Tuscarora Trail Maintenance

On April 18, 2026, 4 Shenandoah University students met the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s (PATC) Devil’s Nose Crew at a private trail head on the Tuscarora Trail outside Gore, VA, for our National Park Trust Stewardship Outing. We spent the morning hard at work digging 2 rolling grade dips to prevent long-term water erosion.

Bill Greenan, the Trail District Manager, thoughtfully planned out our activities to ensure the experience was not only fulfilling but educational. Participants learned the basic ins and outs of trail maintenance, safety, tools, vocabulary, and the history of the area. We took some time to practice trail blazing and clipping back encroaching vegetation. As we began our large project, Bill talked about the different methods used to prevent water erosion on the trails and why they chose rolling grade dips.

A rolling grade dip is a preventive water-erosion feature made of native soil that directs water off the trail and toward more secure, vegetative soil. It is made by digging a ditch, which runs diagonally across the width of the trail and acts as an “off-ramp” for water, and then building a berm from the strong clay-like soil on the downhill side so the water cannot pass over. Everything must then be leveled out so that a hiker can walk over with ease, not even noticing the subtle rise and fall. 

Participants agreed that this was an incredibly empowering experience: physically moving the earth, giving back to the trails that have given so much to us. We all look forward to seeing how our perspectives have changed as we get back on the trails as average hikers. These students will now notice every little thing that goes into keeping our trails accessible and have a greater appreciation for the hard work that teams like the Devil’s Nose Crew put in every single week.