Spectacular views on the Appalachian Trail

Kicker: Hikers enjoy the view of the Cumberland valley from Annapolis Rock, just off the Appalachian Trail. Photo: Kim Hairston/MCT

The promise of moderate hikes and easy highway access draw adventure enthusiasts to a 3500km mountain trail path from Georgia to Maine in the United States.

In three months on the Appalachian Trail, Jim Parkins has met a federal judge, a doctor, countless Boy Scouts, college graduates and a married couple who celebrate their anniversary each year by feeding hikers for a week.