Abingdon, Va. a "trail town"?

[Lone Wolf]

I can't help wondering how many - of any - of the people posting in this thread read the associate article, and not just the caption under the picture.

politics as usual. the mayor's son walked the trail
http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/...-c-ar-2197870/

[Cookerhiker]

...I thought part of the consideration was the community's support for the AT. Examples: volunteers doing trail maintenance, local hiking clubs' activities (perhaps monthly hikes), promotion of the AT both within and outside the community, trail-friendly zoning, field trips for school children. In other words, more than just providing food & hostels for thruhikers...

From the article:

"...the designation which, according to conservancy officials, recognizes the town’s and community’s commitment for at least the next five years to promote the trail through educational and promotional efforts and community volunteer work.

Conservancy spokesperson Julie Judkins said the designation represents about six months of working with the conservancy’s cooperative management program to develop ways for the community to be involved in trail conservation, maintenance and promotion. Those efforts include plans for education and curriculum at Virginia Highlands Community College and Tuesday’s event at the regular Farmers Market session."

[HikerMom58]

What about Buchanan VA? Is Buchanan a trail town? I've heard it tries to be but it's 5 miles downhill from Bearwallow Gap.

[max patch]

What about Buchanan VA? Is Buchanan a trail town? I've heard it tries to be but it's 5 miles downhill from Bearwallow Gap.

I spent the nite there on my thru and I was the only hiker in town. I got the hotel I stayed at added to the PG, but after one year it was removed. Maybe things have changed, but based on my experience I'd have to say "no".

[10-K]

Same with Glasgow and Buena Vista...

[Lauriep]

Note the name of the program is "A.T. Community." ATC is not claiming these communities are the same as what thru-hikers refer to as a good "Trail Town." The purpose of the program is not specifically to recognize towns that already have lots of convenient services for thru-hikers, but to provide incentives for towns to take new steps to appreciate and protect the A.T. and to educate future generations of hikers and volunteers, among other goals for the long-term health of the A.T.

Laurie P.
ATC

[Jeff]

What about Buchanan VA? Is Buchanan a trail town? I've heard it tries to be but it's 5 miles downhill from Bearwallow Gap.

In Maine 5 miles off trail is the norm !!!

[Skyline]

Abingdon's tourism gets a boost from Damascus' Trail Days each year, as a lot of people going to, or participating in, TD stay in hotels in Abingdon. Some eat in restaurants there, too. Local tourism boosters recognize the AT as a valuable resource they can also benefit from. As I understand the process: To benefit by receiving the official designation, a town also needs to show they will make real efforts to support the AT and those who care about it, the environment, education about the Trail, etc. however they can.

I don't think very many LD hikers--especially those without motorized transportation available to them--choose Abingdon over Damascus when they hike in SW Virginia or NE Tennessee.

ATC's designation of Abingdon as an "AT Community" is most likely the culmination of a lot of work by local citizens to prove themselves worthy of the designation. It has more to do with that than how many LD hikers use it for resupply or a zero day. Seriously, Damascus has everything an LD hiker really needs.

[RED-DOG]

Abingdon as a trail town i would say yes, its better than Dummascus any day.

[Grampie]

The town is just too far from the trail to be considered a thru-hiker friendly trail town. Any service needed by a thru-hiker is available in Damascus right on the trail so why would a hiker want to traver 20 miles to Abbington?

[Jeff]

I have to remind myself that thruhikers are just a small fraction of AT users.

[Cookerhiker]

I have to remind myself that thruhikers are just a small fraction of AT users.

Apparently we have to remind a lot of WBers too.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Only reason I'd ever visit Abingdon https://maps.google.com/maps?q=abc+s...r+Abingdon,+VA

[Sly]

The town is just too far from the trail to be considered a thru-hiker friendly trail town. Any service needed by a thru-hiker is available in Damascus right on the trail so why would a hiker want to traver 20 miles to Abbington?

The title and subject of this thread is misleading. Read Lauriep's post. The article and AT Community designation have nothing to do with thru-hiking or being a trail town.

[Local]

I was born in Abingdon and now live in Damascus, and offer a different perspective. Abingdon is an extremely wealthy town for our area: Damascus is not. Abingdon has its own tourism bureau: Damascus has zero dollars in the budget earmarked for tourism. Tourism in Abingdon is promoted by their own tourism office, by the county, by various tourist organizations like Heartwood: Damascus relies on a few volunteers and the kindness of strangers. So when we got the designation from the ATC as an "Appalachian Trail Community," we were very pleased and proud. Then along comes Abingdon and grabs the same title. It's sort of like being the little kid on the field with your brand new and very own football, then a big kid runs out, grabs it, and yells "Mine, mine!"

But the other side of that is that Abingdon does provide a large number of volunteers for both the AT and the Creeper Trail, far more in proportion than Damascus does. So I personally don't begrudge them the title too much. But dammit, could you not have waited for at least a year and let us enjoy our time on the stage?

[mtnkngxt]

I'd like to see the look on the faces of the parking attendant at the MW or the ticket taker at Barter if I tried to roll in after 10 days on the trail. The pizza place is killer though and they added a new dining room right before I graduated from Wise in 2011.

[bamboo bob]

Abingdon is definitely too upscale to be called a trail town.

Well, Kent is the most upscale town on the AT, so that can't be a definition.

[Skyline]

I was born in Abingdon and now live in Damascus, and offer a different perspective. Abingdon is an extremely wealthy town for our area: Damascus is not. Abingdon has its own tourism bureau: Damascus has zero dollars in the budget earmarked for tourism. Tourism in Abingdon is promoted by their own tourism office, by the county, by various tourist organizations like Heartwood: Damascus relies on a few volunteers and the kindness of strangers. So when we got the designation from the ATC as an "Appalachian Trail Community," we were very pleased and proud. Then along comes Abingdon and grabs the same title. It's sort of like being the little kid on the field with your brand new and very own football, then a big kid runs out, grabs it, and yells "Mine, mine!"

But the other side of that is that Abingdon does provide a large number of volunteers for both the AT and the Creeper Trail, far more in proportion than Damascus does. So I personally don't begrudge them the title too much. But dammit, could you not have waited for at least a year and let us enjoy our time on the stage?

We had a very similar situation regarding Luray VA (close to the AT) and Harrisonburg VA (much larger and a lot further away). In this example, Harrisonburg actually beat Luray to the finish line. They had their act together better, it seems. But finally, it has been reported in our local paper that Luray will also have the designation. All's well that ends well.

[Studlintsean]

I'd like to see the look on the faces of the parking attendant at the MW or the ticket taker at Barter if I tried to roll in after 10 days on the trail. The pizza place is killer though and they added a new dining room right before I graduated from Wise in 2011.

If you are referring to Bella's Pizza in Abingdon, Va, I will have to second your opinion.

[flemdawg1]

As a section Hiker, I've stayed in Abingdon 4 times. Stayed at the Days Inn 3x, Hampton Inn once (used points). Bellas is pretty good pizza and beer, but WTH is up with them using canned shrooms? Luna is actually better (near the K-mart).

Yeah I'd definately consider them a "Trail Community", in the same vein I'd consider Chambersburg, PA, Harrisburg, PA, Newport TN, Roanoke, VA or Johnson City, TN. A larger town near the trail with amenities that a section or day hiker would use (major highway, hospital, large shopping center/grocery/bigbox stores, hotels, restaraunts).