Thanks for the 'Memoir'ies: The Impact and Importance of Appalachian Trail Literature to Hiking Culture

Abstract

This paper is composed of a literary study on the memoirs and social media posts written or made by people who have thru or section hiked the Appalachian Trail in its entirety in order to better understand the culture of the Appalachian Trail, the motivations of the hikers, and the impact literature can have on the trail. The study looked at published memoirs set between 1948 to 2005, as well as interviews and social media posts up to 2021 surrounding thru hikers and their progress along the trail. The study also analyzed the impact thru hiking has on individuals and how literature plays a part in strengthening their connection to the Appalachian Trail even after they have completed their hike. In addition to the literary study, there is also an experiential section of the paper dedicated to my firsthand accounts of hiking the Appalachian Trail, being involved in thru hiker culture, and making my own contribution to the tradition of trail literature that is as connected to the trail as the act of hiking itself. This topic is worth examining because it investigates the connections between literature and long-haul hiking, as well as examining how literature fits into, and tracks changes in, the culture of Appalachian Trail thru hikers, something not before researched from a literary perspective. The findings show that literature is an integral part of what has become a “linear community,” along the 14 states that make up the Appalachian Trail, and that every piece of literature or social media post made regarding the Appalachian Trail works to add to this culture. This research can be used in the future to assess how the literature has become an accurate reflection of the culture insomuch that it can be used to form a base to which analysis of thru hiker culture can be conducted.