Be an Angel: Spread Trail Magic

The 2023 "trail magic" station, where we shuttled thru-hikers looking for some R&R from VA Rte 9/Keys Gap to our A.T. Fest.

Long-distance hikers get hungry. They get blisters. They get thirsty (and not just for water). At some point during their hikes they're likely to yearn for breaks from backpacking, and they might want a ride into town to do laundry or charge a phone or eat a meal that someone else cooks or sleep in a nice, soft bed. 

People who reach out to thru-hikers are often called "trail angels," and they provide all sorts of "trail magic" to these hikers. That magic could come in the form of encouragement, a candy bar, a hotdog, a water refill, a bandaid and ibuprofen, a fresh apple or a ride.

Though well-intentioned, not all "trail magic" is truly magical. There can be unintended negative consequences when a good soul leaves an unattended cooler by the side of the trail. It's just as likely (more likely, actually) that wildlife will raid the cooler before a hiker finds it. Trash can be left on the trail, trash that volunteers have to haul out. Too many hikers congregating in one spot can be unhealthy and over-tax trail resources.

So, when we collect "trail magic" donations at the festival, we share all that magic with this year's crew of thru-hikers thoughtfully. We offer our collected donations directly to the hikers who choose to take a shuttle from Keys Gap, VA (Rte. 9) or Harpers Ferry to join us at the festival. And the rest goes to the caretakers of the Bears Den and Blackburn trail centers for safekeeping and distribution.

What could you donate to our festival to share with a thru-hiker?

Here's some of what hikers have told us they would love:

• Fresh fruit and veggies: clementines, apples, carrots, etc.
• Protein: small pouches of tuna, chicken or jerky
• Candy: Snickers Bars, Starburst and Skittles, etc.
• Foot/pain care: fresh socks, blister care, ibuprofen
• Cold drinks
• Small fuel cans and batteries
• Duck tape or tenacious tape
• Money for a meal in a trail town​ (maybe $20 in an envelope with a note)

Want to be an "angel"? You can drop off "trail magic" at the Loudoun A.T. Festival on June 7th—or anytime before then at the Round Hill Town Office (23 Main St.) or the Old Stone School in Hillsboro (37098 Charlestown Pike) during office hours.

Want to know how you can best be a "trail angel" year round? Here's advice from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy on trail magic best practices:

How to Support Hikers, the Trail, and Local Communities
There are many ways to offer trail magic while supporting hikers, Trail communities, and protecting the Trail we all love. 

• Volunteer with an A.T. Trail-Maintaining Club or Trail Crew. The existence and health of the A.T. depends on volunteers. The most valuable and essential gift you can give to hikers is to help with Trail maintenance and volunteer recruitment.
• Hike the Trail carrying a bit of extra food, first aid supplies, and water (in sealed containers) to offer to hikers you may encounter on your hike (again, never leave food or drinks unattended). Novice hikers particularly may underestimate the amount of water they will need or forget to bring it altogether. 
• Pack out trash, which accumulates most at trailheads and shelters. Offer to take out a hiker’s trash, which helps lighten their packs (trash cans are rarely found along the A.T., and hikers often have to carry an ever-larger bag for days).
• Learn best Leave No Trace practices to help conserve the Trail.
• Patronize hiker-friendly businesses in A.T. Communities, especially those that are designated A.T. Community Supporters, to help keep the services they offer available for future hikers.
• Get involved with your local A.T. Community to help the town become more hiker-friendly or work with others in your town to set up a network of drivers to get hikers into and out of town.

P.S. from the Loudoun A.T. Festival: Three of those A.T. Communities you can get involved with are the communities that put on this festival--Round Hill, Hillsboro and Bluemont, VA.

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Thru-hikers arriving at our 2023 A.T. Festival.