Challenges and Opportunities
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Centennial Campaign has three main areas of focus: to protect the Trail and its landscape, to provide a world-class A.T. experience, and to ensure the A.T. is a place where everyone feels they belong. Read on to learn more about our high-impact initiatives.
Protect
GIS Mapping Capacity Building
The A.T. and its landscape are protected through the use of cutting-edge technology, innovative collaboration, and data-informed conservation strategies.
Natural Resource Stewardship
A healthy, thriving, and resilient natural environment will continue to support and enrich all who live, work, and recreate in the Appalachian Trail landscape.
Scenic View Protection
The scenic views that delight, reward, and inspire A.T. visitors are protected forever.
Experience
Ridgerunner Program
Every visitor to the Appalachian Trail has the knowledge to enjoy a world-class recreational experience and help protect the Trail for the benefit of all.
Sustainable Overnight Sites
A network of sustainable overnight sites along the Appalachian Trail that preserve the essence of the A.T. experience while minimizing environmental impacts.
Visitor Education & Engagement
People who spend time on the A.T. are inspired to care for it through responsible recreation, volunteering, and giving back in other ways.
Belong
A.T. Community™ Program
Irreplaceable landscapes are protected while the trailside communities that steward them thrive through sustainable, locally driven economic development, community-based conservation, and stewardship through volunteering.
Volunteers & A.T. Clubs
The existence of the A.T. will forever be a testament to the essential role that volunteers play in caring for public lands.
Accelerating A.T. Landscape Protection
“We believe it’s critical to protect vital pieces of America’s natural heritage for generations to come, and we are pleased to do our part to help keep the Trail alive.”
–Dr. Keith Dunleavy and Dr. Katherine Kirby Dunleavy
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Join Us
We have raised more than half of the funds needed, thanks to the generous support of our dedicated community. Your support is crucial to taking us across the finish line.
LEARN MORE
Ways to Give
Contact us at philanthropy@appalachiantrail.org or click below to learn more. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Learn MoreMeet the Team
Together, we can ensure that the Appalachian Trail continues to inspire for the next 100 years and beyond.
Corporate Partners & Foundations
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is proud to have the support of companies ranging from industry leaders in outdoor recreation and other sectors to community-based and family-owned businesses along the A.T.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ATC Centennial Campaign is a comprehensive, multi-year campaign to ensure the Appalachian Trail and its landscape remain protected, resilient, and connected for all.
The Campaign went public in June 2025, one hundred years after the ATC was founded. Aligned with the ATC’s strategic plan, it has three main areas of focus: to protect the Trail and its landscape, to provide a world-class A.T. experience, and to make sure the A.T. is a place where everyone feels they belong.
The Campaign is funding areas of greatest need, like ongoing operations and mission fulfillment, as well as program expansion, and growth opportunities.
Benton MacKaye, the visionary behind the Appalachian Trail, wanted it to be more than a path through the woods. He envisioned a place where people could find solutions to the stresses of modern life. After seeing the rapid expansion of industrialization firsthand, he understood that a 2,000-mile footpath alone would not provide the respite he envisioned. To preserve the Trail for the future, a “realm” of forests, clean water, and other sources of life surrounding it must be established, nurtured, and protected.
As the only non-profit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Appalachian Trail and its landscape, the ATC is committed to ensuring everyone can experience the Trail’s transformative power for generations to come.
The Centennial Campaign is our vision to ensure the A.T. and its surrounding landscape continue to inspire, sustain, and transform all who walk its path.
Making an online gift is the fastest way to support the Campaign. In addition, we invite you to:
- Make the Appalachian Trail Conservancy a philanthropic priority by making a pledge to join our leadership-level Centennial supporters.
- Share your legacy by including the ATC in your will, trust, retirement, or other estate plans.
- Explore other giving options including mailing a check, a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), donor-advised fund (DAF), and more. Learn more about ways to give.
Your gift supports ATC’s mission to protect, manage, and advocate for the Appalachian Trail. A contribution to the Centennial Campaign supports our high impact initiatives and helps maintain and scale our critical conservation, stewardship, and outreach efforts, as well as areas of greatest need, like ongoing operations and mission fulfillment.
Relive the Journey
ATC Established
The Appalachian Trail Conference was established on March 2-3, 1925, as a stand-alone organization to take on the work of building Benton MacKaye’s vision for the Appalachian Trail.
Trail-Blazing Builds Momentum
Myron H. Avery takes over leadership of the ATC and accelerates A.T. building efforts using four key steps; organizing a trail club for each section; determining the best route for the Trail; clearing, marking and maintaining the trail; and collecting up-to-date data and maps to publish in ATC guidebooks.
A Fully Connected Appalachian Trail
The A.T. was fully connected from Georgia to Maine with the final section completed on August 14, 1937 in Maine
Appalachian Trail Agreement
The Appalachian Trailway Agreement between the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, and the ATC established a protected corridor of land 100 feet on either side of the Trail within National Forest and Park lands, provided agency assistance to build shelters along the entire length of the Trail, and enabled the gradual expansion of land holdings and easements along the Trail.
First Thru-Hike
Earl Shaffer reported first “thru-hike” of the entire A.T., a feat that inspired other thru-hiking firsts, including Mildred Norman Ryder, Emma Gatewood, Gene Espy, Rober Taylor. Shaffer provided an account of the trail conditions he encountered and later volunteered with the ATC as corresponding secretary, answering letters and providing guidance on long-distance hiking — a service that the ATC continues to provide today.
First National Scenic Trail
The National Trails System Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, establishing the A.T. as one of the first national scenic trails under federal-state protection.
A.T. Popularity Grows
Thru-hiker numbers increase nearly fivefold, and the ATC’s membership grows by ten times.
Federal Protection for A.T. Corridor
A.T. amendments to the National Trail System were enacted, launching one of the most ambitious land-acquisition projects in NPS history to create a protective corridor for the Trail and weave together a linear national park. The law also required a comprehensive plan for A.T. management and recognized the role of the ATC and volunteers.
Optimizing the A.T.’s Route
The ATC, Trail Clubs and special Trail crews move hundreds of miles of the footpath to optimal, constructed locations as the land-acquisition program progresses.
Empowering the Next Generation of A.T. Stewards
The ATC launches programming with teachers and community partners to provide on-Trail experiences and opportunities for youth and young adults to learn about the A.T., outdoor recreation, and public lands stewardship and to ultimately cultivate, energize and empower a diverse next generation of A.T. stewards.
From Conference to Conservancy
The Appalachian Trail Conference renames itself the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to better communicate the organization’s leadership and responsibility in conserving the rich ecological and cultural heritage of the A.T. and ensuring the world-renowned Trail experience.
A Fully Protected Treadway
After decades of negotiations, the last major stretch of the Appalachian Trail — 2.5 miles along the New River to Peters Mountain in Giles County, Virginia — was permanently protected. Volunteers with A.T. Clubs and the ATC’s Konnarock Crew completed the Trail relocation onto land secured by a donated conservation easement.
A.T. Landscape Partnership
The ATC and National Park Service co-convened the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP), establishing an expanded network of conservation partners to better protect and connect the wild, scenic and cultural wonders of the A.T. and its surrounding landscape.
Appalachian Trail Centennial Act
Bipartisan legislation was introduced to help better coordinate resources and partners, bolster land protection, and require information gathering on visitation and economic benefits of the A.T. and all National Trails to ensure these special places are maintained and conserved for future generations.
