Appalachian National Scenic Trail, ME – Volunteer Vacations 2023

Help protect the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) and enjoy the rugged beauty of Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness! On this project, volunteers will monitor and maintain the boundaries of the public land protected for the Trail. This land is the backbone of the largest natural corridor that remains east of the Mississippi River, creating a haven and migration path for humans and animals alike. Maintaining the boundaries of this land helps to protect it from encroachments such as motorized vehicles and timber theft.

Using a GPS, map, and compass, the crew will follow the surveyed boundaries of the trail corridor. We will clear brush with loppers, paint trees, replace US Boundary signs, and record the condition of metal survey markers, called “monuments.” Each day, we will duck into the woods just off the A.T., bushwhack to the boundary, and paint and lop as we move along the line. At the end of the day, we’ll hike back to the vehicles on the A.T. and be amazed at how much ground we covered! Teams will maintain up to 1 mile of boundary line and hike at least 2 miles per day.

Maintaining the boundary line involves off-trail bushwhacking over terrain that can be steep, rocky, brushy, and uneven. While we are not picking up rocks or digging, we will be on our feet hiking and bushwhacking all through the work day. Volunteers will drive to the nearest access point and then hike to the section of boundary line that requires maintenance. Distance varies, but it’s usually less than a mile from the parking point to the boundary. The campground is about 40 minutes from the worksites. Most roads in this area are unpaved. The host staff can provide three vehicles, but one or two volunteers may need to drive depending on the size of the group.

Maine is especially wonderful this time of year. After experiencing the rugged beauty of the trail, volunteers will enjoy the full-service Peaks Kenny State Park campground on the shore of Sebec Lake. We hope you join us on this rewarding project. Volunteers like you are the heart and soul of the Appalachian Trail!

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation! Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it’s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions here.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy), N’dakina (Abenaki / Abénaquis), and Aucocisco peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, their deep and sacred connection to these lands, and those who continue to steward these lands today. We offer this land acknowledgement as the first of many steps to stand as an ally and amplify Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to join us through continued efforts to support Indigenous communities and learn more about the history of the lands on which we live, work and recreate.