Nature & Science

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail - traversing more than 2,180 miles across the highest ridgelines of the Appalachian Mountains, from Georgia to Maine, in a southwest to northeast gradient - crosses some of the world's richest assemblages of temperate zone species and is considered one of the most biodiverse units in the entire National Park System. This makes the Appalachian Trail uniquely situated to serve as a "barometer" for the air, water and biological diversity of the Appalachian Mountains and eastern United States - to explore scientific questions and monitor the effects of climate change.

To learn about resource management along the trail, see the Resource Management Plan for Appalachian Trail located on our Park Planning page.