Health & Safety

This chart is intended as a guide and is not comprehensive. Basic safety equipment for all trail work includes a first-aid kit, boots, work gloves, long pants, and appropriate dress for the weather. Common sense and awareness are the best tools for any task.

The results of this Duke University study “indicate that Toxicodendron taxa will become more abundant and more ‘toxic’ in the future, potentially affecting global forest dynamics and human health.” In other words, global climate change appears to increase the potency of poison ivy.

This is an advisory issued by the National Center for Infectious Diseases to reduce potential exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases.

A short description of the life cycle of deer ticks in the Northeastern United States.

This PDF document provides directions and maps to the prominent hospitals adjacent to Shenandoah National Park.

The ATC Backcountry Sanitation Manual addresses the management of human waste in the backcountry. Proper management of human waste protects hikers, the environment and trail maintainers.

The Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District (RRHD) issues the following alert: a skunk which bit a human on Saturday, May 4, has been confirmed as positive for rabies. The skunk was removed near Shenandoah National Park in Madison County.