March Madness 2024

And the winner is…Southern Virginia!

Thank you to all who participated in the 2024 Appalachian Trail March Madness tournament by voting for your favorite section! This year, the #1 seed, Southern Virginia went all the way to become the champion.  

While the winner has been crowned, we know that every section of the world’s longest hiking only footpath deserves to celebrated. From the Trail’s southern terminus in Georgia, to its famed northern terminus on Katahdin’s peak, every mile of the A.T. offers visitors a place to reconnect with nature, make memories, and have transformative experiences. The Trail is so much greater than the sum of its parts — as a connected conservation corridor, the A.T. landscape provides irreplaceable habitat for imperiled species and clean air and water for millions of people. 

Learn more below about the winning section of the Trail, the Trail Crew, and Trail maintaining clubs who help care for it, and how you can support the ATC’s work alongside our partners to protect this beloved section of the A.T. forever and for all. 

Fun Facts

  • Virginia has more miles of the A.T. than any other state — nearly a quarter of the Trail’s length! 
  • Mount Rogers and White Top Mountain, both in this section, are Virginia’s two highest peaks. 
  • Grayson Highlands State Park in this section offers scenic views of 5,000+ feet high alpine peaks. 
  • Grayson Highlands State Park is also known for the wild ponies that graze throughout the Grayson Highlands and Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. 
  • The ATC’s flagship Trail Crew, the Konnarock Crew, works in this section and is named for their original basecamp in southwest Virginia. Learn more about the Konnarock Crew and how you can join a session! 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE A.T. IN VIRGINIA

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The ATC's Damascus Trail Center in A.T. Community Damascus, Virginia.
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Photo near Mount Rogers by Mark "TwoPack" Wagner
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Wilburn Ridge via the A.T. near Massie Gap, Grayson Highlands, VA, by Mark Dunn
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Konnarock Trail Crew
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Rhododendron in bloom by the ATC's Andrew Downs
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The ATC's Kathryn Herndon-Powell in southwest Virginia
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Konnarock Trail Crew

Trail Maintaining Clubs

30 Trail maintaining clubs are responsible for most of the day-to-day work of keeping the A.T. open. In addition to Trail maintenance, club volunteers build and repair shelters and other structures, monitor and protect the Trail corridor, monitor and manage rare plants and invasive species, develop management plans for their sections, and much more. Here are the clubs that help protect the Trail in Southern Virginia. 

Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club
The Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club maintains 59.4 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the TN/VA line north to the South Fork of the Holston bridge, Rte. 670, in Teas, VA. The club welcomes guests on Trail work trips and recreational hikes. Visit www.mratc.org for schedule and more information. 

Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers
Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers, is a nonprofit trail club that maintains a section of the Appalachian Trail in southwest Virginia. PATH’s members live in North Carolina and Virginia, with the majority living between Charlotte and Raleigh. PATH also offers hiking and outreach opportunities. Learn more and become a member today at path-at.org. 

Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech (OCVT)
The Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech is a diverse group of outdoor enthusiasts comprised of undergraduate, and graduate students as well as other members of the Blacksburg community. The goal of the club is to get its members outside and active both physically and socially.  

Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club
The members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, founded in 1932, are avid hikers and backpackers. The RATC maintains 120 miles of the Appalachian Trail as well as 16 shelters along the trail. They welcome guests to come along on their hikes and usually have two group hikes each week.  

A.T. Communities

There are 56 communities along the Trail’s corridor that have been recognized in the A.T. Community™ program. These towns and cities are assets for everyone who uses the A.T., providing food, supplies, recreation, history, volunteer opportunities and so much more. Plan a visit to one of Southern Virginia’s A.T. Communities: 

SEE ALL A.T. COMMUNITIES

Our Work in this Section

In addition to supporting the on-the-ground work of the Konnarock Trail Crew and local clubs, the ATC also spearheads work in Southern Virginia to preserve and restore the region’s spruce-fir and boreal forests. 

Once decimated by logging, spruce forests provide habitat for imperiled species like the North Carolina flying squirrel. Learn more about our work to save the continent’s disappearing spruce forests. 

How to Support the Appalachian Trail in Virginia

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is the only nonprofit tasked with managing and protecting the entire Appalachian Trail. We convene partners at the local, state, and federal level to ensure that the Trail remains more than the sum of its parts. 

You can support our critical work in this region and beyond by making a donation or becoming a member today.  

DONATE

Our team is made up of dedicated people who love the Trail and are passionate about each unique and irreplaceable landscape it passes through. Thank you for supporting our mission and for loving the Trail with us!