Part of Appalachian Trail Sort of Like Europe

The TRAVEL Q&A column by Elissa Leibowitz Poma listed online as "Special To The Washington Post" on 18 March 2007 -- although I found it at the digital home of the St. Louis (MO) Post-Dispatch -- has some pretty wild, and far-ranging questions posed and answered. The one of relevance here is this:

"Q: Is there a North American equivalent to the European hike from town to town? I'd like to hike during the day and spend the evening in a small town."

Hmmm, what do you suppose the answer includes? How about this? Citing information from Andrea Ketchmark, outreach coordinator of the American Hiking Society, part of the answer is:

"On the East Coast, Ketchmark recommends the Appalachian Trail section from North Adams, Mass., to Kent, Conn. The 140-mile stretch of the National Scenic Trail passes through such quintessentially New England towns as Great Barrington, Mass., rife with bed-and-breakfasts, shopping and Berkshires culture. Info: Appalachian Trail Conservancy, 1-304-535-6331, www.appalachiantrail.org. For more structure, Country Inns Along the Trail (1-800-838-3301, www.inntoinn.com) has self-guided trips in Vermont, including an excursion along the Long Trail, with stays in eight inns. Cost: $1,155 per person double."