[3][4] The first hikers to complete the trail in one continuous walk were Marcia and Ken Powers, a wife and husband team from Pleasanton, California.

They started out from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware and ended at Point Reyes, California.

[5][6] The first person to backpack the entire 6,800 miles (10,944 km) (including both Northern and Southern sections) in one continuous hike was Mike "Lion King" Daniel.

He started from Cape Henlopen State Park on June 17, 2007, and ended at Point Reyes, California, on November 5, 2008.

They are listed from east to west to correspond with the itinerary typically followed by thru-hikers to take advantage of the best seasonal weather conditions.