Current Conditions 

10/3/2024, Updated at 11:57 a.m. 

National Forest lands in North Carolina, Tennessee, and southwest Virginia that the A.T. passes through are closed. The states of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have declared a state of emergency. 

An article by The Trek

Hurricane Helene has wrought devastation across the southeastern United States, with mountain communities in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia — including several Appalachian Trail towns — among those hard-hit by the storm. Although the rains have largely subsided, much of the region remains under a flood warning and the full extent of the damage is still unfolding.

Here’s what we know about the status of some of the hardest-hit Appalachian Trail communities.

Today, Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz visited Rocky Point Creamery in Tuscarora after hiking a trail at the Monocacy Natural Resources Management Area in Dickerson as part of an end-of-summer event to highlight the Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail.

Rob Lamar’s Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2015 inspired him to become more involved with his local A.T. maintaining club, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). He now wears several volunteer hats within PATC, serving as the club’s Natural Resource Advisor and the co-district manager of the section of A.T. from Ashby Gap (VA) to Harper’s Ferry (WV).

Senator Tim Kaine joined a group of Appalachian Trail (AT) advocates at Bluemont’s Bears Den Trail Center on July 13th to talk about the perilous state of AT road crossings in Northern Virginia.

AT hikers must routinely run across lanes of speeding traffic on Routes 50, 7 and 9 (Ashby, Snickers and Keys gaps) to continue on the trail. Though yellow crossing signs were installed recently, serious concern about the safety of pedestrians remains.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is accepting applications for the 

2024 Emerging Leaders Summit

August 2-4th, New Jersey School of Conservation.

Are you 18-30 years old and looking to expand your conservation skills and learn more about caring for the outdoors? Or know someone who fits this description? Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Emerging Leaders Summit (ELS). 

This year's ELS will be held August 2-4 at the New Jersey School of Conservation and will offer participants trainings, workshops, and experiences with a focus on building skills and community through the lens of the Appalachian Trail.

For more information and to Apply (deadline June 25th) click here: https://appalachiantrail.org/els

See what the club has been up to over the last year. 

Would you like to give back to the community, connect people to the outdoors, and help preserve and protect your favorite trails? 

The Potomac Appalachian Trial Club (PATC) is looking for dynamic and motivated leaders to fill our upcoming election for club officers. 

LURAY, Va. – Shenandoah National Park launched the fourth in its series of web-based curriculums on March 7, 2024. The interactives are designed for high school students to explore national events and cultural changes through the lens of Shenandoah National Park. All are aligned with Virginia and national standards of learning. 

Shenandoah recognizes PATC for outstanding volunteer efforts during the ice storms of 2022/2023. 

Read the letter to learn more. 

A portion of the Tuscarora Trail on the west ridge of the Massanutten Mountains is closed due to closure of access to private land. Consult the Tuscarora Trail website for the detour directions.

The spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect native to China, was first discovered in the United States in Berks County, PA in 2014.  Since that time, the lanternfly has spread rapidly and is currently found in 14 states and throughout much of the PATC’s territory.