Appalachian Trail Conference FAQ

The Appalachian Trail Conference FAQ

1. What is the Appalachian Trail Conference?

The ATC is a non-profit organization originally founded in 1925 to co-ordinate the building of the Appalachian Trail. Now, its job is to protect and oversee the maintenance of the Trail, in partnership with over 30 maintaining clubs all up and down the East Coast, as well as with various governmental agencies.

2. What else does the ATC do?

It publishes and sells guidebooks and maps, and publishes the magazine Appalachian Trailway News. In addition, it runs summer work camps where one can spend between one and eight weeks doing various trail projects, either maintaining what's already there or building anew.

There is a Trail Store and Visitor Center at the headquarters in Harpers Ferry where you may purchase items in person. The HQ is open daily 9-5 Monday-Friday, 9-4 on weekends from April through mid-November. The rest of the year it is open M-F only. (799 Washington Street - the corner of Washington St. and Storer College Place.) Or you can purchase through the mail. For more information on what is available, see the section of the page about books.

As of February 24, 1997, you can now visit ATC's Home Page.

Here is a Yahoo map showing the ATC.

3. How can one become a member of the Conservancy?

You can join by sending a check to the ATC to PO Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 or by calling (304) 535-6331 with your Visa or Mastercard number. An individual membership is $25. Family memberships are $30. Full-time students, seniors over 65, and members of maintaining clubs get a membership for $18 per year. Or, join for life! $500 for an individual, $750 for a couple. (These figures represent prices for memberships for people with U.S. addresses. Because of postal costs, people with non-U.S. addresses will need to pay a surcharge. Contact the ATC for details.)

4. What are the benefits of membership?

A member gets a year's subscription to the Appalachian Trailway News; discounts on maps, guidebooks and other items; an A.T. patch and an ATC bumpersticker.

5. Does the ATC have an email address?

The ATC, as of early '96, got its own email. You can write them at: info@appalachiantrail.org.

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