Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
“Maintain and protect the Appalachian Trail and its surrounding lands in the mid-Atlantic region.”
The work
What they do
Trail maintenance, cabin management, and conservation on the AT and other trails in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Partners with USFS and NPS.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “Protect and conserve Appalachian national scenic trail and other trails.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Boots on the ground
$328KCabin Services: Purchase, lease or manage cabins that protect the integrity and/or viewshed of pertinent trail lands; provide necessary maintenance and oversight of all cabins; rent cabins at affordable rates for members...
Read it as they filed it
Cabin Services: Purchase, lease or manage cabins that protect the integrity and/or viewshed of pertinent trail lands; provide necessary maintenance and oversight of all cabins; rent cabins at affordable rates for members and general public for their enjoyment of the outdoors.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$177KMember and Communication Services: PATC has 7,231 members at the end of 2025, of whom more than 10 percent volunteer their time in service to the Club, including trail maintenance and monitoring, education, cabin constru...
Read it as they filed it
Member and Communication Services: PATC has 7,231 members at the end of 2025, of whom more than 10 percent volunteer their time in service to the Club, including trail maintenance and monitoring, education, cabin construction and/or maintenance, leave no trace ethics, headquarters administration, etc. All members receive a monthly newsletter, the Potomac Appalachian, monthly email updates, use of member-only cabins, and discounts on PATC merchandise.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$138KOutreach: PATC participates in various events and programs geared toward reaching and educating both members and the general public about the mission of the club, as well as to advocate for the care and appreciation of t...
Read it as they filed it
Outreach: PATC participates in various events and programs geared toward reaching and educating both members and the general public about the mission of the club, as well as to advocate for the care and appreciation of the AT and other hiking trails. This includes attendance at various public fairs and festivals and the organization of group hikes. PATC also employs six seasonal individuals, known as Ridgerunners, who work on sections of the AT between spring and fall to educate and support hikers. We also maintain a volunteer group of trail advocates, known as the Trail Patrol, who do similar work as the Ridgerunners year round.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Boots on the ground
$113KTrail Maintenance: Provide erosion control, vegetation removal and overall maintenance of trails and foot bridges to provide hikers with a pleasant and safe experience, including 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail and 70...
Read it as they filed it
Trail Maintenance: Provide erosion control, vegetation removal and overall maintenance of trails and foot bridges to provide hikers with a pleasant and safe experience, including 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail and 700 miles of side trails.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
70 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$945,560 programs, $299,044 management, $97,748 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at PATC? Claim this page.
Those 1,300 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If PATC is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 1,301The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $855,687 |
| 2012 | $869,174 |
| 2013 | $966,974 |
| 2014 | $1,305,929 |
| 2015 | $1,004,235 |
| 2016 | $1,237,355 |
| 2017 | $1,354,145 |
| 2018 | $1,519,509 |
| 2019 | $1,245,131 |
| 2020 | $1,049,794 |
| 2021 | $1,745,544 |
| 2022 | $1,297,876 |
| 2023 | $1,803,644 |
| 2025 | $1,605,087 |
From $856K in 2011 to $1.6M in FY25, across 14 public filings.
Across the 4 states where they work, the congressional delegations average 57 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
70 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
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Threatened Lands MapStand with Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
99 years on the ground, 1,300 volunteers, 70 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.