(All Women+ Crew) Support Hurricane Recovery at Hungry Mother State Park, VA (Weekend Trip)

Join American Hiking Society for a week of building & maintaining trails in exciting locations across the country. Volunteer Vacations foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love, meet new people, and have a great time doing it! Crews consist of 6-15 volunteers accompanied by a crew leader. Volunteer Vacations involve backpacking or day hiking and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. Experience nature up close. Travel to new destinations. Meet other outdoor enthusiasts. Take a vacation that nourishes your body & your spirit. Get Out. Give Back.

Project Specifics:

Virginia Treasure Needs Your Support Following Hurricane! This project is open to anyone who feels that an all- women’s trip that centers and celebrates the experience of women is the right space for them.

Visit one of the original six Virginia State Parks! Hungry Mother State Park is known for beautiful woodlands and a placid 108-acre lake in the heart of the mountains. This state park suffered extensive damage during the 2024 hurricane season.

For this project, volunteers will continue trail work on the Raiders Run Reroute, which American Hiking Society crews have worked on for the last two years. The trails have been bench cut (trail steps) on moderately steep slopes but will be improved for sustainability with water diversion features. Volunteers will improve trails by maintaining, shaping, and defining existing hiking and mountain bike features including berms, rollers, and trail tread formations on these trails along with other necessary features. Most of the work will be spent bending, shoveling, raking, chopping, and tamping.

Hiking/Access

Volunteers may drive or carpool from the Bunkhouse to the trailhead. There will be less than a mile hike to the worksite from the trailhead. The hike is on an unfinished trail which may be uneven. The distance hiked may vary each day with varying ranges in elevation. The distance hiked may vary each day with varying ranges in elevation. During this trip, Hungry Mother State Park’s average high temperature is 78°, and average low temperature is 58°.

Area and Attractions

Hungry Mother State Park encompasses roughly 3,000 acres with 250 acres developed. The park is nestled in the Appalachian mountains of southwest Virginia and has a 108-acre lake stocked with Muskie, walleye, and catfish, but plenty of other native species are available. Canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding are all available. Hungry Mother also has 18 miles of some of the finest mountain trails to hike and bike. One trail leads to the highest knob in the Park, Molly's Knob with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and countryside. Find out who Molly is and how she is ingrained in our legend of how she helped to give the park its name. The park is located in the same county as the highest peak in Virginia, Mt. Rogers, and is surrounded by National forest and many natural areas. The Channels, the Pinnacles, the Cascades, and Grayson Highlands State Park to name a few are all extraordinary natural finds and are all within an hour's drive of the park. This area is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. Basic shopping needs and nice eateries are located in Marion, VA, only four miles away.

Accommodations Description

Volunteers will stay in a historical bunkhouse with five bedrooms that have twin-sized beds. Linens are not provided. two bathrooms with a total of three showers and three toilets are onsite. There is a fully furnished kitchen with the basic supplies needed to cook meals. Stove, refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot are included. A large living room area is available. There is also a deck out back and a porch out front with a picnic table for outdoor gatherings. Laundry facilities are located in the bunkhouse. Wifi is spotty throughout the park. Verizon cell phone service works the best, most others can be used around the beach area. Volunteers need to bring their own sheets, bedding or sleeping bag; and towels.

Trip Cost: $350 per person

Find More Information & Register Here: https://americanhiking.org/volunteer-vacation-trip/hungry-mother-state-park-va-volunteer-vacations-2025/