ATCamp.org Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! See our ATCamp Step-by-Step Registration Instructions for detailed help with registering. If you still have trouble, please contact us.

ATCamp is a voluntary registration platform and registration is not required. However, we strongly encourage registration. ATCamp is a visitor use management tool that helps reduce overcrowding and subsequent resource damage on the A.T. and provides the ATC with data on the overall use of the Trail. This information helps the ATC, volunteer Clubs, and agency partners best manage the Trail and Trail resources.  

Registered hikers can also opt-in to receive urgent Trail alerts and other information to help them plan a safe and successful visit to the A.T. 

Overnight and thru-hikers starting at Amicalola Falls State Park are required by the park to register on-site for safety reasons in case of emergency and to get your hiker hangtag. Registration on ATCamp will expedite on-site registration at AFSP. Have your ATCamp registration number readily available to take advantage of this. 

Each hiker should register separately, unless part of a formal group (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, college outdoor club, etc.).

For groups, the leader may register the entire group.

No, ATCamp is a voluntary registration system, not a reservation system. Except in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) and Baxter State Park, all A.T. shelters are first come, first served. In GRSM, you will need to apply for a required permit. ATCamp is not a reservation system for Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain huts. 

Organized groups are asked to not stay in shelters and instead camp nearby in established sites. Learn more about Leave No Trace for groups on the A.T. here.  

No, ATCamp registration does not replace the required permits for Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), Shenandoah National Park, or Baxter State Park. Please note that there is no single Trailwide permit for the A.T.  

Learn more about the required permits for the A.T. here.  

Yes, if your plans change, please edit your registration to reflect your new start date/itinerary. Be sure to check that your new preferred start date and campsites are not already at capacity. 

You can change or cancel your registration by clicking on the “Edit” button in the My Registrations section of your ATCamp account.

If you are changing your start date, please be sure to check that your new preferred start date and campsites are not already at capacity. If your new preferred start date and itinerary are at capacity, please choose a different start date/itinerary to help prevent damage to the Trail.   

The capacity thresholds or quotas for overnight sites are based on available campsites and are set at levels that ensure visitor use will not further degrade A.T. resources. If your desired start date is at capacity, we highly encourage you to choose a different start date. 

No, your registration number will stay the same if you edit your registration. 

The ATC does not mail current year hangtags. One hang tag is allotted per person. Thru-hikers and section hikers intending to complete the entire Trail can pick up hang tags at the following locations: 

• Amicalola Falls State Park Visitor Center in Dawsonville, GA 
• Damascus Trail Center in Damascus, VA 
• The ATC Harpers Ferry Visitor Center in Harpers Ferry, WV 
• The A.T. Visitor Center in Monson, ME (open June to October) 

Please note that A.T. hangtags are typically available starting in early February each year. Northbound thru-hikers starting in January can get their hangtags at the Damascus Trail Center when they reach Virginia. 

If there are leftover hangtags at the end of the year, they are made available for purchase through our Ultimate A.T. Store®. 

We use ATCamp registration numbers from the previous year to determine the number of hang tags we order. Registration on ATCamp helps ensure that ATC orders enough hang tags for all thru- and section hikers. 

You can turn off ATCamp alerts by updating that setting in your ATCamp account under Trail Alert Settings.