Managing authority
Trail association / federal agencyAT completion certificate
Appalachian Trail Completion Certificate
Record a completion of Appalachian Trail in United States with private evidence review and a premium QR-verifiable certificate.
ATRegistry route
Image source and licence
New Jersey Appalachian Trail by Miguel Vieira, CC BY 2.0; cropped and colour-treated.
Verification application
Sign in before you start
Authentication protects your application, payment status, and private evidence. You will return to this trail after signing in or creating an account.
Trail context
A certificate grounded in the journey.
An Appalachian Trail record may represent a thru-hike, a long section, or an accumulated set of sections across different years. The certificate request must name that scope clearly. Activity files can establish movement and dates, while dated photographs, shelter or hostel records, trail journals, and a structured section list can explain gaps in device coverage. Resupply trips, blue-blazed alternatives, closures, and transport between section endpoints should be stated without trying to manufacture one continuous line. The certificate uses the green ridge-and-forest character of the Appalachian landscape while avoiding protected trail marks. GPS files, shelter or booking details, photographs, journal entries, and personal location information remain private; the public record communicates only the approved scope and verification level. It never publishes a route replay.
Completed Appalachian Trail? Submit route-appropriate GPS tracks, activity links, dated photos, stamps, permits, guide confirmation, club confirmation, or a clear completion narrative. Route variants are assessed from the evidence provided.
Structured trail record
Authority, season and access
Official route status
Official National Scenic Trail
National Scenic TrailNormal endpoints
Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin
Catalogue references: 34.627, -84.193 to 45.904, -68.921Elevation range
38 m to 2,025 m
Rounded catalogue elevationsRecommended months
April-October
Northern and high-elevation sections close or become hazardous in winterAccess requirements
Permits and camping rules vary; Katahdin access is controlled
Permit/booking · Controlled access · Seasonal constraintsCollection and characteristics
National Scenic Trail
Thru HikeSheltersLong DistanceMulti State
Coordinates and elevations are rounded catalogue references for discovery only. They are not navigation-grade or emergency waypoints. Always use current official route information and an appropriate map.
Reviewed route data
Route, stages and elevation
Interactive map of Appalachian Trail
3500-3540 km, depending on itinerary
3,391.87 km
20,900 m on mapped route
42–1,590 m
150-220 walking days
StartSpringer MountainFinishMount Katahdin
- 1Springer Mountain
- 2Great Smoky Mountains
- 3Shenandoah
- 4White Mountains
- 5Katahdin
Planning summary only. Check current closures, permits, weather and official navigation sources before travel.
Why get this certificate?
Record a completion of Appalachian Trail in United States with private evidence review and a premium QR-verifiable certificate.
Your certificate includes a premium PDF, a permanent QR verification page, registry-signed metadata, and privacy-aware public display settings.
Accepted evidence
Route-matched proof examples
- GPS or activity records grouped by thru-hike or section dates
- Dated photographs at shelters, gaps, summits, or state crossings
- Hostel, shuttle, or resupply records that clarify progression
- A section list or narrative explaining closures, alternatives, and gaps
Before payment
Prepare proof that tells the whole route story.
Best evidence: GPX, FIT, or TCX files, trusted activity links, dated trail photos, stamps, permits, or guide confirmation. Photos alone may need supporting context.
Expected review level: Evidence Reviewed. Most reviews target 2–3 working days after payment and private proof upload.
Trail proof checklist
- GPS track file or activity link where available
- Photos at recognisable route landmarks
- Date range and completion narrative
- Permit, stamp, guide, club, or organiser confirmation where relevant
Distance and route variants are reviewed conservatively. Public pages never publish raw GPS points or private proof files.
Private review layer
Your proof is not your public profile.
Reviewers may see
GPS and activity files, uploaded photos, permits, stamps, guide confirmations, completion narrative, and clarification replies.
The public may see
Certificate status, trail, privacy-controlled display name, dates, verification level, issue date, fingerprint, and registry signature state.
Supported route variants
Accepted itineraries range from approximately 3500 km to 3540 km. The certificate must identify the completed variant or section and any transport links.
Specify thru-hike, section, or accumulated-section scope, direction, years, closures, and alternatives. Section certificates should be used instead of implying an unsupported full-trail completion.
Prepare proof for Appalachian TrailVerification levels
Evidence ReviewedPrivate completion evidence was assessed by a Verified Hikes reviewer.
GPS Evidence ReviewedA GPS file or trusted activity record formed part of the evidence review.
Photo + GPS ReviewedPhotographic context and GPS or activity evidence both supported the review.
Partner ConfirmedAn approved partner confirmed completion through a defined workflow.
Authority ConfirmedA trail authority explicitly confirmed the record through an approved workflow.
How the process works
Start verification
Create a paid application for this trail.
Upload proof
Add GPS, activity links, photos, stamps, permits, or confirmation documents privately.
Registry review
A reviewer checks evidence, dates, privacy, and verification level.
Certificate issued
Receive your premium PDF and QR-verifiable public record.
FAQ
What does the QR code prove?
It opens a safe registry page showing certificate metadata, signature status, evidence summary, and PDF fingerprint.
Request correction
See outdated trail facts? Send a correction request so the registry team can review the route record before publication changes.
Request correction/update