Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Today, the Appalachian Trail Centennial Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. The landmark bipartisan legislation marks the ATC’s upcoming 100th anniversary and recognizes that National Trails need strong partnership agreements with the federal government that enable them to forever protect the places we love. The legislation will also bolster land protection, gather data and information on the visitation and economic impact of trails, and help ensure the A.T. and all of our National Trails are maintained and conserved for the next generation.   The ATC would like to thank Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Thom Tillis, Representative Mike Lawler, and Representative Don Beyer for co-sponsoring the legislation. They are true champions of the A.T. and we are proud to have their support. To learn more about the legislation, read the press release here: https://lnkd.in/dczNA96Q

Did you know that the Appalachian Trail is more than a world-renowned hiking destination? It's also a vital wildlife corridor — a sanctuary for the wild and free. 🦌🐻 Our commitment to protecting the A.T. and its surrounding lands extends beyond the footpath itself. The Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP), our collaboration with the National Park Service, broadens this scope, encompassing the conservation of the greater A.T. and its surrounding lands in the face of 21st-century threats. We're so grateful to the National Parks Conservation Association for hosting the recent ATLP meeting where the team discussed updates to the Safe Passage project, which identifies and addresses wildlife mortality hotspots along a stretch Interstate 26 in Tennessee and North Carolina. The ATC is continually working with partners to enhance, restore, and connect wildlife habitat and provide safe passage for the animals that call the A.T. landscape home. Check out this video to learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/eEwy9pAt 

Our Appalachian Trail spotlight series continues with the Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVAT)! For more than 30 years, the CVATC has maintained the 17 miles of the A.T. that runs through Cumberland County, PA. The club’s section of the Trail begins at Center Point Knob on South Mountain and extends through the Cumberland Valley to the top of Blue Mountain. Once a road walk, this section of the A.T. into the beautifully rural footpath it is today thanks, in large part, to the CVAT. Every spring, the stretch of Trail from Scott Farm to Sherwood Drive is bursting with bluebells as the ephemeral Virgina bluebells bloom for just a few short weeks. CVATC members keep the Trail in great shape as both section and boundary corridor maintainers. The club invites anyone who wants to give back to the Trail to join them on a group work trip or a “Weed Warrior” work day! Find opportunities to volunteer with the Cumberland Valley A.T. Club or your local Trail Club at https://lnkd.in/dTMz7sSV.

"Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos." — Don Kardong 📸 Christopher Souliere enjoying the half gallon challenge in Pennsylvania. #nationalicecreamday

Our most recent blog post by Rabun County's CJ Thompson offers a reflection on what the Georgia A.T. Community designation has meant to community members, local businesses, A.T. stewardship programs, and the people who walk its path. https://lnkd.in/ehw6F2EW 📸 The 51st Trail Community Kick Off Event by CJ Thompson featuring the ATC's Sarah Adams and Drew Ball.

The 2025 A.T. Calendar celebrating our 100th year of stewarding the Appalachian Trail is now available! It is full of beautiful images from Georgia to Maine throughout the changing seasons. With a one-time gift of $75 or more, or a monthly gift of $20 or more, you can have a daily reminder of how much the Trail means to you. Make a gift today to receive your limited-edition calendar while supplies last! https://lnkd.in/eSr756wM 📸 March photo by Nathan Glomb shows great white trillium in early spring on Lewis Mountain. 📸 October photo by Dan Stone shows the A.T. heading up Smarts Mountain, about 20 miles east of the Connecticut River and the Vermont state line.

Appalachian Trail Clubs are amazing! Our Trail Club spotlight series continues with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). The PATC strives to connect people with the outdoors through outreach events, rental cabins, and volunteer opportunities. Created in 1927, the PATC was formed to build the Appalachian Trail in the mid-Atlantic region and has been maintaining 240 miles of the Trail from Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park to Pine Grove Furnace, Pennsylvania for nearly a century! More than 1,000 active volunteers help the PATC maintain 1,100 miles of trails throughout Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C, logging an average of 90,000 volunteer hours each year. The ATC works with A.T. Clubs to connect people with ways to volunteer at https://lnkd.in/e_Ms4PhW. 

We're thrilled to share an insightful Q&A featuring our CEO, Sandi Marra, in Blue Ridge Country magazine! From her early days volunteering at the Blackburn Trail Center to leading the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Sandi's journey is a testament to the transformative power of the Appalachian Trail and the community behind it. Discover more about Sandi's personal and professional life, her passion for the Trail, and her vision for the future of the ATC. Read the full feature here: https://lnkd.in/ews84zRP

"The world is not in your books and maps, it's out there." — Gandalf, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 🌌 📸 Adam Collins

Did you know the Appalachian Trail traverses eight National Forests? Join us and the National Forest Foundation in celebrating National Forest Week (July 10-16)! Here are a few ways to celebrate and get involved: 🌲 Take a hike in a National Forest near you and #RecreateResponsibly. 🌲 Check out volunteer opportunities through the ATC, 31 Trail Maintaining Clubs and other partners to give back to the A.T. and its surrounding forests at https://lnkd.in/dTMz7sSV. 🌲 Participate in the National Forests Foundation's Photo Contest! Tag #NationalForestWeek and visit nationalforestweek.org to learn more. 📸 Photo by Zoe "Cosmic Squirrel" Skiver in the Green Mountain National Forest