Some towns along the trail have hostels specifically for hikers.  These towns are usually spaced out between 50 and 100 miles from each other in the northern and southern regions and are 30 to 50 miles apart in the middle region. 

Most are about $15 to stay for the night, though private rooms may be more, while some are free and others just take donations.  Most include breakfast and the use of showers in their price, and some have phone/internet access, laundry facilities and/or shuttle services for a small fee.

Campsites will be noted in your guidebook.  These usually have flat land and are located near a water source.  Rarely are they near a privy.  Some have tent platforms.  Campsites in heavy-use areas may require a fee, usually less than $8.

Dispersed camping is allowed in some areas along the Appalachian Trail, particularly the national forests of the Virginias and the southern Appalachians.  It is important to leave no trace, avoiding places that show signs other hikers have pitched a tent there, picking a durable place to pitch your tent that is at least 70 paces from water, and being sure not trample on plants and seedlings. 

There are 250 shelters strategically spaced along the Appalachian Trail.  The typical shelter is called a "lean-to", having three walls with one open side.  They have a metal or shingled roof and a wood floor.  All are marked on maps and trail guides, with most located near creeks or springs and some having a privy near by. 

Shelters are intended for individual hikers and are a good place to stay dry in wet weather and talk with other hikers. 

Staying in a shelter reduces hiker impact, though it is important to clean up after yourself as they can be an unpleasant place to stay when they are rodent infested.  Another downside to shelters is that they fill up, especially in heavy-use areas during wet weather, so never completely rely on staying in a shelter. 

Some shelters in the heavy-use areas require a permit, registration and/or a fee.

The two types of grouse inhabiting the Appalachian Trail are the ruffed grouse and the spruced grouse.  The ruffed grouse is found in all the states the trail passes, whereas the spruced grouse is only found in Maine.  The size of chickens and excellently camouflaged, ruffed grouse are usually a mottled red-brown or gray-brown and have a brown, banded tail.  Male spruce grouse have black breasts, white barring on their sides and a bit of red skin above their eyes.  They have a chestnut, banded tail.

Hikers usually observe wild turkeys in small flocks and during light rain or mist.  They inhabit the AT from southern Vermont and south.

The two species of skunk that live on the Appalachian Trail are the spotted skunk and the striped skunk.  Smaller than the striped skunk, the spotted skunk has horizontal stripes on the neck and shoulders and spots on its sides.  In contrast, the striped skunk has two thick white stripes along its back that converge in a kind of cap on the head.  Skunks can spary their fetid, oily musk up to 15 feet, but the mist can go 3 times as far, and the smell can reach a mile.  If a predator gets skunk fluid in the eye, it can be painful and may even cause temporary blindness.  Skunks consume any food they can find, and they often seek food around shelters and campgrounds.  Though they may be cute to watch, they are also huge carriers of rabies.  The best thing to do when confronted by a skunk is to back off.  Most likely it is just looking for food and will scurry off in a short time.

One of the few marsupial species found on the trail, the Virginia Opossum is the size of a large cat.  Most have a mottled-gray and white upper coat and long white hairs that cover dark fur underneath.  Their distinguishing feature is a long, hairless tail.  They are nocturnal and solitary and thus, rarely seen by hikers.  An ppossum's diet includes carrion, earthworms, snakes, small mammals, insects, frogs, fruits and berries.

Squirrel species that inhabit the trail include:  the gray squirrel, fox squirrel, red squirrel, northern flying squirrel and southern flying squirrel.  Named for its color, the gray squirrel is gray, though in the northern states it looks black.  Its tail has some silver hairs amongst its bushy gray.  The fox squirrel is the largest of the tree squirrels and has a large bushy tail with yellow-tipped hairs.  In the north it is gray with a yellow underside, and in the south it is black, has a white blaze on its face, and has a white tipped tail.  The smallest of the tree squirrels is the red squirrel.  This squirrel lives from northern Virginia north.  As the name suggests, it has a reddish coat but a white/gray underside.  Its tail is also red, though it features a black band edged in white.  The flying squirrel is nocturnal, and thus rarely seen by hikers.  Between the front and hind legs are loose folds of skin that when extended act as a wing, allowing the squirrel to glide.  Even though it is the smallest, the flying squirrel eats insects and occassionally the flesh of other small animals in addition to the squirrel diet of nuts and seeds.    

The two species of hare that inhabit the AT are the snowshoe hare and the brown or European hare.  

The snowshoe hare change color with the seasons, dark brown in summer, white in winter, and a mottled brown with white for the white snow patches on the ground in the fall.  They live from northern New Jersey to Maine.  Hikers mostly see them during high population times, which only come around once every nine to ten years. 

Larger than the snowshoe and consistently the same color throughout the seasons, the brown or European hare live in northern Pennsylvania, eastern New York and western New England up to Vermont. 

Thought to be near extinction in the early 1900s, the NPS has reintroduced the elk back into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

The experimental program began with 25 elk in 2001 and an additional 27 in 2002 and will continue unless the elk threaten park resources or cause significant conflicts with park visitors.  All the elk are tracked with radio collars. 

Elk can be dangerous, particularly cows protecting their calves and bulls who feel threatened by perceived threats for territory.  The adult bull can weigh up to 700 pounds and have antlers that can extend as wide as 5 feet.  Adults are 7-10 feet long and 4.5 to 5 feet tall.

Moose inhabit the northern section of the AT, from Vermont up.  The largest deer in the world, they can weigh up to 1400 pounds. 

Though they usually stay away from people, moose can be dangerous.  Know that some bulls have attacked humans. 

Be especially careful of protective cows with their baby calves and bulls during the mid-September to late-October mating season.

Deer are abundant in the mountains, with a particularly large deer population in Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

They have become accostumed to humans in the state parks and will come pretty close to hikers. 

Their method of dealing with threat is to snort and stamp their feet, alerting other deer in the area of danger.

Raccoons are nocturnal animals and usually avoid people.  They can be pests though and are especially corageous in areas where they are protected. 

Raising food sacks off the ground will keep your food safe from raccoons in addition to bears.  However, you also want to keep the food sack away from tree branches raccoons can get to.  Their diet consists of grubs, grasshoppers, crickets, nuts and grapes, small rodents, bird eggs, young birds, frogs, crayfish, turtles, clams, worms and fish. 

They usually stay away from shelters along the AT and are generally observed near wooded streams.  They are 2 to 3 feet long, 8 to 16 inches tall, and can weigh up to 48 pounds. 

Raccoons are feisty when cornered or threatened, so be sure to avoid confrontations with them.

Boars were originally brought over to the US from Europe and confined to hunting preserves.  Many escaped and interbred with the domestic pig, though full-blooded boars still inhabit the mountains of the AT, mainly living in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina in the Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests. 

Recently more and more boars are inhabiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, which is causing some ecological problems.  Their rooting tears up the forest floor and makes the bald patches susceptible to seeding, and they also compete with deer and bear for food. 

Their diet mainly consists of acorns, pecan, hickory and beech nuts.  They will also eat grass, roots, tubers and berries in addition to  crayfish, snakes, salamanders, frogs, eggs, young rabbits and carrion. 

A wild boar averages 350 pounds, has dark grizzled hair, a long head with a tough cartilaginous snout, short legs and a straight tail.  Their upper tusks curl up and out along the side of their mouths and can be up to nine inches long.

Bobcats are between 15 to 70 pounds, have stubby tails, tufted ears, and a tawny coat with mottled brown spots. 

Though abundant in the mountains, as night hunters they are rarely seen on the trail.  Their prey consists of hare and rabbit, mice, porcupines, squirrels and cave bats.  They occassionally eat carrion and poultry. 

Approximately 8-15 pounds and a little more than a foot in height, fox inhabit the mountains throughout the trail. 

The two most common fox species on the trail are the red fox and gray fox.  The red fox has reddish fur and a bushy tail with a white tip.  The gray fox has a grayish fur and a black tip on its bushy tail. 

Like the coyote, fox are rarely seen by hikers.  They feed on small rodents, rabbits, woodchucks, mice, squirrels, birds, eggs, and carrion. 

Many fox have rabies, thus be sure to avoid any displaying strange behavior.

Approximately 2 feet tall, 4 feet long and weighing 20-40 pounds, Coyotes inhabit the entire length of the AT. 

Their coat is gray or reddish gray, and their tails are bushy and have a black tip.  Coyotes prey upon small rodents, birds, eggs, and young or hurt deer, though are frightened of humans and thus, are not dangerous to hikers. 

Some coyotes may follow a hiker in anticipation of catching some crumbs, but the coyote will usually be at least 30 minutes in the hiker's trail. 

Black bears are the only bears found in the east.  They are smaller and less aggressive than the Grizzly but still can be 400 to 500 pounds.  Black bears have limited eyesight but a keen sense of smell and hearing. As we have encroached into their territory more and more, the incidences where bears have attacked humans has risen, however, it is still rare to be attacked by a black bear.

Many black bears know that packs contain food, and they are known to quickly snatch the food from an unguarded pack or to take food from a campsite.  For this reason, shelters in the Smokies have chain-link fencing to ward off the bears, and Shenandoah National Park has steel poles with prongs at the top for hikers to lift packs high off the ground.  If there are no bear barriers or poles to hang your pack, then be sure to set up your own contraption to hang your food sack from a tree.  Not only will this prevent unwanted bears from encroaching in your area, it will also keep your food safe from other critters.

Do not approach a bear if you see it, but do keep an eye on its behavior.  Like any other wild animal, noticing a change in behvior, whether it stops feeding, begins to watch you, changes its path, etc... signals that you are too close.  Proximity to the bear may provoke aggressive behavior, thus back away slowly, increasing the distance between you and the bear, while watching the bear at the same time.  The bear most likely will do the same.  However, if the bear continues to approach you without vocalizing or swatting, try to change your direction.  If that doesn't ward off the bear, stand your ground.  Now if the bear gets closer, shout at it, act aggressively and try to intimidate the bear, making you and your group seem as large as possible.  Throw rocks and use what you have to ward it off.  It is not recommended that you run, turn away, or leave food for the bear at this point.  (advice from http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm)

Though most of the snakes you will encounter will be nonpoisonous, some poisonous snakes do inhabit the Appalachian Mountains.  These include:

Copperheads are found from Georgia to Maine, but rarely spotted north of Massachusetts.

Timber rattlesnakes are found from Georgia to Maine, but again, rarely spotted north of Massachusetts.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes inhabit Georgia and North Carolina.

Pygmy rattlesnakes can be seen Tennessee and south.

Cottonmouths live Virginia and south.

The Massasauga rattlesnake inhabits New York and Pennsylvania.

Like all the other animals you will encounter, these poisonous snakes will only be dangerous when surprised or cornered.  While walking, use your hiking stick to push aside leaves and brush that cover the path.  If you do surprise one of these poisonous snakes, do not freeze.  Move immediately and quickly away.

Getting bit by a snake: It is rare to get bit on the trail.  Should you get bit, the advice is to stay calm, find shelter and warmth, expect to be sick, and send for help if you can.  There may be swelling, nausea, and shortness of breath, but the odds are in your favor that you will survive a poisonous snake bite just by toughening it out.

There are four main things to consider when selecting the clothes you will bring with you for thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail:

What kind of weather will I be hiking in?

How much added weight will my clothes add to my pack?

How easy are the clothes to clean?

Are the clothes durable and will they withstand being worn over and over for six months?

Cold weather hikers should dress in layers with an under layer, an insulation layer and a protective shell.  When the weather is extremely cold, the under layer should be a polypro or polyester long sleeve top and a polypro or polyester set of long-johns.  The long-johns should fit snug to the ankle and the top should have a zip T-neck seal.  Polypro and polyester are good water-repellents, ultimately decreasing the dangers of hypothermia.  The insulation layer should be either a medium weight wool or a fleece sweater.  The protective shell should not be insulated, but should be waterproof, breathable and wind-resistant.  Gore-Tex is good for this.  Your shell should also be long enough so that it doesn't ball up under your pack.

Many thru-hikers wear a cotton T-shirt and loose-fitting shorts in the summer months.  Many prefer jogging shorts because they are cool, light and easy to clean.  In contrast, long pants give more protection to your legs, have deep pockets and dry quickly.

Most thru-hikers wear two pairs of socks.  They wear a thin liner of polypropylene, Orlon, or nylon and a thick wool outer sock.  The idea behind two pairs is that the rubbing will occur between the two socks and not on the skin.

Buying the right boot is essential for having a good thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, and there are hundreds of options out there for you.  Boots range in cost from $50 to over $300.  The most important features to take into consideration are weight, fit and the boot's construction.  You also want to look at the support, waterproofing features, ventilation, the sole and cushioning.

Weight of Boot

Though hikers have different preferences about boot weight, manufacturers have been focusing on making lighter and lighter boots throughout the years.  The reason for this is that the heavier the boot, the more energy needed to move.  Research has shown that reducing the foot load by one pound ultimately is like reducing the pack weight by six pounds.

Fit of Boot

Blisters and ankle problems can quickly turn a lovely hike into a painful one.  Studies have shown that softer and lighter boots do not necessarily equate to fewer blisters, and that stiffer, heavier, and more supportive boots do not mean fewer ankle problems.  Many hikers recommend breaking in the boots and / or toughening the feet by not wearing shoes before  the long hike.

Type of Boot

Knowing the features of the various types of footwear and boots will help you when selecting the perfect shoe for your hike.  There are four general categories of hiking footwear.  The first category includes trail running shoes, cross trainers and adventure racing shoes.  These shoes are basically running shoes with extra features for mountain trails and rougher terrain.  The next category includes hiking shoes, approach shoes, trail boots and light boots.  These are generally made out of nylon, suede or other light-weight fabrics, with some leather, and are intended for use on well-maintained trails.  These are followed by the off-trail boots and heavy boot category.  These boots are designed for rough terrain and feature toe caps, cemented out-soles, molded mid-soles, and synthetic linings.  Though they are heavier than the preceding category, they are designed to give support while also being shock resistant, waterproof and breathable.  The final category is the rough and tough mountaineering boots.  These are the type of boots you'd attach crampons to and climb Mt. Everest with.

Boot Features to Bear in Mind

The better the quality of construction, the less likely of getting wet feet.  Look at the construction of the boot, the stitching and the materials used.  Manufacturers will use leather and Gore-Tex to help with waterproofing.  Many hikers prefer leather uppers but be sure the leather is properly treated before embarking on your walk.  Less stitching on the boot seems to help as well.  Keep in mind though that your feet do sweat, and thus, you may want to consider purchasing a boot that is waterproof and allows ventilation.  Boots made of Gore-Tex generally do the job.

Support is also important to bear in mind.  Remember the rougher the trail and heavier the pack, the more support needed in the boot.  Hikers prone to ankle issues should be sure to look at the ankle support when making the purchase.  Likewise, the rockier the trail, the stiffer the sole needed.

Breaking in Your Boot

Just as important as selecting the perfect boot for your hike, it is also critical to break them in properly.  Begin slow and work up gradually, paying close attention to the development of blisters.  Once blisters do begin to emerge, cover the area with moleskin.  Then rub leather softener inside the boot where the discomfort is coming from.  Remember the heavier the boot, the more breaking in it needs.