<\/p>\n
John \u201cJohnny Appleseed\u201d Mosso completes his 210-day hike of the Appalachian Trail at Mount Katahdin, Maine<\/p>\n
John Mosso<\/p>\n
Stretching from Georgia to Maine, the Appalachian Trail (AT) is one of America\u2019s most iconic long-distance hikes. Yet for many Pennsylvanians, the section that winds through our own backyard carries a special significance \u2014 especially where it meets the Susquehanna River, a lifeline of both landscape and community.<\/p>\n
For John Mosso of Cogan Station, that stretch was more than a waypoint on his 2,198-mile trek \u2014 it was home. In 2025 (the 100th year anniversary of the trail), Mosso, known on the trail as \u201cJohnny Appleseed,\u201d completed his dream of hiking the entire AT, finishing atop Mount Katahdin in Maine after 210 days of walking, climbing, and camping through 14 states.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a kid, I spent so much time outdoors \u2014 hiking, biking, fishing the river,\u201d Mosso explained. \u201cThe Susquehanna and the mountains around Williamsport taught me to love being outside. I always said when I retire, I\u2019m going to hike the Appalachian Trail.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A snapshot of \u201cRocksylvania\u201d<\/p>\n
John Mosso<\/p>\n
Rooted in Pennsylvania\u2019s Greenway<\/p>\n
As a long-time resident of the Susquehanna Greenway region, Mosso found the perfect training ground close to home. He logged miles on the mountain behind his house and explored the wooded landscapes that define the Greenway corridor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese mountains and trails here prepared me,\u201d he said. \u201cThey always say the trail will make you fit \u2014 and that\u2019s true \u2014 but Pennsylvania gave me my start.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Susquehanna Greenway, a 500-mile corridor of parks, trails, and river towns following the Susquehanna, has long offered opportunities for residents to connect with nature. For Mosso, those local trails were the launchpad for one of the greatest adventures of his life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John Mosso reaches Pa. during his hike of the Appalachian Trail<\/p>\n
John Mosso<\/p>\n
A homecoming on the Susquehanna<\/p>\n
When Mosso crossed into Pennsylvania near the end of May \u2014 around his birthday and the AT\u2019s halfway mark \u2014 it felt like a celebration. \u201cIt was emotional,\u201d he said. \u201cI thought, wow, I\u2019m home. My wife met me on the trail. It was special.\u201d<\/p>\n
But home doesn\u2019t mean easy. The Keystone State\u2019s AT section is famously rugged. \u201cThey call it Rocksylvania for a reason,\u201d he joked. \u201cIt\u2019s tough on the feet \u2014 but it\u2019s beautiful. The mountain laurel was blooming, everything was green, and there was wildlife everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
The most meaningful moment came at the Clarks Ferry Bridge, where the Appalachian Trail crosses the Susquehanna River near Duncannon \u2014 a spot also featured along the Susquehanna Greenway corridor. \u201cThat was a big one for me,\u201d Mosso recalled. \u201cI\u2019ve driven across that bridge so many times, honking for thru-hikers. This time, people were honking for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Motorists on the Clarks Ferry Bridge often honk their horns to encourage hikers taking on the Appalachian Trail<\/p>\n
John Mosso<\/p>\n
As he walked over the wide expanse of the river, he thought about how it compared to waterways he\u2019d seen across the East Coast. \u201cUp north, they call some creeks \u2018rivers,\u2019\u201d he said with a laugh. \u201cThe Susquehanna holds its own. It\u2019s wide, beautiful, and powerful \u2014 it\u2019s a Pennsylvania landmark.\u201d<\/p>\n
Life between mountains and river<\/p>\n
Much like the Susquehanna\u2019s steady flow, Mosso found peace in the rhythm of trail life. \u201cIt was so quiet out there I could hear my watch ticking,\u201d he said. \u201cAt home you\u2019re used to cars and noise, but out there it was just whip-poor-wills, deer, and black bears. I saw eagles, fawns right on the trail, even box turtles.\u201d<\/p>\n
One evening, he came face-to-face with a mother bear and her cubs. \u201cShe stood up on her hind legs and barked,\u201d he remembered. \u201cI introduced myself, said, \u2018Hey, Mama Bear, I\u2019m Johnny Appleseed!\u2019 and just talked to her until she turned away. That\u2019s one of those moments you never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carrying the Greenway north<\/p>\n
Even far from home, Mosso carried a piece of Pennsylvania with him \u2014 literally. At the 2024 Susquehanna Greenway Outdoor Expo, he picked up a Susquehanna Greenway hat and decided it would be his trail companion. \u201cI told the lady at the booth, \u2018I\u2019m buying this hat, and I\u2019m going to wear it when I hike the Appalachian Trail,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership<\/p>\n
The Susquehanna Greenway is a corridor of connected trails, parks, river access points, and communities, linking people to the natural and cultural treasures of the Susquehanna River. The mission of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is to is to work hand-in-hand with local, state, and national partners to complete the Susquehanna Greenway trail corridor and create resources that open the outdoors to everyone, ensuring all can experience the beauty and adventure of the Susquehanna River.<\/p>\n
That same hat went every mile with him, from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine \u2014 sun-faded, sweat-stained, and soaked with bug repellent by the journey\u2019s end. \u201cA few hikers saw it and said, \u2018Hey, you\u2019re from Pa.!\u2019\u201d Mosso laughed. \u201cI was proud to represent home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lessons from the trail<\/p>\n
After seven months of hiking, Mosso came home 60 pounds lighter but full of perspective. \u201cWe\u2019re spoiled,\u201d he said, recalling the strangeness of having running water again. \u201cYou don\u2019t realize how lucky we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
His advice for aspiring thru-hikers? Focus on food and fuel. \u201cI didn\u2019t eat enough protein,\u201d he admitted. \u201cYou burn so much out there. Plan for more than you think you\u2019ll need.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, perhaps most importantly, stay dry and stay grateful. \u201cEvery day was different,\u201d he said. \u201cI never woke up thinking, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve still got a thousand miles to go.\u2019 I just thought, \u2018I get to hike today.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Left: John Mosso at the Appalachian trailhead. Right: Mosso reaches the halfway point of the trail in Pa.<\/p>\n
John Mosso<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the long walk<\/p>\n
Now back home, Mosso continues to reflect on the journey, paging through photos and notes. \u201cSometimes I tear up,\u201d he said. \u201cSometimes I just think \u2014 man, that was crazy. But it was beautiful. Every step.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what adventure might come next, Mosso considered the idea of biking across the United States, but ultimately smiled and said, \u201cThere\u2019s plenty of trails to explore right here in Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Mosso, the Appalachian Trail wasn\u2019t just about reaching Maine \u2014 it was about where it all began: right here in Pennsylvania, among the ridges and river valleys of the Susquehanna Greenway. These trails shaped his journey long before he set foot on the AT, a reminder that adventure doesn\u2019t have to be far away \u2014 it can begin right outside your door.<\/p>\n
About the author<\/p>\n
Alana Jajko is the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership. Her work is focused on promoting trails and communities within our vibrant and connected Susquehanna Greenway, so that the public can enjoy opportunities to engage with the outdoors. Alana can be reached at ajajko@susquehannagreenway.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.\n <\/p>\n \n Error! There was an error processing your request.\n <\/p>\n Get Our Free Newsletters <\/p>\n Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters.<\/p>\n Sign Up Today!<\/p>\n Morning Headlines:\u00a0Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter?\u00a0<\/p>\n Afternoon Update:\u00a0What’s happening today? Here’s your update!<\/p>\n Daily Obits:\u00a0Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Keep your news local<\/p>\n Access to independent, local news is important, do you agree? <\/p>\n We work hard to deliver timely, relevant news, for free. 100% of your contribution to NorthcentralPa.com goes directly to helping us cover news and events in the region.<\/p>\n Thank you for saying that local news matters!<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n
\n Donate Today
\n <\/a><\/p>\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"John \u201cJohnny Appleseed\u201d Mosso completes his 210-day hike of the Appalachian Trail at Mount Katahdin, Maine John Mosso…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":94216,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[8415,46269,34087,1606,139,5629,708,28,30,29,10326,46268],"class_list":["post-94215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-appalachian-trail","tag-cogan-station-news","tag-hiking","tag-lycoming-county","tag-news","tag-northcentralpa-news","tag-outdoors","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news","tag-recreation","tag-susquehanna-greenway-partnership"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94215\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}