Stoney Creek Sept. 18, 2026 PUBLIC LANDS DAY EVENT: Friday, Sept. 25, Damascus Trail Center, starting 2 p.m. Help needed! See flyer at bottom for details on this event. Sign up using this link to help greet visitors to MRATC booth (3 hr. shifts, 2 people each, to allow for breaks): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CrSjp0Ef36oi3mXgS-Pr4pmBvwDea-_4/edit? or reply to this notice and you will be written in! Thanks! TRAIL WORK: Sat. Sept. 26: The group will meet at Elk Gard

Backbone Rock hike Sept. 11, 2026 Mendota Trail Sept. 12, 2026 TRAIL WORK: On Wed Sept 16th we will finish lopping along the trail between Elk Garden and Deep Gap. Hiking distance is about 4 miles round trip and loppers and shears will be the primary tools of choice. If time and/or group size allows there may be a side trip to Whitetop to address a blowdown slightly south of the Whitetop parking area. Meet at the Elk Garden AT pkg. lot on Rte. 600, Whitetop Rd., at 9 a.m.

Laurel Fork Falls Sept. 4, 2026 TRAIL WORK: No group trail work planned for this week. Next work day likely to be Wed. Sept. 16th. Crosscut and Chainsaw classes are being set up by the ATC in Sugar Grove for early fall. If you are interested in sawyer certification for the purpose of helping out on the trail and want more information, email trails@mratc.org. MRATC HIKES: Fri. Sept. 11: Join us for a 7.0 mi. point to point or a shorter 4 mi. out and back moderate hike at

Dickey Gap to Fox Creek hike Aug. 28, 2026 TRAIL WORK: Clearing trail north of Damascus Aug. 26, 2026 Sat. Sept. 5: We will meet at the Slabtown Rd (Rte 672, Smyth County) AT crossing at 9:30. From there we will hike south about 2/10 of a mile and will widen the area just north of the Slabtown pasture gate. The trail in that short stretch is quite brushy and narrow. From there we will backtrack to Slabtown and make the short drive over to Dickey Gap to work on a blowdown

Beartree hike Aug. 21, 2026 TRAIL WORK: Wed., Aug. 26. This trail work day plan might be in a location close to a Virginia Creeper Trail reconstruction area and is awaiting approval from the USFS. If approval not received in time, trail work will be performed at another location. To get on the list to be notified of the final trail work plan for Wed., Aug. 26, respond to this event posting. Trail work. Location TBD. | MRATC MRATC HIKES: Fri., Aug. 28: Join us for this poin

Aug. 14, 2026 TRAIL WORK: The next scheduled workday is planned for Wed Aug 26th. The details are pending but please send a msg. to trails@mratc.org to receive updates. Details will be posted to our website once defined. MRATC HIKES: Fri., Aug. 21: AT detour on Iron Mtn. Trail Hikers: join us on a hike that AT thru hikers are having to detour on to due to Helene and the repairs that are underway. Your hike leader is an AT Trail monitor and it will giv

Paddling at Hungry Mother State Park. See activity description below. KONNAROCK CREW POTLUCK, Tue., Aug. 11 Konnarock Base Camp, Flat Ridge Rd., Sugar Grove, VA. Setup: 5:30, dinner: 6:00. It’s a great opportunity to show appreciation for the Crew embers who have done many work projects on our section of the trail this year. TRAIL WORK: On Sunday Aug 16th we will work to dismantle fire rings north of Grayson Highlands State Park. This is a twice delayed project being done in

Join us on the hike Aug. 7th to learn about these and other mushrooms we see, KONNAROCK CREW POTLUCK, Tue., Aug. 11 – Held at Konnarock Base Camp, Flat Ridge Rd., Sugar Grove, VA. Setup: 5:30, dinner: 6:00. It’s a great opportunity to show appreciation for the Crew members who have done many work projects on our section of the trail this year. TRAIL WORK: No regular group trail work on the AT has been announced yet for this week. OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SAWS: AUGUST 8TH

TRAIL WORK: No group trail work has been scheduled for this week. MRATC HIKES: There will be no Friday hike July 31st. Enjoy Virginia Highlands Festival hikes and outdoor activities this week! VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS FESTIVAL. Register for festival hikes and other activities at Virginia Highlands Festival | Virginia Highlands Festival “Day in Damascus” Day. July 30. https://appalachiantrail.org/event/damascus-day/ There will be many activities throughout town and at the Trail

Rare plant hike 7/17/2026 TRAIL WORK: Sat., July 25: In a reschedule of a workday that was rained out a couple weeks ago, on Sat July 25th we will meet at Massie Gap at 9:30 and continue dismantling fire rings just north of Grayson Highlands in concert with the ongoing USFS fire ban. Depending on group size we might also reset some signposts in the vicinity. This project is suitable for all who are comfortable with a hiking distance of 4 to 5 total miles. Participants s

TRAIL WORK: On Wed July 15th we'll meet behind the Damascus Trail Center at 9:30 and hike south from Damascus to remove a few blowdowns, and work on brushing, drainage and whatever else we happen to find. RSVP Trailwork - Wed July 15 | MRATC or e-mail trails@mratc.org if you plan to help. JULY WILDERNESS (SAWS) VOLUNTEER EVENTS TO JOIN: Weekend at the Pine Mountain Cabin and Bunkhouse When: July 17th - 19th Where: Meet at the Fox Creek, Appalachian Trailhead/Parking Lot, Ju

TRAIL WORK: On Sat July 11th we will meet at Massie Gap at 9:30 and continue dismantling fire rings just north of Grayson Highlands in concert with the ongoing USFS fire ban. Depending on group size we might also reset some sign posts in the vicinity. RSVP if you plan to attend https://www.mratc.org/event-details/mratc-trailwork-7-11-26 or send an e-mail to trails@mratc.org JULY WILDERNESS (SAWS) VOLUNTEER EVENTS TO JOIN: Saturday, July 11, 2026, 9am - 4pm Where: Litt

Pause for reflection on Brumley Trail hike June 26, 2026 TRAIL WORK: Wed. 7/1. Meet at Damascus Trail Center at 9:15. We'll carpool from there and hike/work from 601 to 859 cutting modest blowdowns and doing some lopping/brushing along the way. E-mail trails@mratc.org if you plan to help. MRATC HIKES: Friday, July 3: Hidden Valley Lake hike This is a moderate hike on the Brumley at Hidden Valley Lake. The Turk's Cap Lilies should be in bloom. There is a viewpoint over Hans

Club hikers at Roan Mtn. June 16, 2026 MRATC TRAIL WORK: Wed. Jun 24, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Elk Garden Trailhead, Co Rd 600, Troutdale, VA 24378, USA We will be installing new signage near Briar Ridge to discourage horse riders from accessing the AT. Hike length about 5 miles total. RSVP: https://www.mratc.org/event-details/trailwork-wed-june-24 or mratcinfo@gmail.com Grassy Branch Trail Maintenance with SAWS: June 27 2026, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Participants will be clearing

Club members hiking on Grayson Highlands State Park Trails, June 12, 2026 MRATC TRAIL WORK: For the work project this week I'm looking for volunteers willing to help with sign installation. Rather than pre-drill them I think, for the most part, they should be drilled on-site based on mounting options. Clearly those may vary widely. Those interested in helping should email mratcinfo@gmail.com and we can arrange a convenient sign and possible hardware drop based on the locat

MRATC TRAIL WORK: Sat., June 13: We will be partnering with SAWS and our former Ridge Runner Jim Baum to work on lopping and possibly fire ring removal in the Wilderness north of Elk Garden. The work is suitable for everyone, so if you haven't helped out on a work project in a while this is a great opportunity to help the trail and one of our long-time partners. We will meet at Elk Garden at 9am and expect to be off the trail between 2 and 3. The hiking distance may vary dep

MRATC TRAIL WORK: Given the fire ban, this might be a great opportunity to spend some time working to eliminate fire rings in high concentration areas. The first one that comes to mind is between the AT and Crest/Rhododendron Gap Trail T-intersection. On Sat May 30th we will have a workday in that area with a meeting time at Massie Gap at 10am. Send a mail to mratcinfo@gmail.com if you plan to participate. UPCOMING: NATIONAL TRAILS DAY VOLUNTEER TRAIL WORK with the Souther

MRATC TRAIL WORK: No group trail work this week. Upcoming: Damascus Trail Days SAWS Volunteer trail work Event May 17, 2026, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Brushing and tree removal on the Grassy Branch Trail, Lewis Fork Wilderness, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. We will meet at the entrance to Grindstone Campground entrance, 1946 Laurel Valley Road, Troutdale, VA 24378. Volunteers will be provided all essential PPE (helme

DAMASCUS APPALACHIAN TRAIL DAYS FESTIVAL, May 15-17. The sign-up schedule to help cover MRATC’s booth at the Trail Center is on Google Drive: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KmLhMF4V8fWd2Ar64cY4MSWWV4WftlxP/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103931296002124958202&rtpof=true&sd=true Write yourself in - Or – just reply to this email and I will write you in! (Shifts both Fri. & Sat. are: 8:30 – 11, 11 – 1, 1-3, and 3-5.) Thanks to Tim V., Gerry C., Sharon T., Carol K., Frank W., Heidi

MRATC TRAIL WORK: On Wed April 29th we will work on various issues between Dickey Gap and Slabtown Road, including one of the few remaining partially filled root ball holes left from Helene. The exact plan and meeting place will depend on the group size but the meeting time will be 10am. Please e-mail mratcinfo@gmail.com if you plan to participate and to receive details. Attached photo shows participants in the Earth Day work projects at Grayson Highlands State Park