Hiker Trash Haven Home Page

        This page contains unedited, optically scanned images of shelter registers along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.  These registers were loaned to the Hiker Trash Haven by various Appalachian Trail thru-hikers who collected completed registers from the Trail.  Blank registers are normally placed in Trail shelters by hikers to allow other hikers to record messages, experiences, or thoughts while camping at that particular shelter.  When the register is full, it is packed out by the hiker who makes the last entry, and mailed back to the hiker who left it.  Then, another empty register is placed in the shelter by the next hiker who has a notebook available to leave.
         These registers provide an important communications link between Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, and frequently contain entertaining and thought provoking poetry, stories, and graphic artwork from hikers.  Other web sites provide pages containing the text of transcribed registers, but the Hiker Trash Haven archive is unique in that this is the only place you can find the original, complete, unedited, scanned images of the actual registers.  Reading the hikers' messages in their own handwriting, enjoying the hikers' artwork, and seeing the weather damaged pages provides a dimension of experience unavailable except by holding the actual registers.  Past hikers who wish to reminisce, future hikers who want a glimpse of true Trail life, or family and friends of hikers who desire a better understanding of their hiker's experience should all find great enjoyment from viewing these pages.
        The following list of available registers is provided in order from North to South.  Inclusive dates are provided for each single register.  Multiple registers from one shelter location are listed chronologically.  Each individual register page will display a thumbnail gallery.  To view the full sized register page simply select the thumbnail of the register page you want to see.  This list of registers is small right now, but many more are in the process of being scanned for display soon.  Enjoy!

Eliza Brook Shelter, New Hampshire (9 Aug - 27 Sep 97)

Tom Leonard Lean-to, Massachusetts (3 Jun - 27 Sep 97)

Mt. Algo Lean-to, Connecticut (10 Jul - 20 Sep 97)

Lost Mountain Shelter, Virginia (9 Jul - 15 Sep 99)

        Also, one register from the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is currently available.  On the PCT few shelters exist, the thru-hiker population is very small, and the tradition of leaving registers is yet to become popular.  So, enjoy this unique souvenir.

South Brown Mountain Shelter (29 Dec 1999 - 30 Aug 2000)

        If you have a register in your possession you'd like to share with everyone, you may ship the register to be loaned to me via U.S. Postal Service.  Please email me at PT@HikerTrash.com for my current direct mailing address.

        Your register will be optically scanned, then returned to you, undamaged, via USPS Priority Mail.  When the scanned pages are posted to this web site, you'll receive credit as the donor, unless you request to remain anonymous.  If you want further information about any of the displayed registers, or have additional questions about loaning a register for posting, please write or send e-mail.