What we’re about
The ORIGINAL hiking group in Central Virginia, and still the best! The Charlottesville Chapter (<- click the link) of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (<- click the link) is the oldest trail maintenance and hiking organization in the Charlottesville area, helping and hiking trails since 1986! (Way before Meetup.) Our members are avid hikers who love the trails so much we recognize the vital need to maintain them for all to enjoy. The Chapter's hike leaders include folks who have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, all of the trails in Shenandoah National Park, and across the planet many foreign countries. Our Chapter’s leaders have combined over 350 years of hiking and 100 years of hike leader experience. The PATC uses only certified hike leaders.
We have a lot of fun exploring local trails, but trail building and maintenance is the centerpiece of the PATC's mission. The PATC maintains 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap at the south end of Shenandoah National Park to Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania and over 1000 miles of other trails in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The effort requires the contributions of hundreds of volunteers, who serve as trail maintainers, trail crew members, land management specialists, and in many other capacities. PATC volunteers log tens of thousands of service hours every year, in their efforts to keep hiking trails safe, sustainable, and accessible. The vast majority of the trails you hike are maintained by volunteers, not paid federal employees.
You do not need to be a PATC member to hike with us or do trail maintenance, though we hope that you will consider joining the club. Your dues contribute to purchasing equipment used to maintain trails, acquiring land for parking areas and buffers along the Appalachian Trail, and building/maintaining trail shelters and cabins. And membership entitles you to rent one of PATC’s 45+ cabins in the region.
So don't just HIKE the trails, HELP the trails! Come join us for some fun!
Members must have a profile picture of yourself to join the group.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Appalachian and Jones Run Trail Loop via Dundo GapJones run, Crozet, VA
We will meet at Jones Run Parking area along Skyline drive. We will follow Jones Run trail downhill to Doyles river. We will pass several waterfalls before arriving at Browns gap Fire road, then head back to skyline drive, passing Dundo campground before returning to Jones Run parking.
This hike includes beautiful waterfalls, rocky sections and muddy spots. We will start at 0800 to avoid hottest part of the day. Bring snacks, hiking sticks and plenty of water. Don't forget the bug spray and sun block.
This hike is 6.6 miles with 1350 ft of elevation gain. Estimated to take about 3.5 hours. Bad weather forecast will cancel the night before.
Below is a map you can print of the area we are hiking;
Loft Mountain Area Road and Trail Map
Jones Run Parking Area, Crozet, VA 22932
MP 84.1
38.230170, -78.724948 - Mini-Backpacking Trip & Riprap HikeNeeds location
his Meetup is being posted in 2 PATC Meetup Groups.
PLEASE SIGN UP ON THE PATC HIKES & EVENT. LINK HERE.- PATC Hikes & Events (please sign up here!)
- Charlottesville PATC Hiking (we’d love to have you, but please sign up on PATC Hikes)
This trip is a warm weather mini-backpacking and a day hike including the popular Riprap Trail in the South District of Shenandoah National Park. Riprap has great panoramic views, streams, a swimming hole and follows the AT for a bit. I’ve wanted to do it for years but hate the idea of driving 3-hrs each way in the same day. Solution? Combine it with some backpacking!
We will meet along Skyline Drive and backpack 1.2 miles to an AT shelter. We can then camp there and not have to worry about being lightweight as it is such a short hike. The following morning, we will return to our cars, ditch the backpacking gear and drive 5 miles North and then hike Riprap as a day hike.
Maximum Group Size: 8
