This sign outside Monson warns Appalachian Trail hikers that they are about to enter the dreaded 'Wilderness,' a 90-mile stretch that offers few human contacts and almost no amenities

"Pie lady," Sydney Pratt, gets a lot of customers from hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Monson, Maine

Appalachian Trail sign in Damascus, VA

Benton MacKaye, who was first to propose the Appalachian Trail, poses for a photo along the Trail near Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on September 24, 1933.

A modern-day aerial view of Monson, Maine

Inside of the slate company mill operation with several workers. Monson slate is considered to be a fine quality because of the black color.

For many north-bound through hikers, Shaw’s Hiker-Friendly Lodging in Monson, ME represents their last bed and hot meal before heading into the "The 100-Mile Wilderness."