The AT opened as a continuous trail in 1937 and was designated as the first National Scenic Trail by the National Trails System Act of 1968, traversing 14 states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.) The Trail is currently protected along more than 99 percent of its course by federal or state ownership of the land or by rights-of-way. Annually, more than 4,000 volunteers contribute more than 185,000 hours of effort on the Appalachian Trail. No fees or permits are required for walking on the Appalachian Trail, and most of the campsites and 250+ shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the A.T. passes through over 60 state, federal, and local forests, parks, and public lands, a few of which require permits, fees and/or reservations to stay overnight in shelters or campsites. (See this page for fee/regulations info.)
In 1948, Earl Shaffer of York, Pennsylvania brought a great deal of attention to the project by completing the first documented through-hike.
We did a brief section of the trail in North Carolina, from Lake Watauga to Highway 91, and photos can be found on the link above.