Appalachian Trail Lodge Sign Vandalized

TO The popular Appalachian Trail hiking lodge in southern Virginia says its sign was vandalized last week, for the second time. Huckleberry’s Hostel is located in Catawba, Virginia, near the iconic Dragon’s Tooth.

in a post on facebookthe shelter said the wooden sign it had placed where the AT crosses VA Route 624 (mile 705 northbound in Farbout) was cut in half with a power tool. The sign had recently been put up, replacing the original, which had also been vandalized the previous hiking season.

«Last year, they took down and burned our sign. This year, they cut down the new one,» the post reads. Photos accompanying the post show the sign clearly split in half. “Seeing it cut clean with a power tool, the impact was a little deeper than we expected.”

Some commentators speculated that the apparent cut may have actually been a natural split along the grain of the wood or a weak seam where two pieces of wood had been glued together, due to the lack of sawdust and the perfectly smooth and straight appearance of the cut.

However, the shelter has said it is confident the damage was the result of a deliberate act of vandalism. «We’d love to believe it was random… but sometimes you just know,» the post stated.

In its original post, the lodge promised to put up another sign, but changed course after speaking with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “ATC personnel did call us and indicated that no signs should be allowed on Route 624, so we will lower ours and the Four Pines signpost. (another Catawba hiker lodge) It’s supposed to too,” Huckleberry wrote in a follow-up post.

Commercial activity, including advertisements for hiker-focused businesses, is not permitted on AT lands. The shelter wrote that it previously believed the sign would be permitted since it was located on a public easement.

Despite these difficulties, Huckelberry’s forges ahead as the bubble of AT hikers moves through Virginia. The lodge, which is owned by a class of AT hikers 2024, primarily serves AT hikers, but also offers guided outdoor hikes.

«No sign will convince us,» Huckleberry wrote. “Our lodge, the vibe we provide and the services we provide will attract hikers.”

Featured image: Dragon’s Tooth photographed in 2024 by Trek blogger Charles Gutiérrez

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