The Appalachian Trail officially runs from Springer Mountain in northern Georgia to Mount Katahdin in north-central Maine.

Quick Scoop

  • Southern terminus (start for northbound hikers):
    Springer Mountain, in Fannin County, Georgia, deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
  • Northern terminus (end for northbound hikers):
    Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, Maine.
  • Length:
    Roughly 2,190+ miles, crossing 14 states along the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine.

Many thru‑hikers begin their journey via the 8.8‑mile Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia, which leads up to Springer Mountain but is not itself part of the official Appalachian Trail.

In forum discussions, hikers often say “The AT starts at Springer and ends at Katahdin,” and debate whether to include the Amicalola Falls Approach Trail as part of their personal journey.

TL;DR: When people ask “where does the Appalachian Trail start and end?” the standard answer is: Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.