SAWS Staff Step Out for Trail Days
For the first time in the 39-year history of Appalachian Trail Days, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards joined the festivities in Damascus, VA, on May 15–17. Something new was in the air this year; the smell of fresh sawdust wafting over the crowd and the sound of a crosscut saw working its way through a beech log near the red caboose. Throughout the weekend, SAWS staff and volunteers shared our work with hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts and trail supporters.
There was a little something for everyone beneath the hemlock shadow green canopy. Visitors could try their hand at the crosscut bucking station, creating their own wood cookie to decorate and take home. An art station invited attendees to draw their favorite wilderness or outdoor memory and add it to our display wall. Staff members had meaningful conversations with more than 300 attendees about wilderness character and our ongoing efforts to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. We also connected people with upcoming volunteer opportunities, including a special workday held during the festival itself.
SAWS' Virginia Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, Jim Baum, wanted to give Trail Days
attendees a chance to give back to the trails during the event. On the festival's final day, six volunteers headed to Grassy Branch Trail in the Lewis Fork Wilderness just outside Damascus. Armed with crosscut saws and other hand tools, the group cleared 1.45 miles of trail, bucking and removing 20 Hurricane Helene blowdowns that had made the route impassable. It was inspiring to see people step away from the festivities and spend part of their weekend caring for the trails we all use and love.
Appalachian Trail Days marked the beginning of SAWS' 2026 festival season. These events provide valuable opportunities to share the story of hurricane recovery, connect with our communities, and meet people eager to lend a hand. Look for us this year at Meet the Mountains in Johnson City, TN, the High Knob Outdoor Festival in Norton, VA, the John C. Campbell Fall Festival in Brasstown, NC, and Roanoke GO Fest. We hope to see you there.
It's striking that six volunteers chose to spend the festival's final day clearing 1.45 miles and removing twenty blowdowns rather than staying at the booths. That hands-on workday seems like the most honest way to teach wilderness character, since visitors get to feel the crosscut saw rather than just hear about it. I'm curious whether SAWS found that festival workdays drew more first-time volunteers than standard scheduled trips, or whether the two attract different people.
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