Volunteer Trail Leaders

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is built and maintained by volunteers organized into task forces which are each responsible for a particular section of trail.

About 75 task forces are now maintaining the 500-miles of foot rail. Four of these task forces are also building new trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway and at Falls Lake. Others are maintaining existing trail. New volunteers are always welcome at any of our trail workdays across North Carolina.

Each task force is led by a volunteer Task Force Leader who is experienced in trail construction and maintenance techniques. Task Force Leaders with responsibility for long and difficult sections or ones that are under construction often assign volunteers to be responsible for subsections and coordinate crews of volunteers for bigger trail construction projects.

FMST provides support to the Task Forces and its volunteers in a number of ways:

1.) Many of our volunteers are highly experienced in trail construction techniques and are happy to share that expertise with others as they build and maintain the trail.

2.) Allen de Hart, one of the nation's experts on trails, serves as Project Director for the FMST - the direct contact between FMST and Task Force Leaders.

3.) On the first Saturday in February each year, we organize our annual conference of task force leaders so that volunteers can raise questions and concerns and we can share information about statewide issues.

4.) We organize special training such as chainsaw certification and trail construction classes.

5.) We apply for grants for tools, supplies, and materials and provide needed funds to task forces.