Hut & Shelter Maintainers

Hightop Hut

PATC assigns volunteer maintainers to maintain trail shelters (in Shenandoah National Park, huts) throughout the year.

This includes performing minor repair, painting, and general maintenance. Major maintenance projects and new shelter construction are performed by the Shelter Crews under the direction of the Shelters Committee.

The PATC maintains over 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail, including 45 of these three-sided structures. Some shelters are maintained along the Tuscarora Trail and in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest.

Among the hiking public, the PATC shelters are generally considered the best on the East Coast.

Can You See Yourself Here?

On occasion, some shelter maintainer vacancies occur. If you're interested in taking on responsibility for maintaining an Appalachian Trail or Tuscarora Trail shelter as a PATC Shelter Overseer, contact the PATC at 703-242-0693x107 or e-mail our Shelters Chairman for more details.

How About Helping a Crew?

If you're interested in joining a shelter crew as a maintainer, please email Henry Horn for more information. The Shelter Crews typically schedule work trips every other weekend, so there’s plenty of opportunity to get involved. No experience is necessary.

The Shenandoah National Park requires that all who volunteer to work on trail huts within the Park assigned to the PATC are members of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Additionally, all persons who volunteer to work on trail hut projects withing the Park, whether PATC members or not, are required to sign and submit the Volunteer Service Agreement.

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