We are no longer accepting applications for the 2013 Maine Trail Crew.
Please check back next year for volunteer opportunities with the crew.
Spend a week in the scenic Maine woods this summer working and camping on the Appalachian Trail. The Maine Trail Crew, sponsored by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is based in Central Maine. Projects are located along 280 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and most involve reconstruction and rockwork. Projects are supervised by crew leaders under the direction of modern trail-work pioneer Lester Kenway.
The crew works four nine-hour days, traveling back to basecamp on the fifth day. Some projects are located on high mountains and involve strenuous pack-ins, while other projects are located on scenic lakeshores or involve car camping. Due to the variation in difficulty, we recommend that you study the trip schedule below. Once you register to join the Maine Trail Crew, MATC will contact you with additional information to help assure that you will join a project that matches your interests and abilities.
Field Life and Working Conditions
Trail work is hard, physical labor. Trail construction involves working with hand tools, and getting dirty is guaranteed. The crews work every day rain or shine, hot or cold. Maine Trail Crew projects can be particularly challenging; please review the descriptions below to see project details and difficulty ratings before making a selection. Maine Trail Crew volunteers will be asked some additional questions before joining the crew.
Base Camp
The Maine Trail Crew base camp is an old farmstead in the town of Garland, 30 miles west of Bangor. Crews stay in wall tents at the base camp when they are not out working on the Trail. The farmhouse serves as kitchen, dining, and social area. Showers and a laundry are available in town; swimming is available at nearby public beaches.
Crew Week
The Maine Crew week runs Saturday to Wednesday. Crew members arrive on Friday afternoon before their scheduled work week for a crew dinner and program orientation. Multiple week volunteers can stay at the base camp on off-days, easily travel to nearby Katahdin or Acadia National Park for recreation
Contact Us
Give us a call at (540) 953-3571 or e-mail
[email protected] with any questions.