The Appalachian Mountains extend over 1,500 miles from Canada to Georgia and extend through 18 states and four Canadian provinces. The highest point is Mt. Mitchell (6,684) in western North Carolina. Interestingly, these mountains are much older than the Rocky Mountains, despite the fact they are much lower in elevation. The Appalachians have been eroded into ridges and hills over the course of at least 480 million years.
The Appalachian Trail is a 1,500 mile long trail that runs from Mt. Katahdin in central Maine south to northern Georgia. Thousands of travelers attempt to hike the trail each year, which takes about six months. Others just hike portions of the trail. In different locations, the Appalachians are referred to by different names. In West Virginia and Virginia, the mountains are called the Blue Ridge and in North Carolina and Tennessee, they are called the Smokies. In Vermont, the Appalachians are known as the Green Mountains, in New Hampshire the White Mountains, and in Massachusetts, they're called the Berkshires. |
