GATC Trail Maintainers

What is a trail maintainer?
A well-built trail looks organic, like something that just occurred naturally. In truth, trails take a massive amount of work to create and keep open. All of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia is maintained by volunteers known as trail maintainers. Without trail maintainers, there would be no Appalachian Trail. This is THE most important function of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club.
Many people who have hiked the A.T. feel a desire to give back to all of those who helped them succeed on their hike. There is no better way to say thanks than to help keep up the trail for others.
What does a trail maintainer do?
There are many different tasks that help keep the trail open, but most of them fall into these categories:
- Brushing out – cutting back weeds and brush;
- Water control – erosion is the trail’s biggest enemy, and we use a number of techniques to control it, including structures that force water off the trail and steps to slow down the water;
- Clearing the treadway – from removing loose rocks and sticks, removing or covering exposed roots, to cutting trees that have fallen across the path;
- Treadway maintenance – keeping the treadway slightly outsloped for drainage, removing berms from the edge of the tread, and adjusting the grade.
Can anybody do this?
Some trail maintenance requires better-than-average physical capacity, but for the most part, if you can hike a mile or two you can maintain a trail. Regardless of your skill level or physical capability, there is almost certainly some task you can accomplish. You don’t have to “do it all.” Every little bit helps.
You do not need any prior experience, and you don’t even need to own a tool. We provide extensive training and tools are always available for work trips. Many of our maintainers actually started with no knowledge and nothing more than a desire to be out in the forest.
If you are hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia and you meet one of our volunteer trail maintainers, stop and say hello. They are out there to help make your hiking experience as good as it can be.
Protect the Trail
Become a trail maintainer
Start protecting the trail and its visitors today. If this sounds like a program you are interested in contact us.
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