This spring, the ATC, in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), announced new data confirming the Appalachian National Scenic Trail had 16.9 million recreation visits and was the ninth most visited national park unit in 2025.

“For the first time, we can truly see how popular and meaningful the Appalachian Trail and its landscape are to millions of people,” said Cinda Waldbuesser, the ATC’s president and CEO. “We are very proud of our work in partnership with the National Park Service on a methodology that enables us to accurately understand how people use the footpath, what sections see the most visitation, and how to better support local communities so the Trail remains an iconic destination for generations to come. This data will inform A.T. management and conservation decisions and help us continuously improve the Trail experience for all visitors.”

The ATC and NPS calculated 2025 visitation to the A.T. using aggregated, anonymized mobile location data combined with trail counters and field observations to confirm patterns and accuracy. The ATC partnered with Placer.ai, a location analytics platform, to apply visitor location data to the A.T.

The methodology used for the A.T. will serve as a model for other National Scenic and Historic Trails, ensuring other trail systems have the most accurate visitation numbers and data to improve management and visitor experience.

This is also the first time the Appalachian Trail is included in the National Park Service’s Annual Park Ranking Report, which ranks visitation of national park units specifically on lands managed by the NPS. Approximately one-third of the A.T. is on NPS lands, and those sections of the Trail experienced 6.2 million visits in 2025, making it the ninth most visited national park in the 2025 NPS report. (The rest of the A.T. is on USDA Forest Service land and public lands managed by state agencies and local townships.)

“For more than a century, the Appalachian Trail has been a destination for millions of people from around the world to experience adventure, solace, and community while reconnecting with nature,” said Kurt Speers, chief ranger and former acting superintendent of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. “We are grateful for the dedication of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the continued collaboration with the A.T. Clubs and the Trail’s many partners, as we use this new data to enhance visitor experience.”

Butterflies depicts the wing patterns of the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly, a species that Mallory noticed as she was traveling through Georgia and North Carolina at the beginning of her hike. Both objects are components that will be integrated into a larger piece of jewelry or sculpture. One is made from titanium, using the process of electrolytic anodizing to color the surface of the metal; the other is made with chainmail using colored aluminum links to depict a pattern in the weave of the links.

For another piece called In the Blaze — made from titanium, nickel, leather, and thread — Mallory was inspired by a metal sign that a tree had grown around. “It hints at a near-glacial time scale, that this object has existed in proximity for so long,” she shares. “The slow creep of growth, only millimeters per year, has lent the wood a viscosity and plasticity that allows it to morph around what was once a foreign body.”

Mallory will continue as the ATC’s Artist in Residence through 2026 and will focus on additional pieces inspired by her hike. She will also host a workshop at the Damascus Trail Center during Trail Days (May 15-17) and be in residence at Monson Arts in Maine later in the year.

The one-mile War Spur relocation moved the footpath from a steep, half-mile fall-line route to a more sustainable grade. (A fall-line route is one where the footpath goes straight up an incline, allowing water to flow directly down the path, eventually eroding the Trail into a rocky gully.) The gentler grade of the relocation will help the footpath in this section last longer. The new A.T. route also winds through some interesting rock features.

This multi-year project was completed by the ATC’s Konnarock Trail Crew, volunteers with the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC), and crews with the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS), with support from the USDA Forest Service.

Four temporary detours are in place but not included in the 2026 official mileage. In New Hampshire, the Great Gulf Detour reroutes hikers around the Madison Gulf Bridge, closed due to structural failure.

The three remaining detours stem from Hurricane Helene damage: at Iron Mountain Gap on the North Carolina–Tennessee border, at the destroyed Nolichucky River road bridge near Erwin, Tennessee, and north of Damascus, Virginia, where sections of the Virginia Creeper Trail used by or near the A.T. are closed for repairs.

The ATC team shared updates on Hurricane Helene recovery and repair efforts, explained the Trail’s effective Cooperative Management System and the importance of state and local collaboration to maintaining the Trail experience, as well as discussed key proposed legislation, including the America the Beautiful Act and the Appalachian Trail Centennial Act and their benefits to the A.T.

“Hike the Hill is an important opportunity for ATC staff to share information on A.T. needs directly with Members of Congress and their staff as well as to connect with partners who cooperatively manage other National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHTs),” shares Brendan Mysliwiec, the ATC’s Director of Federal Policy. “Just as the A.T. community is strongest with one voice, when all 32 NSHTs speak together, we are our strongest as a system.”

For several years, the ATC has been working with Roanoke County, the National Park Service, Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC), along with 29 federal, state, regional, and local partners on a funding request to advance parking and transit access improvements. Thanks to the support of U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, congressionally directed funding was secured to improve parking at the trailhead, a key recommendation of the 2024 Appalachian Trail Triple Crown Visitor Use Management Plan.

Planned upgrades include paved and expanded parking with ADA-accessible spaces, a permanent shuttle stop shelter, waterless restrooms, improved signage, and improved pedestrian connections to the new Appalachian Trail bridge over Route 311. The National Park Service will oversee project design and construction.

“This project reflects strong partnerships and continued investment in preserving a world-class hiking experience,” said Kathryn Herndon-Powell, the ATC’s Regional Director for the Virginias. “It highlights our shared commitment to protecting McAfee Knob and the Virginia Triple Crown through the dedication of volunteers and local partners, including Roanoke County.”

“Building infrastructure on a mountainside is no small task, so we’re excited this funding has been approved,” said Linda Shannon Mulheren, President of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club. “These upgrades will make the area easier to maintain, add restroom facilities, and provide a safer, more enjoyable parking experience for visitors and volunteers alike.”

Six community teams were selected for the inaugural Appalachian Trail Community Conservation Collaborative (ATCCC): Duncannon, Port Clinton, Shippensburg, Boiling Springs / South Middleton Township, Berks / Schuylkill Counties, and Stroud Township. Two Community Conservation Impact & Innovation Workshops were offered in February. Each community team convened during one of the two regional workshops. Through interactive sessions focused on scenario planning, funding pathways, and conservation strategies, participants exchanged ideas, built relationships, and developed practical project concepts that align goals for conservation, economic vitality, and sense of place.

The ATCCC builds on more than a century of trusted partnerships stewarding the Appalachian Trail. Drawing inspiration from programs such as the A.T. Community™ Program and the South Mountain Partnership, the ATCCC centers local voices and supports community-led projects that protect natural resources, enhance outdoor recreation economies, and sustain the character and identity of communities across the Appalachian Trail landscape.

The February workshops mark the beginning of a longer-term collaborative effort. Following the workshop, each community will receive targeted technical assistance to advance its action plan for the conservation projects developed by each community team. The ATC will continue convening partners and communities toward a future Vision to Action Summit in fall 2026, designed to accelerate implementation and investment.

Much of the recovery work in Helene-impacted areas throughout 2025 was made possible thanks to donations to the ATC’s A.T. Resiliency Fund and through the tireless work of the local Clubs and volunteers, local land management personnel, and ATC Staff. Now in year two, efforts to repair and rebuild more sustainable trail features will continue thanks to federal disaster relief funding for the A.T. from the USDA Forest Service and National Park Service.

The attendees of the ATC’s three-day workshop focused on identifying remaining challenges to the Helene recovery work, planning short- to long-term goals, and establishing ways to scale the successful efforts already underway.

We know that donors, members, and partners entrust the ATC to use private and public funds thoughtfully in ways that most benefit the Trail and surrounding lands.

If you, or someone you know, are interested in serving on the ATC Board, we welcome your nomination. The Nominating Committee considers many criteria when reviewing nominations. Candidates should have a passion for the ATC’s mission of protecting, managing, and advocating for the Appalachian Trail, along with a commitment to its values of land protection, volunteerism, inclusion, and community engagement. As stewards of this national treasure, the Board aspires to represent all people who use the Trail now and in perpetuity.

In honor of the ATC’s 100th anniversary, the Conservancy launched an exciting Centennial Campaign to keep the Trail alive and lay the financial foundation to protect and manage the A.T. for the next 100 years. Candidates with capital campaign experience and those who are able to take an active role in fundraising are encouraged to highlight this in their nomination.

As an all-volunteer-working Board supporting a professional staff, we require a significant time commitment, including attendance at four Board meetings each year, service on two Board committees (which maintain regular meeting schedules), and work assignments in between.

All nominations must be received by May 18, 2026.

Nominations should be sent to [email protected] and contain:

• Names of the nominee and the nominator
• Mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address for both the nominee and nominator
• The nominee’s relevant experience, skills, and attributes, with an emphasis on the criteria above
• A bio or resume

We take every nomination seriously, and we appreciate the time you put into the nomination and the nominating process. The Nominating Committee’s slate will be announced publicly on the ATC website this summer.

Last year, seventeen conservation organizations in eight Trail states received grants to advance projects that will protect over 80,000 acres of land, supporting recreational access, scenic views, climate-resilient lands, and cultural resources. Grants were also provided to advance conservation planning and community resilience efforts across the Appalachian Trail corridor.

“The Appalachian Trail is more than a footpath — it is the backbone of one of the most cherished and ecologically important landscapes in the country,” said Katie Allen, ATC’s Director of Landscape Conservation. “Through the Wild East Action Fund, we’re proud to support the local partners whose work strengthens community connections to nature, protects climate-resilient lands, and ensures this iconic wilderness corridor remains a thriving landscape for generations to come.”

Since 2018, the ATC has contributed over $2.5 million to more than 100 conservation planning and land protection projects across fourteen states through the WEAF. These grants provide initial funding that gives conservation projects credibility or critical dollars needed to bring projects to completion. In 2025, the ATC received the largest philanthropic gift in the organization’s history: a $5 million contribution to the Wild East Action Fund from the Dunleavy Foundation (see page 50 for more details).

This spring, the ATC will begin accepting proposals for the 2026 Wild East Action Fund grants for land protection support, conservation planning, and community resiliency projects.

2025 participant Katie Frawley shared what the program meant for her career: “I’m going to be a Conservation Services Crew Member at NorthWoods Stewardship Center in Island Pond, Vermont. I am thrilled to begin my transition into the environmental conservation field, and I absolutely owe my success in landing a position in part to the ELS. The 2025 ELS really kick-started my career transition with practical tips for success in this field, growing my network with new connections, and building my confidence and motivation to take the leap into a new career path!

Today, Tyler — now thirty-six — considers the outdoors home and is on track to complete hiking’s “triple crown.” He completed his A.T. thru-hike in 2025, will hike the Pacific Crest Trail this spring, and plans to complete the Continental Divide by the end of next year.

His obsession with hiking and commitment to stewarding the A.T. developed later in life but early on in his sobriety journey. “I started drinking when I was fifteen. I was an addict my entire adult life,” he explains. “By thirty-three my liver and kidneys were failing. I would seize in my sleep from withdrawals and had to keep a bottle of vodka next to my bed.”

It was at this point in his addiction that he took part in a five-day detox to ease these symptoms. “The staff, who were recovering addicts, told me I was one of the worst cases they’d ever seen and that I shouldn’t be dying in my early thirties. They urged me to apply for a thirty-five-day rehab program,” Tyler shares. “It took me one week into those thirty-five days to realize what I was doing and what was happening. I was going to drink myself to death.”

Upon successful completion of the program, Tyler attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings three times a day for nine months. But he struggled, “During my first year of sobriety I was a dry drunk. I was sober, but I was bored and miserable. Drugs and alcohol were my entire life. As a musician I couldn’t be in dive bars.”

Searching for direction and a sense of identity, Tyler turned to the internet. He asked what sober people do. The answer he found? They hike.

So he ventured out onto an 18-mile section of the A.T. just ten minutes from his home in Tennessee. “I couldn’t read a map. I packed only a 12-ounce bottle of water, but I went out alone and completed the section. I didn’t know I had to turn around to get back to my car and had to call my dad to pick me up,” he says. “I couldn’t walk the next day, but I thought it was the best thing ever. Since that day, I’ve never stopped hiking.”

Tyler chronicled his hiking adventures on his Instagram account (@cave_depression) and caught the attention of Scotty Bowman, Tennessee Program Manager and Lead Trainer with Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS). “He’d seen my attempted hike from Indian Grave Gap to Damascus in 13-degree weather, with snow up to my ankles,” Tyler laughs. “Scotty messaged me saying he knew that section of Trail and asked if I wanted a job.”

Tyler continues, “For many reasons I’m grateful Scotty took a chance on me. I didn’t have a squeaky clean background. While I was obsessed with hiking and already planning to hike the A.T., I didn’t even know anything, not even what Leave No Trace meant.”

For Tyler, being on trail supports his sobriety. “I’m good at trail work and hiking. I’m stubborn. I stick things out. I’ve learned patience and perseverance. When I’m on the Trail I know it’s never going to go fully my way, but I know I can always figure out a solution. Hiking makes me more comfortable in my sobriety,” he explains.

Being on the Trail also makes him more comfortable with his purpose. “It’s not all sunshine and rainbows how I got here,” he muses. “I’m an open book and I shared my story throughout my entire thru-hike. So many people are facing the darkness of severe alcohol and drug addiction. These trails helped me get sober. If I can help one person by keeping them open and maintained, it’s worth it for me. The Trail saved my life.”