Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club
PURPOSE AND MISSION
The MOUNT ROGERS APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB, a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, was organized February 29, 1960. The club has maintenance responsibilities for 59.4 miles of the APPALACHIAN TRAIL in the Jefferson National Forest, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Grayson Highlands State Park and additional trails in the area.
The primary focus of the MOUNT ROGERS APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB is to help ensure that the APPALACHIAN TRAIL remains available for future generations, fulfill its maintenance responsibilities to the highest degree possible, undertake projects that would enhance use of the Trail without sacrifice of beauty or serenity and provide opportunity for Club members to enjoy activities associated with the Trail.
TRAIL ALERTS
APPALACHIAN TRAIL DETOUR IN SOUTHWEST VA FOR THE YEAR 2026 DURING CREEPER TRAIL RECONSTRUCTION
Follow this link to the ATC's website to see the map and description of the detour between Damascus and just south of Thomas Knob Shelter. Most of the 20 mile detour will follow the Iron Mountain Trail, the former AT until 1972, and now a multi-use trail.
Keep checking the Trail Updates section of the ATC’s website for any new information.
Summary: Long distance AT hikers heading north will detour from the AT spur 2 ½ miles north of the Stairs (58/91 outside Damascus) to follow the Iron Mtn. Trail, the Flat Top and Mt. Rogers Trails, then reconnect with the AT at Deep Gap. Watch signs on the detour. Those heading south will pick up the Mt. Rogers Trail at Deep Gap, cross Rte. 603 and take the Flat Top Trail to Cherry Tree Shelter and the Iron Mtn. Trail south from there to rejoin the AT at the spur, 2 ½ miles north of Damascus. Day hikers: You can still day-hike some parts of the AT within the detour area that are not next to the Creeper Trail, and Rte. 58 will not be closed, but parking areas could be in use by the contractors during daytimes, weekends and evenings. Avoid hiking through Creek Jct. Be flexible in hike planning!
Other construction in progress during Winter, 2025-26 on parking lots and roads near the AT in Southwest VA: VDOT is working on expanding the Elk Garden Parking Lot on Rte. 600 and then will move on to enlarge the Fox Creek AT parking lot on Rte. 603. The Forest Service plans to close FS 89 to Whitetop Mtn. for the winter months.
MRATC News
