Two Trail Crews, 1,600 New Feet of the Cumberland Trail

In early October, the Cumberland Trail Conservancy in Tennessee posted its September trail crew report, and it's the good kind of news: one crew finished 842 feet of brand-new trail on Audubon Mountain, while a second crew completed another 775 feet — more than 1,600 feet of new footpath, combined, across some of the toughest ground in the state. Nobody cut a ribbon. They just moved rocks until there was a trail where there wasn't one before.

What happened on Audubon Mountain

The Audubon crew earned every foot. According to the Conservancy's update, September tested the crew's determination as they built through some of the most challenging terrain on the project, with nearly every day spent navigating exposed roots, buried rocks, and uneven ground. They spent much of the month removing large rocks from the tread, digging through dense root systems, and shaping the trail by hand — and despite persistent heat and humidity, they finished several trail features, including stone steps and pavers built for durability. Heavy rain in the final week shortened several workdays, but the crew kept advancing whenever conditions allowed.

Meanwhile, a second team was at work nearby. The Bird 1 crew focused on deep sidehill cuts as they advanced toward the first planned switchback, with a mini excavator proving invaluable in terrain where hand tools alone would make for incredibly slow going. Near the end of the month they hit a stretch of bluff rock that forced route adjustments and extra hand work, then got back on course.

Why a few hundred feet matters

On paper, 1,600 feet doesn't sound like much. On a mountainside, it's everything. As the Conservancy put it, in terrain where progress is often measured one rock and one root at a time, that kind of accomplishment reflects tremendous skill, persistence, and hard work. This is also a long game: the Conservancy has been building the Cumberland Trail since 1997, calls it one of Tennessee's most ambitious conservation and recreation projects, and counts 33 completed sections with more under construction. Every September like this one brings the whole thing a little closer.

The same spirit runs all the way to Florida

This is a Southern tradition, not a Tennessee quirk. Down at the flat end of the region, the Florida Trail Association — a nonprofit volunteer organization incorporated in 1964 — builds, maintains, and protects the 1,400-mile Florida Trail, one of only eleven National Scenic Trails in the country. Every year, hundreds of people contribute thousands of hours to building and maintaining it. If you've ever walked a dry, well-blazed mile in the Sunshine State, a volunteer with a mower and a paintbrush probably got there first. It's part of why we keep making shirts about the place — you can browse our Florida collection, or grab the Welcome to Florida Tee and wear it somewhere with sand in the trail.

What you can do about it

Trail crews run on new hands. In Tennessee, the Cumberland Trail Conservancy invites folks to join an upcoming event building new trail, repairing existing trail, or just exploring — find a date that fits and pitch in. In Florida, the Panhandle Chapter is hosting a trail maintenance work party along the Ecofina River November 6–9, and the FTA provides the tools, training, and food — you bring yourself. Or simply go hike a finished section this fall and notice the stone steps. Someone set every one of them by hand.

Common questions

Where is the Cumberland Trail?

It's in east Tennessee. The Cumberland Trail is a Tennessee hiking trail and state park following a line of ridges and gorges, planned to run from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park to Signal Point near Chattanooga.

Can a beginner really volunteer on a trail crew?

Yes. The Florida Trail Association says it plainly: whether you're a seasoned trail volunteer or new to trail work, there's a place for you. Show up willing to dig and you'll be useful by lunch.

Is the new Audubon Mountain section open to hike yet?

Not yet — it's still under construction. The Conservancy says that thanks to the crew's dedication, hikers will one day enjoy a trail that blends naturally into the landscape through this beautiful section of the Cumberland Trail. Worth the wait.

Reported by Cumberland Trail Conservancy. Details as published at the time of writing.