"At the first logging road after Tray Mountain, we came across several guys grilling and giving away hamburgers, along with all sorts of other treat & drinks. It was a really cool and welcome setup. Hiking builds an appetite and it’s tough to pack out warm food. We joined about 7 other hikers to have a burger (something I’d regret later).
It turned out the guys grilling out were a part of a local church ministry. And it turns out that Appalachian Trail ministries are sort of a thing. Not only did we encounter these guys, a bit a later we’d run across a troupe of church kids hiking the trail, along with a couple guys who were hiking the entire AT as part of trail ministry.
Then, at Dick’s Creek we ran into 2 separate church groups providing chili, hotdogs, haircuts, candy, drinks, everything else a hiker would want.
Anyway, I had no idea trail ministry was such a big thing, and was neat to see it on the trail .Groups came from as far away as Tennessee to talk to and help out thru-hikers, all of whom were super-appreciative."
BELOW is a photo of what is referred to as TRAIL MAGIC or in this case what we like to call Trail Ministry. We saw this on our first A.T. hike, it was a large metal box with three crosses cut out on the top. Inside it was filled with cold drinks, snacks and a garbage container for hikers to dispose of any needed waste, what a great blessing to each person who passes!
