Was the movie filmed on the Appalachian Trail or somewhere in Canada like it's so often done nowadays?
The imdb has unfortunately no information in "filming locations", but the Trivia section has a bit of info. But it doesn't really tell if the entire hike was filmed along the AT.
I always stay to watch all the credits which frustrates people who are with me. It was filmed in GA but I don't know about other places. They listed a lot of names of restaurants, etc. at the end but no locations and it was too fast to really take note of anything.
shareHi Gatorbelle47,
I'm a big movie buff and love to include filming locations to some of our long trips. And I walked parts of the Appalachian Trail in NH and ME where it ends (I think it's called Pleasant Lake or something like that?).
As I had read Bill Bryson's book when it was published some 17+ years ago, I was thrilled to find out a few weeks ago that it has been filmed, so I tried to look up the filming locations, but so far the imdb has no info there.
Like you we always watch the end credits, too, but it was indeed too fast and all I could read was that parts must have been filmed in GA.
There was one sign in the movie about Shenandoah National Park which is not in GA.
We went to the movies last night and really enjoyed this one.
Stephen Katz' character was exactly like I imagined him (and I don't think if Paul Newman would have played him (see trivia), he would have been the right Katz like Nick Nolte was).
Cheers,
Chrissie
I always stay to watch all the credits which frustrates people who are with me
They filmed along the actual AT. Could tell as plenty of shots had the telltale white AT trail blaze. They shot in Shenandoah National Park which is in Virginia. The movie showed some civil war reenactors at that point which is pretty realistic as there really is a lot of Civil War reenactment in the area as a number of smaller battles were fought there. Three union armies fenced with stonewall Jackson there and he got the best of them. Also pretty sure the scenic ridge overlooking the valley was McAffe's Knob, which is further south on the trail than Shenandoah National park
shareCptMorgansBeard, thank you so much for your kind answer :)!
shareThe scene in the diner with the civil was reenactors was filmed in Georgia.. Buford, I believe.
I know this because the fellow sitting to Redford's right (you only see his arm/shoulder) is a friend of mine.
Maybe they filmed the scene in Georgia, but it was meant to take place in VA, or maybe even Harpers Ferry WV if they are continuing north along the trail. The civil war reenactors appeared on screen just a minute or two after a shot of a huge placard for Shenandoah National Park.
shareI just saw this movie this afternoon, and as usual stayed to watch all the credits. I love seeing where films were made, and this one in particular was of interest to me, being as I live about five miles from the Shenandoah National Park and the AT.
There were no locations listed in the credits. The IMDb locations list has several places, but none in Virginia. There were a couple places that I thought looked familiar, but nothing that I recognized for sure. I had thought they'd filmed some in Virginia. Maybe the IMDb list will increase in time. We'll see.
I was reminded that I live in a beautiful part of the country.
Only yesterday the imdb still had no filming locations listed (only a bit in "Trivia").
shareNorth Carolina, USA
Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Fontana Dam, North Carolina, USA
Buford, Georgia, USA
Georgia, USA
Sharon, Connecticut, USA
Thank you so much, Vicki. So what we get to see as Hanover, NH, was actually filmed in Sharon, CT?
shareSure looks that way, Waldenpond88; I just got back from seeing in and absolutely LOVED it; one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time.
Vicki, I can highly recommend reading the book "A Walk in the Woods" by Bryson, too. Like the movie it's very funny, tells more about Katz and also about the next AT trips that Bryson did. He walked the trail in parts over several years which the movie doesn't mention at the end (at least not that I noticed).
shareThank you,Waldonpond88. I'll add it to my list of things to read. After reading the book, I'm curious as to your opinion on who they chose to play the parts. I think Redford and Nolte both were awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Have a great day! ~Vicki
shareVery little of this was actually filmed on the AT, which was probably why they didn't list the filming locations. Having hiked the trail, I recognized:
The arch at the start of the approach trail, Amicalola Falls park.
Neel's Gap, where the trail goes through a building (about 10 secs. of film).
Fontana Dam, where you walk across a huge dam into the Smokies.
McAfee Knob, Virginia (the site shown in the poster)
The place where they were in a grassy field with blazes on posts looked like it might have been near Erwin, TN (not sure).
There was a conspicuous absence of white blazes in the filming locations, and in several places where you do see blazes, they are on a flat signboard, apparently added as a prop (this is not what you see on the trail).
There are many places which were clearly NOT on the trail:
The place where they fall off a cliff and get stranded.
Where they both fall in the water.
Where they come out of the woods and hitch into Hiawassee (there's a large parking lot there, not just a trail coming out of the woods).
There was one place where they cheated: at the beginning of the trail, we see the plaque on Springer Mountain, followed immediately by several other shots of trail scenes. But these are actually still photos!
No more than 2 minutes of the film were actually AT locations. But probably that's really a good thing, in view of the amount of disruption and confusion which would have been caused by filming on the trail.
Thanks, phelpsg1. I'm only familiar with short parts of the AT in NH and at the end of the AT in ME, so I couldn't tell if it was filmed all along the AT or not.
Very interesting and thorough post. Thank you so much!