Why would you need a gun in a National Park?

It's not like there is anything to be afraid of, the Park Rangers have your back! Too bad for this woman, no one was there for her, but...but...she was a martial artist and could handle herself! She went out fighting! Great.

What a tragedy. There must be a small but effective tool that provides protection from many of the hazards one would encounter along the Appalachian Trail.

There is! Banned you say? Why would anyone want to do that?

I assure you I will go out fighting too, but there will be alot more noise.

Here is a dose of stupid:

Crimes:

The Appalachian Trail is generally safe. However, a major crime (e.g. murder, rape) does occasionally occur on the A.T. Status of major crimes on the TEHCC section:

In early October 1996, a murder occurred in the Stamping Ground Ridge section of Unicoi County, Tennessee. This area was on the A.T. until 1954, when the A.T. was relocated. The murder occurred several miles from the current route of the A.T., and the people involved were not A.T. hikers.

There is ABSOLUTELY no need to carry firearms on the TEHCC section of the Appalachian Trail; the carrying of firearms on the A.T. is strongly discouraged and also subject to numerous state and federal laws.

Fascinating. Yeah, there is crime, murder and such...occasionally...and you, as an individual adult, can bear all of the associated risks, hazards, and responsibilities that come with hiking thousands of miles through the wilderness, but you shouldn't carry a firearm to provide for any sort of protection against said hazards because there is nothing at all to worry about. Got it! I can't be trusted!

If someone had given Theodore Roosevelt this type of advise he would have slapped them silly!