Trail Safe Conclusions

The staff and management of Wilderness Press do not believe that the spread of guns throughout our preserved wild places will render anyone safer. Even taking a weapon into the outdoors can change philosophically how we regard natural places. We, at Wilderness Press, feel that perceptions and concerns about personal safety in the wilderness are real, and that books such as Michael Bane's Trail Safe go a long way toward addressing what you can do to feel safer and prevent mishaps. Beyond that, we ask you to carefully consider options other than lethal force—a resort with pitfalls and serious ramifications for our society. We value Mr. Bane's effort to present many of the issues, and expect that this book may help open a needed dialogue.

Note from the Appalachian Trail Conference
Carrying firearms is illegal on more than 40 percent of the Appalachian Trail and is subject to state laws on the rest of the Trail (primarily National Forests and state gamelands). The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) strongly discourages carrying firearms anywhere along the Trail because they change the dynamics of the hiking experience for everyone and because of the risks of accidental shootings, among other reasons. However, ATC is not blind to the fact that some hikers do carry, or are considering carrying, handguns on this and other trails and believes the issues addressed in Trail Safe should be considered and debated by all lovers of the outdoors.