International Appalachian Trail Road Trip and Hiking

And you thought the adventure ended at Mt Katahdin...

The International Appalachian Trail running through the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec

It is one of the greatest feats of hiking to have hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Backpacking 2,200 miles is no joke! However, the adventure continues beyond these endpoints! Through both an understanding of the deeper geology behind the Appalachian Mountains and a desire for more adventure, the International Appalachian Trail was created. When I first heard of this, I thought this was just someone's pet idea for a longer trail, but the IAT has become an internationally embraced idea with legitimate sponsorship and chapters in 20 countries!

As a hipster traveler, this just takes the cake!

View The International Appalachian Trail Road Trip in a larger map

A little background to this trip- I've wanted to see the Gaspé Peninsula or Gaspésie for a long time now. Its located north of New Brunswick in the province of Québec in Canada. While Québec is an often visited province, most people prefer to see Québec City or Montreal. The Gaspésie has intrigued me because of its remoteness and rugged terrain. The Appalachians continue on through both New Brunswick and Québec, ending their continental stretch on the peninsula. With alpine summits and gorgeous sea cliffs, there was more than enough reason to see this place!

With some preliminary research, I found out that much of my trip would essentially be following the International Appalachian Trail through Maine, New Brunswick and Quebec. What I did not expect was to see a well-maintained, well-marked trail from Mt Katahdin all the way to the very edge of the peninsula! WOW!

The International Appalachian Trail on Mt Carleton, New Brunswick

Forillon National Park, Canada

So what will follow will be about a 9 part series/trip report of my time following this trail through the northern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains. It was a fantastic trip and everything that travel should be- high mountains, serene beaches, interesting towns and cities and culturally significant sites. Perhaps I'll someday hike the International Appalachian Trail through from Katahdin to Québec! On this particular trip, I was able to see-

• Mt Chase, 2,415ft, Maine: highest mountain between Katahdin and New Brunswick
• Mars Hill, 1,748ft, Maine: where the first sunrise in America takes place
• Mt Carleton, 2,690ft (817m), New Brunswick: highest mountain in the Maritime Provinces
• Mont Albert, 3,776ft (1,151m), Québec: rare alpine plateau in Parc de la Gaspésie 
• Mont Jacques-Cartier, 4,160ft (1,268m), Québec: highest mountain in southern Québec
• Gaspésie North Shore and the St Lawrence seaway
• Forillon National Park, Québec: the very easternmost section of the Gaspésie
• Parc national de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé: stunning natural rock formation
• Great Falls and Gorge, New Bruswick: Interesting gorge along the St John River

It was a grand trip! I'm excited  to be writing about it!

Read. Plan. Get Out There!