On any given day in the spring, summer and fall, thousands of people are hiking the Appalachian Trail. Not all are thru-hikers, nor are they even heading in the same direction.
Nevertheless, no matter where you are, there are likely to be many hikers near you on the trail. This is especially noticeable around shelters, hostels, and other places hikers gather at night.
The trail isn't as crowded as it was when I started in Georgia. Several hikers have dropped out and several have sped ahead or have fallen behind me, but I usually see many hikers each day.
Despite that, there can be long miles and time in which I never see another soul. It may be that hikers are just a few minutes behind me or in front of me, but I'm not aware of that because of the curvy trail and thick forest.
This isolation means there are stretches of time when I have only my thoughts to walk with me through the day.