There are many different preconceived notions concerning the Appalachian trail. When I think of Appalachian culture I think of:

Predominantly white
Undereducated
Country (Southern, though not even necessarily located in the South)
Racist
Not very progressive
Hillbilly
Wild, open terrain
Knowledgable in the workings of a farm and/or how to live in the wild

I know most of these are narrow-minded and not at all true. However, when asked about the Appalachian trail, I cannot deny that the first image that crosses my mind is something in the same likeness as Where the Red Fern Grows.