NPS Photo

Harpers Ferry Park's Roads, Trails & Grounds Crew collaborate with ATC Staff to improve footpath through park and install directional signs.

While more than 99% of the Trail is protected by federal or state ownership, the Appalachian Trail was originally designed, constructed and marked by volunteer hiking clubs in the 1920s and 1930s. Formed in 1925, Appalachian Trail Conservancy helped bring all of these clubs together, not only to build and complete the trail, but to help maintain it from year to year.

Today, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), inconjuction with the National Park Service, works with over 30 local trail clubs and numerous state and federal agencies to help protect and manage the Appalachian Trail.

Appalachian Trail Clubs: 

Maine Appalachian Trail Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Dartmouth Outing Club, Green Mountain Club, Berkshire Chapter Appalachian Mountain Club, Connecticut Chapter Appalachian Mountain Club, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Wilmington Trail Club, Batona Hiking Club, Delaware Valley Chapter Appalachian Mountain Club, Philadelphia Trail Club, Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club, Allentown Hiking Club, Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, York Hiking Club, Mountain Club of Maryland, Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club, Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club, Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club, Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech, Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers, Mt. Rogers Appalachian Trail Club, Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club, Carolina Mountain Club, Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, Nantahala Hiking Club, Georgia Appalachian Trail Club

State Parks / Forests

Maine: Baxter State Park, Bigelow Preserve, Grafton Notch State Park

New Hampshire: Mount Washington State Park, Crawford Notch State Park, Franconia Notch State Park

Vermont: Gifford Woods State Park, Calvin Coolidge State Forest, Hapgood State Forest

Massachusetts: Clarksburg State Forest, Mount Greylock State Reservation, October Mountain State Forest, Beartown State Forest, East Mountain State Forest, Mt. Everett State Reservation

Connecticut: Housatonic State Forest, Housatonic Meadows State Park, Mohawk State Forest, Macedonia Brook State Park

New York: Depot Hill State Forest, Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, Hudson Highlands State Park, Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park

New Jersey: Abram S. Hewitt State Forest, Wawayanda State Park, High Point State Park, Stokes State Forest, Worthington State Forest

Pennsylvania: Swatara State Park, Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park

Maryland: South Mountain State Park, Greenbrier State Park, Washington Monument State Park, Gathland State Park

Virginia: Sky Meadows State Park, G.R. Thompson State Wildlife Management Area, Grayson Highlands State Park

Georgia: Vogel State Park, Amicalola Falls State Park