The "AT" crosses fourteen states from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Georgia's Springer Mountain, while passing through several national parks and forests, as well as many state parks and preserves.

Benton MacKaye and members of the National Park Service and Forest Service founded the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) in 1925; by 1937 hundreds of volunteers had completed the expansive hiking trail. The ATC coordinated both volunteer and Civilian Conservation Corps efforts to build new sections of the trail and to link existing trails with each another.

The 1968 National Trail Systems Act protected the Appalachian Trail and gave principal administrative responsibility to the Department of Interior and the Forest Service; however, the Interior Department, recognizing ATC's expertise in trail management, delegated this responsibility back to ATC.

Volunteers continue to play an integral role in the Appalachian Trail system, as their efforts are used in trail maintenance and park protection duties. While the trail passes through all kinds of terrain owned by individuals and organizations, an ATC brochure notes that, "Holding it all together is love for and dedication to a simple footpath - created and maintained for all to enjoy, each in his or her own personal way, a gift of nature Americans give themselves ...an ever-changing legacy of all that any one person gleans from it."

Volunteer Jobs with the ATC

The Appalachian Trail Conference has two kinds of summer seasonal volunteer positions available: trail crew members and ridge runners.

As many former volunteers attest, these positions offer a wonderful way to spend time outdoors and to grow personally.

As a trail crew member, volunteers work either out of the Harper's Ferry, Virginia, headquarters or out of one of four field offices, which are located at different points along the trail. Trail Crew volunteers maintain trails, rebuild and renovate shelters, and educate hikers about responsible trail use. As former volunteer Teresa Martinez notes, "The trail crew is fun. It's not really about the work, because sometimes the work can be miserable and everything can go wrong. It's more about the people you get to meet along the way and you get to share the adventure with. They come from every walk of life and every background, and they really make it worth it."

The ATC also has openings for volunteer ridge runners. Co-sponsored by the ATC and the National Park Service's Volunteers in Parks (VIP) Program, ridge runners are responsible for overseeing the Appalachian Trail in particularly high-use areas. To that end, they hike these sections of the trails on busy days, monitoring conditions and noting the types and numbers of hikers. In addition, runners engage in educational and instructional activities to thwart misuse of the trail system. In their educational efforts, runners pass out trail literature and brochures, discuss the behavior expected of trail users, and provide general trail information.

Click here for an interview with an Appalachian trail worker.

Application Procedures

Persons interested in working on trail crews should write to the ATC Crew Program for information and an application:

ATC Crew Program
NH-94A
P.O. Box 10
Newport, VA 24128
Phone: (540) 544-7388
Fax: (540) 544-7120

Applicants are encouraged to apply before January 31, as positions are highly sought after. Although ATC does not cover transportation costs from afar, they do pick up volunteers from bus stations and airports, and provide transportation between work areas. ATC also provides meals and lodging for volunteers, as well as the basic camping gear and necessary equipment. Academic credit for ATC work is sometimes available, but it is the volunteer's responsibility to arrange for credit with his or her university.

Qualifications and benefits for runner positions are similar to those outlined for ridge trail crew volunteers. Those interested in runner positions should write to:

Appalachian Trail Conference
RR-94A
P.O. Box 10
Newport, VA 24128

Appalachian Trail Worker Volunteer Interview >>>