OC on the AT

**ThatCrazyMtnGuy** · December 10th, 2014, 10:29 PM

I recently went backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in Franklin County. Yes, in December. Yes, it was cold. No, I didn't care.

At any rate, I OC'd the entire time. I encountered a couple hunters as I was parking and getting out of my truck (at the frighteningly named Dead Woman's Hollow Road), who obviously didn't care, and I ran into a very unusual gaggle of old ladies, smartly wearing blaze orange, who very cheerily greeted me as I hiked. No problem.

I have to say, this is the first time I've gone backpacking since I've started carrying firearms, and it was the least stressful. Maybe I'm becoming older and wiser, or the gun gives me comfort, but either way, it was very relaxing.

And where the hell were all the hunters? I didn't hear any shots until I was almost back to my truck the next day!

**Sandcut** · December 10th, 2014, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by ThatCrazyMtnGuy

I recently went backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in Franklin County. Yes, in December. Yes, it was cold. No, I didn't care.

At any rate, I OC'd the entire time. I encountered a couple hunters as I was parking and getting out of my truck (at the frighteningly named Dead Woman's Hollow Road), who obviously didn't care, and I ran into a very unusual gaggle of old ladies, smartly wearing blaze orange, who very cheerily greeted me as I hiked. No problem.

I have to say, this is the first time I've gone backpacking since I've started carrying firearms, and it was the least stressful. Maybe I'm becoming older and wiser, or the gun gives me comfort, but either way, it was very relaxing.

And where the hell were all the hunters? I didn't hear any shots until I was almost back to my truck the next day!

I've run across quite a few folks while hiking, camping and doing trail maintenance, all while OCing. I've not had any issues with it so far. Not even when running in to a bunch of bird watchers.

**jthrelf** · December 11th, 2014, 12:31 AM

Glad to hear you had a nice time. What kind of pack/holster setup are you using? Oh and what are you carrying?

**Greywolf** · December 11th, 2014, 04:29 AM

I remember a discussion awhile back (but probably within the past year) regarding carry on the Appalachian Trail. I believe it was pointed out that doing so is illegal (or in violation of some regulation). I don't recall the specifics, nor do I recall on what forum site the discussion took place.

**Curmudgeon** · December 11th, 2014, 05:05 AM

Originally Posted by Greywolf

I remember a discussion awhile back (but probably within the past year) regarding carry on the Appalachian Trail. I believe it was pointed out that doing so is illegal (or in violation of some regulation). I don't recall the specifics, nor do I recall on what forum site the discussion took place.

I vaguely recall a thread like that, maybe here, I think the basis of it was that various parts of the AT fell on a wide variety of property types, and you should research the part of the trail you'll be using to see where it falls.

I think it's safe to say it's legal to carry on some parts and perhaps not others. Does any of the AT fall on private property? State park vs state forest vs federal park vs federal forest. The law can be different for each, but I don't believe the blanket statement about being illegal across the entire trail is correct. I don't know what entity would govern that, do you?

**Team Dougherty** · December 11th, 2014, 09:43 AM

from http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiki...ations-permits

Can I carry a gun?
ATC strongly discourages hikers from carrying firearms: Most experienced A.T. hikers consider them impractical and unnecessary, and encountering an armed stranger makes many people uncomfortable. To legally carry a firearm on the Trail, you must meet the permitting standards of the state and locality in which you are hiking. On national-park lands, discharging a firearm is illegal, even if you have a legal permit to carry it. Extra efforts may be required to secure weapons in towns to abide by local ordinances and private-property owners' rules. (Firearm rules vary by land ownership. The Trail crosses 14 states and more than 90 state, federal, or local agency lands, with each having its own rules and regulations; you are responsible for knowing and following those rules.) In areas of the Trail corridor where hunting is legal, hikers may see hunters carrying firearms. Hunters must abide by their own set of firearm rules, somewhat separate from firearm-carry rules but also varying by state and county.

this says pretty much the same thing http://www.nps.gov/appa/parkmgmt/fir...nformation.htm

**WCMG** · December 11th, 2014, 09:59 AM

My wife and I hiked just under 500 miles of the AT in 2010, so it always puts a smile on my face when I read about people spending time on the trail.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy "discourages" carrying firearms on the trail, but doesn't ban them. I CC my LCP-380 for about 200 miles before I dropped my pack weight and sent it home. I carried a knife on my belt after that. You only have to worry about local and state laws on the trail and since PA is a OC friendly state, no worries. 99% of the 2,168 miles of the Appalachian trail is public property, but I do remember hiking through a farmers cow pasture one morning and wondering if we were lost.

To the OP, if you do more hiking on the AT, I would like to hear about it.

**jthrelf** · December 11th, 2014, 06:54 PM

I feel like they discourage carrying for protection of people who would not do their research and be inadvertently breaking the law. Didn't sound like a "guns are bad" discouragement, more like a "we discourage it if you don't know your shit".

**Waverip11** · December 11th, 2014, 07:17 PM

Thru hiked from GA to MA back in 2009. Never felt in danger except for a turd hiking the trail and we chased him off pretty quick. I saw a few weekenders in Tenn carrying but that was it. All the bears I did see turned tail and ran. Very good experience and I highly recommend it to anyone. I will thru hike again when I retire. It didn't bother me at all to see open carrying and actually it was comforting to see. I just couldn't justify carrying it 2000 miles.

**ThatCrazyMtnGuy** · December 11th, 2014, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by jthrelf

Glad to hear you had a nice time. What kind of pack/holster setup are you using? Oh and what are you carrying?

I was just doing an overnight trip, so no fancy frame pack or anything. Just a Bug Out Gear bag with no waist belt. As far as my OC rig, I carry a Glock 22 in a Blackhawk level 2.

Don't know what I'd do if I had to use a frame pack with a waist band... I suppose I could mount the BH holster on there somehow...