearing only “Keds” tennis shoes and carrying a small knapsack.

Oldest female thru-hiker. Nancy “Magellan” Gowler become the oldest female thru-hiker in 2007 at age 71 when she completed her second thru-hike.

Oldest female section-hiker. The oldest female section-hiker completed the Trail in 2004 at the age of 80, after 11 years of section-hiking.

Men vs. Women. Women make up about 25% of the total hike completions reported. Almost one-third of all women (29%) who have hiked the Trail have done so since 1995. One-quarter of all men who have hiked the Trail have done so since 1995.

Multiple hikes. Approximately 125 people have reported hiking the A.T. two or more times; about 30 have reported hiking the A.T. three or more times.

International hikers. Hikers from Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Wales have reported completing the Trail.

Based on reports to ATC, mostly unverified after 1971. For many hikers prior to 1996, we do not have age records.