Blaze: a 2-by-6-inch paint swatch on a tree that marks the trail; white blazes mark the official AT, while blue blazes mark routes to shelters or other features
Trail angel: a person who helps hikers by providing food, drinks or rides for no fee, or by doing trail maintenance
Trail magic: serendipitous things that happen along
the trail
Nero: near-zero-mileage day
Yo-yo: two or more back-to-back continuous thru-hikes; hiker walks entire AT in one direction, turns around at the terminus and thru-hikes in the other direction
Zero day: a day off from hiking with zero AT miles hiked
Feed: a spontaneous meal along the trail, usually provided by trail angels and featuring foods not typically available to hikers
Town day: a day spent in town, off the trail, usually used for doing laundry and re-supplying gear
Leave No Trace: backwoods ethic that promotes minimal-impact camping and hiking. Pack out what you pack in!
TRAIL CLUBS
The following clubs help maintain the sections of the AT running through their areas, make hike recommendations and offer various other tips for visitors. As John Hedrick, supervisor of trails for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club says: “Without maintenance the trail would be gone in two years.”
Northern Virginia and Shenandoah
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
240 miles from Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pa., to Rockfish Gap, Va.
The club offers “primitive” cabins with no electricity or running water ($15 to rent to general public and $18 for PATC club members only); 44 three-sided shelters also available.
Central, Southern and Southwest Virginia
Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club, Richmond
19.6 miles of trail from Rockfish Gap to Reeds Gap
Paul C. Wolfe Memorial Shelter
The Jack Albright Trail: connects to Appalachian Trail
Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club, Norfolk
Reeds Gap to Tye River at Va. 56, 10+ miles of trail
Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club
90 miles from Tye River at Va. 56 to Black Horse Gap
Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club
Black Horse Gap to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter, and, U.S. 460 at the New River to Va. 611
Pine Swamp Branch Shelter to U.S. 460 at the New River, Va. 615 to Va. 623, and Va. 611 to I-77
Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers
70 miles from I-77 to Va. 615 at Laurel Creek, and Va. 623 to Rye Valley at Va. 670
Mt. Rogers Appalachian Trail Club
56 miles from Rye Valley at Va. 670 to Damascus
Online starting point
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