An area treasure is being recognized by the United States Postal Service.

In January, the postal service announced it will be releasing 15 Appalachian Trail stamps in honor of the nearly 2,200 miles of unspoiled nature and the millions who hike it each year.

The stamps are based on photos by Bart Smith, an environmental photographer who has hiked all of America’s scenic trails.

His photos are featured in a book, “The Appalachian Trail: Calling Me Back to the Hills,” written by Earl V. Shaffer.

Shaffer made history in 1948, when he trekked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in one sting as the trail’s first solo thru-hiker. And in 1998, on the 50th anniversary of that hike, the 79-year-old Shaffer did it again.

The Appalachian Trail is not to be underestimated. It is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, ranging from Maine to Georgia.

Pennsylvania is fortunate to have 230 miles of the trail. From the south, the Appalachian Trail enters Pennsylvania near Pen Mar in Franklin County, proceeds generally northward for about 85 miles, crosses the Susquehanna River north of Harrisburg, then heads east toward Carbon County and leaving Pennsylvania near Delaware Water Gap.

The trail, which crosses the Blue Mountain in Lehigh Gap through to the lot across from Blue Mountain Ski Area, is marked with white blazes.

Over 3 million people visit the Appalachian Trail each year, and more than 3,000 attempt to hike the entire trail.

However, about a quarter of those people finish the trail.

Like most natural resources, many residents overlook the significance of having the trail run through their backyard.

Local residents are among those who take day hikes to the scenic overlooks at Blue Mountain, Bake Oven Knob and Delaware Water Gap. Some local residents though have never been on the trail. It’s not for the fainthearted but it’s certainly worth investigating for those who are able.

In the AT community, there are trail angels who provide “trail magic” to hikers.

The generous trail angels provide hikers with free food, shelter and transportation along the trail. These angels may be former thru hikers, section hikers or people living near the trail who want to help hikers make the 2,200-mile journey.

One of those trail angels is Beth Ritter-Guth of Palmerton. In a Times News feature in 2020 she talked about a notorious trail angel known as “Trail Angel Mary” Parry, of Duncannon, who provided aid to hikers when she, herself, was homeless nearly 30 years ago. Parry continued to help hikers through her 70s.

At other points along the way people offer water and shelter, including members of the Allentown Hiking Club.

While they are not official trail angels, area volunteer firemen and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources helped to protect the trail this past November when fire broke out on the Blue Mountain.

Ritter-Guth, who helps to maintain that part of the trail, said firefighters had to work in extreme rocky conditions to battle the blaze that destroyed about 500 acres.

We salute those firefighters who showed up tirelessly for a week to protect our land.

The stamps will officially be dedicated Feb. 28 at the beginning of the trail in Georgia.

Locally, the Walnutport post office will dedicate the Appalachian Trail Stamps and offer a special cancellation for customers on March 7 at 11 a.m.

If you can’t join the celebration on March 7, at least check out the stamps. Take time to appreciate the beauty depicted in the 15-pane collection by the postal service.

MARTA GOUGER | mgouger@tnonline.com