A.T. Visitor Experience to Be Enhanced in Boiling Springs

Appalachian Trail Conservancy to Enhance A.T. Visitor Experience in Boiling Springs

BOILING SPRINGS, Pa. (Feb. 9, 2022) – Today the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) announced it had completed the ownership transfer of its Mid-Atlantic regional office building known as “The Cottage” to the South Middleton Township. This transfer is a critical step toward converting The Cottage from primarily office space to a more fully-fledged visitor experience for local tourism, including Appalachian Trail (A.T.) hikers

“With its location literally on the Appalachian Trail, The Cottage is a key part of the Conservancy’s efforts to encourage responsible recreators and future stewards of the A.T., and to contribute to the economic and social development of A.T. Communities,” said Dakota Jackson, ATC Director of Visitor Experience. “We are proud to partner with the South Middleton Township and the National Park Service to drive each of these elements forward.”

Located on the Appalachian Trail by the edge of Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs, The Cottage will serve a greater role in providing essential services and information for area visitors.

In advance of the transfer, the ATC relocated its offices to nearby Carlisle, Pennsylvania, freeing up valuable space that will be transformed to meet the growing tourism needs of the Township. The ATC will continue to assist in developing and managing the visitor experience at The Cottage, as well as recruiting volunteers to assist with essential services.

“We hope to create impactful place-based exhibits and programs that allow visitors of the Boiling Springs visitor center to engage with the landscape and communities of the Cumberland Valley, and to connect them with the rest of the Appalachian Trail experience,” said Jackson.

Those interested in volunteering at The Cottage later this year can learn more and express their interest at appalachiantrail.org/boilingspringsvolunteer2022.

This project highlights the dedication and partnership between the ATC and A.T. Communities like Boiling Springs. Through the A.T. Community™ program, more than 50 towns and cities from Georgia to Maine have committed to increasing services for A.T. visitors and advancing Trail stewardship. For more information, visit appalachiantrail.org/communities.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous footpath along the Appalachian Mountains. A unit of the National Park System, the A.T. ranges from Maine to Georgia and is 2,194.3 miles in length. It is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. The mission of the ATC is to protect, manage, and advocate for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. For more information, please visit www.appalachiantrail.org.

Media Contact: Jordan Bowman
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Tel: 304.885.0794
Email: jbowman@appalachiantrail.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ATHike
Web: www.appalachiantrail.org

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