Concealed Carry on the Appalachain trail?

[EricTheBarbarian]

I was recently talking with a friend of mine and we've been thinking about hiking the appalachain trail. Don't know how or when I'll be able to do this since id have to take about 6 months off from school, work, etc. to be able to do it. we also figured this is something we definetly would not want to do without concealed carry. other people I dont know on the trail in a remote area and not to mention the potential for black bears. anyone have any ideas if theres any way to legally do this? itll be a trip of 2175 miles through georgia, north carolina, tennessee, virgina, west virginia, maryland, pennsylvania, new jersey, new york, connecticut, massachusetts, vermont, and new hampshire, and Im pretty sure most of the way is a national park. the state i live in now is ohio and id rather not carry and just hope i dont get caught on the trail. any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Titan6]

From AT ORG:

Can I carry a gun?
ATC strongly discourages hikers from carrying firearms. In areas of the Trail corridor where hunting is legal, hikers may see hunters carrying firearms. On National Park Service lands outside national recreation areas, possession of firearms by private citizens is illegal. The prohibition applies on many other public lands as well. Where firearms are allowed, state laws on licenses, registration, and related matters govern.

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.795277/k.B993/Permits_Fees_and_Regulations.htm

There many places, notably parks in VA (and I imagine other states) that are on the AT where guns are illegal.

 

[AntiqueCollector]

Keep your mouth shut if you're gonna do it, is all I can say, unless the gun is unloaded and locked up, it'll be illegal (except in gun friendly places like VT) but like you say, I'd not want to be without a firearm, but I'd also not want to be caught doing so in places like NJ.

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

interesting. looks like im going to have to be careful

 

[Titan6]

Eric, if you are planning on breaking the law I wouldn't. The second you get caught it won't be worth it. With planning you can hike the AT in sections and go around the disarmament zones.

I have hiked sections of the AT plenty of times in NC and VA and have never seen an open carry on it.

 

[LAR-15]

You'd also have to follow hunting regulations in certain states as to carrying guns.

I'd worry more about people than black bears.

 

[trimixdiver]

I just got back from the the Smokies. My wife and son and I hiked part of the AT from Newfound Gap toward Mt. LeCompte. The sign at the beginning of the trail at Newfound Gap expressly forbade the carrying of firearms. Several other popular trails in the Smokies also have signs posted at the beginning of the trails that forbid the carrying of firearms.

 

[offthepaper]

What part of the AT goes through New Jersey?

 

[Kael]

You also run into local prohibitions, even in states where you're legal. in PA for example, you can't carry in a state park, and the trail goes through at least two that I know of. (pine grove and caledonia).

not to mention the national parks as mentioned above: Shenandoah national park in VA has at least 60 miles of trail through it, as one example.

 

[Kael]

Offthepaper,

from http://www.fred.net/kathy/at/table.html

74 miles is in NJ. 27 miles of it is the Delaware water gap national park, and it goes through Stokes state forest in the northwest.

 

[TallPine]

Or you could just come out west (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana) and hike in one of the many National Forests. Either open or concealed is legal without a permit in Montana outside of city limits and national parks.

The national parks are too crowded for me anyway.

 

[mica]

It would be very illegal. I understand your desire to carry while through hiking but you would be asking for trouble.

 

[obxned]

People have been murdered on the trail - carry but don't advertise.

 

[twenty711]

If a bear attacks you, call the police!

 

[xd9fan]

Dont ask.....dont tell....

 

[Aguila Blanca]

anyone have any ideas if theres any way to legally do this? itll be a trip of 2175 miles through georgia, north carolina, tennessee, virgina, west virginia, maryland, pennsylvania, new jersey, new york, connecticut, massachusetts, vermont, and new hampshire, and Im pretty sure most of the way is a national park.

I'm pretty sure you're wrong.

I've hiked portions of the Appalachian Trail in a couple of states. No national park land at all. The only national park in all of New England is Acadia National Park on the Maine Coast, and that's a couple of hundred miles away from the northern terminus of the AT. And you can't carry in Maine, Massachusetts, or Connecticut without a permit from each of those respective states. None of them offer any reciprocity or recognition of other states' permits.

The only way for you to do it legally is to get yourself a whole bunch of non-resident permits. But you still have to get through NY state before you get into CT, and that's going to be a toughie.

 

[mobeewan]

http://www.rhodesmill.org/thefox/maps.html

From a quick scan of the mpas it looks like most of it is through national forests, state parks & forrests. I saw two national parks, Shenendoah in Virginia and Great Smokey Mountain in Tenn.

By the way don't get pulled over on Skyline Drive in Shenendoah carrying. It is illegal period!

 

[ScotZ]

A very good friend of mine walked the entire trail alone. He had his wife bring him his .45 about 300 miles into it. He went south to north. He ran into too many hikers that had some kind of trouble along the trail. He simply kept his gun out of sight and slept better at night.


Oh and on another note. His feet were two sizes bigger when he finished.

Good Luck on the trail