Trail Updates

The latest guides and maps can't always keep up with rapidly changing Trail conditions. Check this page regularly for information on current conditions, relocations, and other big changes along the Trail. More Trail conditions can be found on some local A.T. management partners' websites.  If you notice a problem on the Trail that requires attention please let us know at trailconditions@appalachiantrail.org.  To review the most recent updates to information about town services listed in the 2012 A.T. Thru-hikers' Companion, click here.

Before your hike, be sure to review A.T. Shuttles, Public Transportation, and Vandalism Alerts for recent vandalism reports in the area you are planning to park your car. Vandalism reports are listed separately at the end of each state's section. We can never guarantee the safety of any location. Remote trailheads tend to have the greatest risk. To minimize risk, stow all valuables in your trunk or leave them at home. 

The lingering affects of the two fall 2011 hurricanes can still be felt in Vermont, where damage to roads and bridges was quite extensive. See the Vermont section below for more details.


Georgia

Bear canisters required for camping between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap
A new U.S. Forest Service rule requires approved bear-resistant storage containers for overnight camping on a 5-mile stretch of the A.T. in the Chattahoochee National Forest between Jarrard Gap and Neel Gap, between March 1 and June 1. This stretch is located between points 26.7 and 31.7 miles north of the southern terminus of the A.T. at Springer Moutain, Georgia, and includes Woods Hole Shelter, Slaughter Creek Campsite, and Blood Mountain Shelter. “Bear canisters” should be used to store food, food containers, garbage and toiletries. For more information, click here. (2/10/2012)

NORTH CAROLINA

No updates at this time.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

For a full list of road and facility closures and warnings throughout the park, click here. Weather-related road and facility closures may change throughout the day. For updated road and weather information please call (865) 436-1200. Once you hear a voice, dial extension 631 for road information or extension 630 for a weather forecast.  Click here for more information about bears in the backcountry. 

Clingmans Dome – Water update
Water is currently not available near the day-hiker parking lot, as page 36 of the 2010 Thru-Hikers’ Companion indicates. Water can be purchased by the quart from a nearby store for $2. The store is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

Newfound Gap – Water not available
The water system and drinking fountain are closed due to the potential for contamination by surface water. Bottled water may be available from the Great Smoky Mountains Association store at Clingmans Dome, which is open daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Check www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm for updates.

NORTH CAROLINA & TENNESSEE BORDER

Unaka Mountain – Relocation
Volunteers from TEHCC, ATC Konnarock Crew, Hard Core Crew, and student groups recently completed a series of relocations on the north side of Unaka Mountain.

TENNESSEE

No updates at this time.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

Grindstone Campground 
 Grindstone Campground now open.

Mt. Rogers – Vehicle break-ins and thefts
The Trail between Damascus and VA Rt. 16 at Mt. Rogers NRA Headquarters has a long history of vehicle break-ins and thefts. 

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Va. 621, Craig Creek Valley north to Dragons Tooth – Fire Damage
Fire damage from the February 2011 Pickle Branch Fire may be visible in this area. As always, hikers are encouraged to stay on established trails, particularly in the burned areas.

USFS 35, Petites Gap; BRP milepost 71 south to approximately Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 74.9 – Closure due to Boom Axe Fire that occurred in mid November lifted. Fire damage may be visible. As always, hikers are encouraged to stay on established trails, particularly in the burned areas.

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK

Temporary relocations due to construction - South District
Several Skyline Drive overlooks in the South District of the Shenandoah National Park will be reconstructed in the spring and summer of 2012.  Starting around February 23 and extending for about six months, the Ivy Creek Overlook, which the A.T. traverses, will be closed for construction.  During that time hikers will be directed along a temporary reroute of the trail and no parking will be allowed.  The Horsehead Mountain and Rip Rap Overlooks are sometimes used to access the A.T. as well.  Starting in late June or early July those overlooks will be reconstructed and parking will be unavailable for two to three months. For more information, click here.

Gravel Springs Gap north to Compton Gap – Fire Damage
Fire damage from the February 2011 Smith Run Fire may be visible in this area. As always, hikers are encouraged to stay on established trails, particularly in the burn areas. 

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

No updates at this time.

WEST VIRGINIA

No updates at this time.

MARYLAND

Gathland State Park – Water available
Water is available at Gathland State Park from a spigot by the restrooms, 0.4 south of the Crampton Gap Shelter side trail.

Dahlgren Campground – Bear activity
Hikers have reported food supplies stolen by a bear at the Dahlgren Backpacker Campground. South Mountain SP has also noted other reports of bear problems in the area. Although black bears have not historically posed much of a problem to hikers in Maryland, they are out there and are now being seen more frequently. Read our recommendations for wildlife safety.

Raven Rock Shelter – Shelter open
Raven Rock Shelter is OPEN. Access to the new shelter is on the west side of the A.T., just a few feet south of the access to the old Devil’s Racecourse Shelter. The water source is a spring located 0.3 miles east from the A.T. (on the blue-blazed trail to the old shelter/Ritchie Road).

Pennsylvania

Pine Grove Furnace State Park – New parking rules
Pine Grove Furnace State Park requires that hikers check in with the park office before leaving a vehicle in the park and that vehicles be left for no more than one week.

The Ironmasters Mansion hostel - Reopened for business
Note that the doors are locked from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.

Palmerton – Temporary relocation
Zinc smelting plants (now shut down) in Palmerton have left Blue Mountain nearly devoid of vegetation in the Lehigh Gap area. A long-term remediation project was begun in March of 2008.

Lehigh Gap – Winter Trail is now open
The National Park Service, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, has now completed the slope stabilization project on the east side of Lehigh Gap. The temporary closure has been
lifted and the construction project is complete. See www.nps.gov/appa/parkmgmt/publicinvolvement.htm  for background information (2/9/12). 

NEW JERSEY

Long House Creek Bridge (near Bearfort Mountain/Greenwood Lake) -  Washed out (2/15/12)
Reroute: Heading trail north: At Long House Road (1.4 north of Warwick Turnpike, last paved road in NJ), turn right. Follow Long House Road for about .7, turn left on Riverside Road. Follow Riverside Road for about .9. Riverside Road is paved for the first .5, dirt/gravel (closed to vehicles) for the remainder. Rejoin A.T. at .9, turn right, going uphill.

NEW YORK

Little Dam Lake – Little Dam Bridge collapsed
Little Dam Bridge, just south of Little Dam Lake, 3 miles west (or Trail south) of NY 17 and the NY Thruway, has collapsed. A crew from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference has installed step stones.

West Mountain - Relocation
Heading southbound, after crossing Seven Lakes Drive, the Trail meets and is co-aligned with the 1777W trail for 0.1 mile, then the new route turns left. After another 0.1, the trail meets and turns right on an old woods road. After about 0.2 miles, it turns left off the woods road and climbs for about 0.4 miles, where it rejoins the old A.T. at an open area with good views. The relocation is about 0.85 miles, roughly 0.2 longer than the old route. Refer to page 113 in the NY-NJ A.T. Guide.

Bear Mountain – Relocation
Parts of a planned three-mile relocation of the A.T. over Bear Mountain have been opened to the public. Hikers should pay close attention to blazing in the area. Work on the remainder of this relocation and restoration of the old route and social trails in the area will continue.

CONNECTICUT

Guinea Brook (just north of Conn. 4/Cornwall Bridge) – Stepping stones washed away
Stepping stones at Guinea Brook crossing (immediately north of Conn. 4) have washed away, creating hazardous conditions. Use the “high water bypass” or the Mohawk Trail, or continue  S on RT 4 to the Breadloaf Mountain parking area and take the blue trail to rejoin AT. (AMC-CT 10/27/11)

Sages Ravine Campsite – The bridge crossing to Sages Ravine campsite (near CT-MA border) remains out. It is possible to ford the stream into the campsite. (AMC-CT 10/27/2011)

MASSACHUSETTS

No updates at this time.

VERMONT

The Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) is now open to visitors unless otherwise posted. There are some recreational facilities and roads that are still closed. For a full closure list, click here. Sites on or near the AT that are affected are listed below. Note that some bridges may still be out. Fording streams and rivers may be the most dangerous challenge hikers confront, especially following inclement weather. River crossings can be deceptively hazardous. Read Safety Tips for Fording Streams and Rivers for more information (2/15/12).
  • 86.8 – 104.2 Vt. 103 (just north of Clarendon Gorge) to US 4 (Killington/Rutland) is now open with a detour between (Lower) Cold River Road and Clement Shelter road using Wilmouth Hill Road and Gilman Road.
  • 70.7 Old Job Trail to Old Job Shelter
  • 70.9 Big Branch Shelter
  • 72.2 Danby-Mt. Tabor Rd. (USFS 10)
  • 109.7 - 109.9 Thundering Falls Boardwalk
  • 127. 9 - Vt. 12 parking area and A.T. immediately south -- bridge is out over Gulf Stream

Numbers above are distances from the Massachusetts/Vermont line.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Ore Hill Shelter –  Burned down
The Ore Hill Shelter, along Dartmouth Outing Club's section (NH/VT guidebook section 7) burned down sometime in late October. ATC, DOC and Forest Service partners are investigating the cause and local situation.  There are no current plans underway to replace it; however, as many A.T. club maintainers know, our system of continuous overnight shelters, lean-tos and campsites requires continuity. ATC will inform the public about the club's and partners' plans as soon as they are known (11/17/11).

Highland Lodge – Bretton Wood, NH
Re-opened 8/31/11, but access will be limited to the Twin Mountain/Bretton Woods side (via Route 302 from the West) for the foreseeable future due to extensive damage to Route 302 east of Highland Lodge in Crawford Notch State Park.

Cascade Brook Bridge out
The bridge on the A.T. (also known as the Cascade Brook Trail) over Cascade Brook was washed out during a spring 2011 flood. A short distance upstream from the former bridge site there is a rock hop crossing suitable at low to moderate water levels.

During high water, the rock hop crossing is not safe and hikers should seek alternate routes. Heading northbound: It is recommended to leave the A.T. at Lonesome Lake and take the blue-blazed Lonesome Lake trail to the Pemi Trail (at the Lafayette place campground) and rejoin the A.T. just before going under Franconia Parkway (I-93/NH Rt.3). Heading southbound: Take the Pemi Trail after going under the Parkway to the  Lonesome Lake Trail.

See the A.T. New Hampshire-Vermont guidebook and map #3 or AMC's White Mountain Guide and Franconia-Pemigewasset map #2. 

MAINE

Access to Mt. Abraham - The Rapid Stream road into Abraham from Kingfield is gone, it is being repaired only to the last house which is 3 miles short of the trailhead, the twin bridges are gone too. (MATC report 9/3/11)

Carrabasset River – the plank across the river is gone. (MATC report 9/3/11)

Kennebec Ferry Service - Available on a “time and weather permitting basis”
Between October 13 and October 31, ferry service will be available on a "time and weather permitting" basis.  Service is not guaranteed during these dates, and hikers should call in advance to see if service will be available. There will be no service after October 31 for the winter. Contact David P. Corrigan, ferry contractor, at (207) 672-4849 for details and current information regarding the ferry service.

Gulf Hagas side trail – Footbridge washed out
The Gulf Hagas Brook bridge was washed out by spring high water. This does not affect the A.T. itself, but does affect access to a popular side trail. A replacement bridge will likely not be installed until fall (at the earliest). Until the bridge is replaced, hikers using the Gulf Hagas side trail will need to wade across the brook. Please cross at the designated ford rather than trampling brush up and down the banks of the stream.

Baxter State Park – Closed to camping  
Baxter State Park will be closed to camping until the start of the winter camping season on December 1, 2011. More information is available at www.baxterstateparkauthority.com.