I’m about 800 miles into the Appalachian Trail, starting in Georgia northbound. I’ll continue north this spring. I did 150 miles of the CDT the year the Appalachian Trail Conservancy “closed” the AT because of covid. Sadly, the Conservancy refuses to recognize anyone who thru hiked the AT that year as completing the Appalachian Trail. When I finish the AT, the Ice Age Trail will be next. I’ve also hiked 3 of the 4 long trails in Texas.
And they don’t even own a good chunk of it...parts are National Park, National Forest, etc.
I thought this story was going to be a tip on a horse race.