John Walsh of Gloucester embarked on a rather ambitious project this week, leaving Tuesday morning in hopes of hiking the entire 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

“I’ve been involved in the scouting program for the majority of my life, enough so that I’ve earned the rank of Eagle Scout,” the 18-year-old said. “Being in that environment with my friends opened my eyes to not only a great appreciation for the outdoors and adventure, but also for the camaraderie that can be shared there.”

Walsh, who was a student reporter at the Gazette-Journal, graduated a semester early from Gloucester High School in anticipation of an internship with NASA. “But (when) that didn’t work out in the way I hoped, I found myself with a great deal of time on my hands and not much responsibility,” he said. Eventually, he struck upon the idea of making the hike.

“Once I started telling people this is what I wanted to do, I’ve ...