tree or post. Sometimes the symbol is painted on a regu- 

 lar trail sign. Much of the Trail is also marked by white 

 paint blazes 2 inches wide and 6 inches long placed on 

 trees and poles so that they are always within the hikers 



sight. , 



Most of the maintenance of the Trail is volunteered, 

 although portions are cleared by the Forest Service and 

 National Park Service. Coordinating the work of the 

 clubs and individuals working on the Trail is the Appa- 

 lachian Trail Conference. To protect the Trail against 

 incompatible developments within a mile on either side, 

 the Conference has entered into agreements with the For- 

 est Service, the National Park Service, and 13 of the 14 

 States through which the Trail passes. 



Where To Stay 



Ultimately the Appalachian Trail Conference hopes to 

 have a string of three-sided shelters along the Trail where 

 hikers may stop. The Forest Service has helped this 

 program along by constructing 43 such shelters, mostly in 

 the southern National Forests. The user must bring his 

 own food, cooking equipment, and sleeping gear, and be 

 prepared to cut his own fuelwood. Where there are gaps 

 in the shelter chain, camp sites have been designated. 



Other accommodations can be found for those not want- 

 ing to rough it. Hunting and fishing camps, known in 

 Maine as sporting camps, take hikers. In the White Moun- 

 tain National Forest the Appalachian Mountain Club main- 

 tains a chain of huts where hikers can obtain food and 

 lodging at reasonable rates. At Sherburne Pass in Ver- 

 mont, the Trail passes almost within arm's length of Long 

 Trail Lodge. In Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, 

 the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club of Washington, D.C., 

 maintains locked cabins which may be reserved. 



FOR DETAILED INFORMATION 



If your hiking is going to be extensive, get a guidebook 

 which describes the trail and overnight accommodations. 

 The Appalachian Trail Conference, 1916 Sunderland 

 Place NW., Washington, D.C., issues maps and guides at 

 a nominal price for all sections of the Trail except in the 

 White Mountains. The Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 

 Joy Street, Boston, Mass., has the most comprehensive 

 maps and guides of that section. 



