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The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the Forever stamps during a first-day-of-issue ceremony at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia on Friday, Feb. 28. The stamps honor the nearly 2,200-mile trail that stretches through 14 states.
The collection highlights key locations along the trail, from New England's rugged peaks to historic sites in the mid-Atlantic.
"The natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail has delighted millions throughout the years," said Daniel Tangherlini, a member of the USPS Board of Governors. "The trail's creation is a very American story. It exists thanks to a collaboration between the government and the people. That same grassroots spirit helps preserve the trail today.
"Those who hike the trail have the opportunity to summit Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeast, walk along a peaceful creek, or follow in the footsteps of history where the trail becomes part of the towpath for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal."
Among the featured Northeast and mid-Atlantic locations are:
- Massachusetts – A scenic view of the Berkshire Mountains.
- Connecticut – A footbridge spanning the Ten Mile River as it flows into the Housatonic River.
- New York – A waterfall in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
- New Jersey – A boardwalk designed to protect a fragile wetland ecosystem.
- Pennsylvania – A creek winding through the state’s section of the trail.
- Maryland – A sunset over the Hagerstown Valley in autumn.
- Virginia – McAfee Knob, one of the most iconic viewpoints along the entire trail.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025. The nonprofit group oversees the trail in partnership with the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service.
ATC president Sandra Marra called the stamp release "a marvelous way to spotlight and celebrate one of our country’s most treasured places."
"These stamps wonderfully display the wild and scenic beauty of the trail and its landscape, which attracts, motivates and inspires millions of people from around the world to step foot on this beloved path and walk away transformed," said Marra.
Designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá, the stamp pane features photographs from 15 photographers, each capturing the trail's natural beauty. The first stamp in the series highlights a dense forest section of the trail known as the "green tunnel," while others are labeled with the names of the states they depict.
The Appalachian Trail, completed in 1937, is one of the longest hiking-only footpaths in the world. It remains protected through a combination of federal, state, and private conservation efforts.
Sheets of 15 stamps are being sold for $10.95 each on the USPS website.
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