Trail Stewardship

From Maine to New Jersey, AMC cares for some of the Northeast's most iconic trails — more than 1,800 miles in total. And we can’t do it without you. Every year, our staff works alongside thousands of volunteers to maintain and build trails. By joining one of our trail crews, you combine your passions of being outdoors and contributing to the protection of the environment.

Appalachian Trail

The AMC Western MA Chapter's Appalachian Trail Management Committee (A.T. Committee) is responsible for the maintenance, management, and protection of that portion of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) located in Massachusetts. This section of the A.T. encompasses nearly 90 miles. The A.T. Committee coordinates the extensive volunteer effort that keeps the trail open, overnight sites maintained, and the trail lands and natural resources protected. The Committee works in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the National Park Service.

Each year from April to September, we organize regular work parties for maintenance and improvement of the footbed, trail shelters, signs, and so on. Projects vary in complexity, but all include activities for both first timers and seasoned maintainers, so please check out the season's schedule of trail work days and then contact a project leader to join in the fun. No experience is necessary to participate! From time to time we also have open positions for regular trail maintainers, which we'll list on our committee page. Our committee meets regularly at the Mt. Greylock Visitors' Center in Lanesboro, MA.

New England National Scenic Trail

The 215-mile New England National Scenic Trail (NET) has been in existence for over half a century. This federally-designated trail travels through 39 communities in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and is comprised primarily of the historic Mattabesett, Metacomet, and Monadnock (MMM or Triple-M) trails. The principal stewards of the NET are AMC's New England Scenic Trail Management Committee (NET Committee) in Massachusetts and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association in Connecticut.

Overseeing 98 miles of the NET in Massachusetts and 18 miles of the MMM Trail in New Hampshire, the NET Committee trains and recruits Trail Adopters, makes site assessment visits , coordinates meetings and training events, and keeps Trail Adopters apprised of training opportunities. If you are interested in getting involved, please see our committee page for contact information.