Leonard M. Adkins

In this new edition of the “essential guide for hiking in Maryland” (Victoria and Frank Logue, authors of The Appalachian Trail Backpacker), avid hiker Leonard Adkins has provided updated maps and revised headnotes with the latest information for every hike and walk—plus you’ll find a brand-new hike at Monocacy National Battlefield. No matter where you are in Maryland, you’re less than a 30-minute drive from one of the hikes in this book, and most routes are easily accessible from Baltimore and Washington DC. Whether you’re exploring the Atlantic shoreline, part of the Appalachian Trail, or one of the many walks through Catoctin Mountain National Park, each route includes Adkins’s fascinating and entertaining asides on the natural and historical points of interest you’ll encounter along the way. With hikes and trails for all skills and abilities, this is a perfect resource and hiking companion.

Explore 51 of Virginia’s best options for short walks, hiking excursions, and backpacking adventures! From the craggy summits of the Allegheny Mountains to the soft shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia north of US 60 is an unparalleled region. The area is diverse and beautiful, and the plants and wildlife are varied and abundant. To truly see and appreciate the land’s natural wonders, a person should travel on foot. In the eastern coastal plain, walk for miles upon quiet beaches, and see herons and egrets as they fish in swamps, ponds, and slow-moving streams. Upon the rolling piedmont of central Virginia, pass between grassy meadows with open views and mixed hardwood forests. Trails in the Blue Ridge and Massanutten mountains descend past waterfalls into valleys and coves. The mountains of western Virginia are the least populated. Here you’ll find the most isolated and quiet hiking and have the best chance of viewing the state’s abundant wildlife. Plus, hundreds of miles of the Appalachian Trail create opportunities for backpacking. In Hike Virginia North of US 60, expert hiker and naturalist Leonard M. Adkins helps you experience the joys of walking and hiking throughout the area. The award-winning Virginia author spotlights 51 trails that traverse more than 360 miles. Routes range from easy walks on level ground to ambitious, multi-day backpacking excursions over rugged terrain. Each entry includes full-color maps and photographs, as well as driving directions and trail descriptions. Leonard also includes his fascinating insights on each site’s history and culture, plus vital at-a-glance information about distance, hiking time, and elevation gain. Inside You’ll Find 51 hikes—popular trails and hidden gems—covering over 360 milesShort walks, day hikes, and backpacking excursionsFull-color maps and photographsTrail information chart with key details about every featured hike

Explore 51 of Virginia’s best options for short walks, hiking excursions, and backpacking adventures! From its lowest point at sea level to its loftiest mountain more than 5,000 feet high, Virginia south of US 60 is an unparalleled region. The terrain is diverse and beautiful, and the plant- and wildlife are varied and abundant. To truly see and appreciate the land’s natural wonders, a person should travel on foot. In the east, walk for miles upon quiet beaches or hike across Tidewater lands preserved for migrating birds. Upon the rolling piedmont of central Virginia, discover historic sites from the days of the Civil War, as well as hikes around lakes both large and small. To the west, negotiate the ups and downs of the Blue Ridge region, where the rewards are well worth the effort. Gaze at wave after wave of Southern Appalachian ridgelines and at dozens of waterfalls that gush down steep slopes. Plus, hundreds of miles of the Appalachian Trail create opportunities for backpacking. In Hike Virginia South of US 60, expert hiker and naturalist Leonard M. Adkins helps you experience the joys of walking and hiking throughout the area. The award-winning Virginia author spotlights 51 trails that traverse more than 400 miles. Routes range from easy walks on level ground to ambitious, multi-day backpacking excursions over rugged terrain. Each entry includes full-color maps and photographs, as well as driving directions and trail descriptions. Leonard also includes his fascinating insights on each site’s history and culture, plus vital at-a-glance information about distance, hiking time, and elevation gain. Inside You’ll Find 51 hikes—popular trails and hidden gems—covering over 400 milesShort walks, day hikes, and backpacking excursionsFull-color maps and photographsTrail information chart with key details about every featured hike

Hike the AT, and Get to Know Its Nature The Appalachian Trail’s soaring elevations and precipitous terrain are complemented by lush vegetation, abundant wildlife, and some of the most beautiful views in the world. You can conquer part or all of the AT on foot. Along the way, immerse yourself in its nature. Leonard M. Adkins has thru-hiked the AT five times, and he has spent countless hours studying it. Now, he’s sharing his expertise with you. Nature of the Appalachian Trail is an overview of more than 2,000 miles worth of information! There’s no need to shoulder dozens of different books in your backpack. This comprehensive naturalist’s guide includes a look at the mountains’ history, a study of the land’s geology, and detailed information about the trail’s birds, mammals, trees, flowers, reptiles, amphibians, and more. Inside you’ll find: Complete overview of the entire trailDetailed guide to its flora and faunaIn-depth discussion of the region’s history and geologyExpert insights from a professional naturalist Nature of the Appalachian Trail is your visitor’s companion to unbroken forest from Georgia to Maine. It is applicable to the states of Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Appalachian Trail is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world and a testament to the power of cooperation. While hosting many famous hikers such as Bill Bryson and Grandma Gatewood, it is the thousands of unnamed volunteers that are the heroes of the AT today. Winding through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine, the Trail is cared for by thirty-one trail clubs, numerous partnerships, the National Park Service, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy. At 2,200 miles long, the trail attracts millions of hikers every year. In All About the Appalachian Trail, author Leonard M. Adkins lays out the history of the Appalachian Trail in its many facets. He includes its geological, ecological, and human history, as well as its history as a trail. By weaving these all together, the author allows the reader to better understand one of the world's longest hiking trails.

Your Comprehensive Guide to the AT’s Best Day Hikes From Maine to Georgia, the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail is an iconic destination. Whether you’re an experienced hiker or a casual explorer, let Best of the Appalachian Trail: Day Hikes guide you along the way. Summit the iconic Katahdin in Maine, explore Pennsylvania’s Chimney Rocks, splash in Tennessee’s Laurel Fork Gorge and Falls, and find out where Georgia’s Blood Mountain gets its name. Appalachian Trail experts Leonard M. Adkins and Victoria and Frank Logue have carefully selected their top 144 hikes—ranging from less than 1 mile to 11 miles—and present them for you to experience and enjoy. Trail difficulty ratings and profiles, which include point-by-point descriptions of each hike, help to prepare you for what’s ahead. Trailhead maps and driving directions are provided to get you where you need to go. Plus, fascinating flora, fauna, and history tidbits entertain and educate you along all 144 hikes throughout the 14 states of the AT. Discover the best day hikes in this useful guide to the beloved long trail.

Your Comprehensive Guide to the AT’s Best Overnight Hikes From Maine to Georgia, the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail is an iconic destination. Whether you’re an experienced backpacker or a casual explorer, let Best of the Appalachian Trail: Overnight Hikes guide you along the way. Traverse Virginia’s Three Ridges, enjoy North Carolina’s Mount Cammerer Loop, and summit Vermont’s Killington Peak. Appalachian Trail experts Leonard M. Adkins and Victoria and Frank Logue have carefully selected their top 64 hikes—ranging from 10 to 30 miles—and present them for you to experience and enjoy. Trail difficulty ratings and profiles, which include point-by-point descriptions of each hike, help to prepare you for what’s ahead. Trailhead maps and driving directions are provided to get you where you need to go. Plus, fascinating flora, fauna, and history tidbits entertain and educate you along all 64 hikes throughout the 14 states of the AT. Discover the best overnight hikes in this useful guide to the beloved long trail.

A concise guide to the best day hikes along the entire Appalachian Trail. Summit the iconic Katahdin in Maine, explore Pennsylvania's Chimney Rocks, splash in Tennessee's Laurel Fork Gorge and Falls, and find out where Blood Mountain got its name in the new edition of Best of the Appalachian Trail: Day Hikes by Victoria and Frank Logue and Leonard M. Adkins. This is the most comprehensive and useful guide to this beloved long trail. The book details hikes in each of the 14 states that the Appalachian Trail passes through; previews the flora, fauna, and history of the A.T.; and offers point-by-point descriptions of each hike with trailhead directions. Hikes range in length from less than 1 mile to 11 miles.

Experience sleeping under the stars on the Appalachian Trail with this guide. Hikers can traverse Virginia's Southern Shenandoah, enjoy North Carolina's Mount Cammerer Loop, and summit Vermont's Killington Peak with Best Hikes of the Appalachian Trail: Overnight Hikes by Victoria and Frank Logue and Leonard M. Adkins,the most comprehensive and useful guide to the best Appalachian Trail overnight hikes. This new edition includes new overnight hikes, as well as updated trail information. Each hike profile contains driving directions to the trailhead; a preview of the flora, fauna, and history hikers will encounter on the trail; and hike difficulty ratings.

With a new cover, more extensive index, and list of organizations, the new edition of Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail,a National Outdoor Book Award winner, is the go-to resource for anyone interested in the wildflowers found along the 2,190-mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Stunning full-page color photos by Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard accompany the detailed descriptions by author Leonard M. Adkins that include: bloom season, leaves and stem description, geographic range of growth, and location of the flower along the AT. Also included for many of the 94 flowers profiled in the book is the fascinating role the flower has played through history and its value in folklore as well as modern medicine.

It was in the early 1900s atop a summit in Vermont that Benton MacKaye envisioned a hiking path along the crest of the Appalachians, beginning in the New England states and extending to those in the South. Along the Appalachian Trail: Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire chronicles the history of the world-famous route in those states, from New England s hiking and trail-building culture that predated and paved the way for the trail to those who toiled to create it and those who have continued to hike and protect it. Today s trail is vastly different from its earlier days. This collection of vintage photographs and accompanying text includes its original course and some of the many reroutes it has experienced. It all comes together to illuminate just what an amazing volunteer achievement the existence of the trail is."

It was in the early 1900s atop a summit in Vermont that Benton MacKaye envisioned a hiking path along the crest of the Appalachians, beginning in the New England states and extending to those in the South. Along the Appalachian Trail: Massachusetts, Vermo

From the rugged summits of the Allegheny Mountains to the gentle shores of Chesapeake Bay, this new edition explores more than 360 miles of pathways with up-to-date information on trail closures, route changes, and new territory. It offers a rich selection of hikes for every degree of physical stamina and for any amount of time you have available, as well as an in-depth exploration of the human and natural history that contributes to the compelling story of the region, noting historic events that occurred nearby and how the landscape itself helped shape those events.

Learn the history of the effort to bring the Appalachian Trail through West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in this collection by author Leonard M. Adkins and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.Unlike counterparts on other sections of the 2,180-plus-mile Appalachian Trail who could locate the pathway within national parks and forests, builders of the 270 miles of trail detailed in Along the Appalachian Trail: West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania did not have vast tracts of federal lands on which to construct the footpath, yet they succeeded in creating a trail within many of the states' scenic areas. Hundreds of vintage photographs - provided by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, National Park Service, state archives, and local trail-maintaining clubs - present an illustrated narrative of the Herculean work and dedication it took for volunteers to plan, build, and continue to maintain the trail in these states.

Limitless exploration and entertainment opportunities await travelers and residents alike, and this thoroughly revised edition of Explorer’s Guide Maryland is the perfect companion for every excursion. The best restaurants, places to stay, and activities for every budget and interest are laid out in an easy-to-navigate guide as useful on the bookshelf as it is in the glove compartment. Descriptions and listings cover the whole state, including the quiet Eastern Shore; picturesque, historic Annapolis; the heart of downtown Baltimore; the many historical sites dotting the southern region; and the scenic northwestern mountains.

WV native Leonard Adkins covers 400 miles of trails in this newly revised edition, taking you to Allegheny Mountain summits and back down to the banks of the Ohio River.Explore windswept plains and the hill country’s hidden valleys, amble by rushing streams or crashing waterfalls, and discover many historic sites and Civil War battlefields along the way.

Predating the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail was established in the 1920s. Yet even after volunteers had begun the pathway's construction, its southern terminus was still undetermined. The more than 200 vintage photographs of Images of America: Along the Appalachian Trail: Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee have been culled from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, National Park Service, local trail maintaining clubs, state archives, and historical societies. They illustrate the sweat, toil, and dedication that went into building the trail over some of Eastern America's highest and most rugged terrain. Also chronicled are the people who lived along the trail's route, those who volunteered to physically build it or lobby for its creation, and the many relocations that have moved the pathway to optimal locations.