Scrolling the Appalachian Trail

The Washington Post has published an article which explores the reasons why the world famous Appalachian Trail keeps getting longer. Apparently less than half the original trail remains where it was first laid. It also now 150 miles longer than it was in 1937. 

You can see all the changes made to the trail over the last 86 years in Why the famed Appalachian Trail keeps getting longer — and harder. Using an animated scrollytelling map the Post has mapped out all the changes to the trail made since the original route was established in the 1930s. As you scroll through the Post's article an animated polyline begins to trace the route of the Appalachian Trail on an interactive map.

On this map the current route is traced out using a dark purple line. The previous route (where the old route diverges) is shown on the map with a lighter purple polyline. Map annotations and information windows are used to explain the reason why and how these changes have been made to the original route of the trail. The major changes are then explored in more detail in the article beneath the scrollytelling map.