Committee Chair  Kate Whitney-Bukofzer  Trails [at] amc-ny [dot] org

Hikers Need Trails and Trails Don't Just Happen!

The paths upon which we hike, walk and climb are carefully planned, constructed and maintained to keep them accessible to our members and the public.  Trails must be situated to minimize erosion, to allow safe passage, to avoid wet, marshy areas whenever possible, and to safely traverse the wet areas impossible to avoid.  Once constructed, trails must be maintained to clear fallen trees, to maintain signage and markings to keep hikers from getting lost and to keep pathways clear of new growth.  All too often, trails experience significant negative impacts including intrusion by ATV's, massive storms and forest fires.  In such instances, major repairs are necessary before the trails can again be used by the hiking community.

The New York-North Jersey Chapter has a long history of maintaining trails.  The Chapter is a founding member of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, an organization founded in 1920 to build and maintain hiking trails in the New York-New Jersey region.  The Chapter currently maintains 83 miles of trails including 80 miles under the Trail Conference umbrella, of which 27 miles are located on the Appalachian Trail.  Another three miles of trail are located within the City of New York on New York City parkland.

Trails maintained by the Chapter are generally the responsibility of individual volunteer maintainers who, having been trained in basic trail maintenance, adopt a trail or section of trail with the goal of keeping that trail in good repair.  Maintainers report to Chapter Regional Supervisors, informing them regarding trail conditions, maintenance performed and special needs (after massive storms, for example).  The Chapter regions are East of Hudson, West of Hudson, New Jersey and Urban.  Sometimes trail workshops or trail maintenance events are held, providing member volunteers the opportunity provide a gratifying public service, learn basic skills and to try out trail maintenance to see if the activity suits them  prior to adopting their own trail section. 

How to Become a Trail Maintainer

If you are interested in the challenge of getting muddy, dirty, and sweaty, and would love the gratification of stewardship of your own section of beautiful trail, contact the Trails Chair or the Supervisor of the area where you would like to maintain a trail.

Trails We Maintain

Region	Trail
New Jersey	AT in Stokes Forest
	Stonetown Circular
West Of Hudson (NY)	1777 Trail
	1777E Trail
	1777W Trail
	1779 Trail
	Cornell Mine Trail
	Ramapo Dunderberg Trail
	Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail
	Timp Torn Trail
East Of Hudson	AT from Bear Mountain to Route 9
	Curry Pond Trail
Urban (NYC)	Siwanoy Trail, the Bronx