| Smoky MountainsHiking Club |
A.T. Maintenance Volunteers Are Needed! |
The Appalachian Trail Maintainers Committee (ATMC) of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club (SMHC) maintains 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 30 miles in the Nantahala National Forest south of the Park. We receive major assistance from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the National Park staff, US Forest Service staff, as well as the Friends of the Smokies and other organizations.
We divide the trail into sections of one to three miles and assign Section Leaders who schedule their own maintenance trips, usually one-day outings. We also conduct one-day group work trips on the first Saturday of most months, March through November. We have a list of “Extra Crew” members who are notified when help is needed, either by a Section Leader or for the monthly one-day trips. Experienced maintainer volunteers will lead work trips and provide on-the-job training for new maintainers.
Basic maintenance includes cutting back brush and weeds to clear the trail corridor, cleaning out water drainages to reduce erosion, and filling in washed-out areas around steps. The club forms specialized volunteer crews as needed that remove large blowdowns, work on major treadway initiatives, and keep our shelters, privies, and trail signage maintained. All Park maintenance is done with hand tools because the Park is maintained as a wilderness area. Some tools are stashed at back country shelter locations, but maintainers normally expect to carry in needed tools in addition to their pack containing their personal food and gear. Any backpacking maintenance trips are made in compliance with Park requirements for permits, reservations, etc. Ways You Can Help |
Join a Sub-CommitteeThe club has volunteer opportunities that are administrative in nature. It takes a lot of planning and organization to support the efforts to keep the trail and shelters maintained. To join one of our AT Maintainer Committee sub-committees, contact a sub-committee chair for your area of interest: https://smhclub.org/atmc-leadership Adopt a Trail SectionThe club divides the trail into sections of one to three miles and assigns Section Leaders who schedule their own maintenance trips, usually one-day outings. We ask our Section Leaders to get on their sections 4 times per year to conduct basic maintenance. Basic maintenance includes cutting back brush and weeds to clear the trail corridor, cleaning out water drainages to reduce erosion, and filling in washed-out areas around steps. As Section Leaders gain more experience and expertise, they can also add rock and log treadway structures on their sections. Section Leaders report significant trail issues to appropriate sub-committee chairs so that larger work projects can be coordinated. | Join a Work DayThe club conducts one-day group work trips on the first Saturday of each month, March through November. These work trips are designed to address issues on a section that are larger than a Section Leader may be able to address. Experienced maintainer volunteers will lead the trips and will provide on-the-job training for new maintainers. These work trips are also a good way for maintainers to gain additional skills and learn techniques of trail construction and repair. Specifics regarding these monthly work trips are included in the club’s newsletters. Pack Mulch to a ShelterThe club maintains ten (10) backcountry moldering (compost) privies at shelters along the Appalachian Trail. The moldering process requires that mulch be added to the privy after each use. It requires roughly 500 pounds of mulch per privy annually. Volunteers coordinate with the Mulch team to acquire 20-pound bags to haul to the backcountry locations. |
The also club maintains a list of “Extra Crew” members who are notified when help is needed, either by a Section Leader or for the monthly one-day trips. The club forms specialized volunteer crews as needed that remove large blowdowns, work on major treadway initiatives, and keep our shelters, privies, and trail signage maintained. All Park maintenance is done with hand tools because the Park is maintained as a wilderness area. Any overnight backpack maintenance trips are made in compliance with Park requirements for permits, reservations, etc. The club is supported by seasonal crews that spend up to eight days working on large initiatives. ATC crew leaders manage these crews, which include volunteers from across the country. Club maintainers are encouraged to join these crews for a day or more when possible. These crews are an excellent opportunity for maintainers to gain additional experience in trail construction and maintenance techniques. If you would enjoy these work trips, please sign up by completing this form. Our Volunteer Coordinator will reach out to you to gain an understanding of the level of commitment you might be interested in. Join us! We welcome new volunteers at any level of experience. Trail maintenance is a rewarding experience and an excellent way to further your hiking enjoyment. |