Appalachian Mountain Club

Founded in 1876, the non-profit Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of America’s Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. AMC helps people of all ages and abilities to explore and develop a deep appreciation of the natural world. 

We believe these resources have intrinsic worth and also provide recreational opportunities, spiritual renewal, and ecological and economic health for the region. Because successful conservation depends on the active engagement with the outdoors, we encourage people to experience, learn about, and appreciate the natural world.

AMC is the nation’s oldest outdoor recreation and conservation organization. AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forest, waters, and trails of the Northeast outdoors.

We are more than 100,000 members, advocates, and supporters, including 12 local chapters, more than 16,000 volunteers, and over 450 full time and seasonal staff. Our chapters reach from Maine to Washington, D.C.

We offer more than 8,000 trips each year, from local chapter activities to adventure travel worldwide, for every ability level and outdoor interest — from hiking and climbing to paddling, snowshoeing, and skiing. We host more than 150,000 guest nights each year at our AMC lodges, huts, camps, shelters and campgrounds. Each AMC Destination is a model for environmental education and stewardship.

We teach people skills to safely enjoy the outdoors and to care for the natural world around us through programs for children, teens, and adults, as well as outdoor leadership training. Each year we serve over 80,000 youth.

We maintain more than 1,800 miles of trails throughout the Northeast, including nearly 350 miles of the Appalachian Trail in five states.

We advocate for land and riverway conservation, monitor air quality, research climate change, and work to protect alpine and forest ecosystems throughout the Northern Forest and Mid-Atlantic Highlands regions.

Join us!