By Steve Esser
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine, 2,190 miles of footpath leading through 14 states. Students from Young Harris College recently spent time helping to refresh the Approach Trail (AT) at Amicalola Falls State Park.
A group of students, faculty, staff, and friends of YHC worked in March on the 2026 YHC Spring Break Service Trip through the Hike Inn.
“Service opportunities like these provide a meaningful and important space for students to deepen their understanding of the impacts, efforts, and considerations behind outdoor recreational experiences,” said Dr. Joseph Pate, professor of outdoor studies. “This year, our service work focused on trail maintenance by addressing issues of erosion and excessive trail use and wear. Specifically, students worked on clearing and fortifying water bars on the AT Approach Trail at Amicalola Falls State Park.”
The group’s work focused on the area around the Hike Inn, a backcountry lodge, a gateway to the Appalachian Trail, and one of Georgia’s most distinctive state park destinations. The Hike Inn’s secluded location allows a wide range of people to enjoy the peace and beauty of the mountains without the trappings of modern life.
“The Hike Inn trip was amazing,” said Callie Atkinson, an environmental sciences major. “The trip helped me remember why I chose my major, and it gave me space to think and feel at peace. That was one of my favorite sunrises I have ever watched, and now I want to hike the AT.”
The Inn is a sustainably designed Georgia State Park facility nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest, just over an hour from YHC. The Inn offers private guest rooms, hot showers, fresh linens, and home-cooked meals. The Hike Inn’s mission is to make experiencing nature easy and help protect it through education and recreation. During their trail work, the group was able to engage with a number of “thru-hikers” who were beginning their journey of hiking the entire AT.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Hike Inn,” said Dylan Dicicco, an outdoor studies graduate from 2024. Dicicco is also an AT thru-hiker, completing the trail in 2025. “I just recently completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail this past summer, so it was incredibly refreshing to be able to give back to the trail community through completing trail maintenance.
“I am forever indebted to the people who helped me along my journey, so it’s about time I pay just a small portion of that debt back. We saw and met quite a few thru-hikers taking their first steps on their journeys, and it brought me back to just a few months ago when I was in their shoes. It made me miss it, but I am so thankful to still be involved in the trail world. It reminded me of a quote by Ram Dass I heard just before I started my own journey last year, ‘We’re all just walking each other home.’”
For over the past decade, the Hike Inn has extended opportunities through various grants, including the AT Tag Grant the past several years for Young Harris College. The grants allow students, faculty, staff, and friends to participate in annual spring break trips that afford spaces for meaningful service work on the Appalachian Trail, as well as the experience of staying at the Inn.
This year, YHC was given special acknowledgement at the beginning of the nightly interpretive program by the Hike Inn’s Board President, Richard Judy, who recognized YHC alumna Diane Duffard, Class of 2015, who thru-hiked both the Appalachian Trail (2016) and the Pacific Crest Trail (2018), and who also worked at the Hike Inn as a naturalist.
“The Hike Inn experience had so many experiential aspects, including the Inn tour, which showcased their composting systems, solar panels, and much more,” said Emma Parks, a psychology and environmental studies major. “I really enjoyed being able to do work on the AT Approach Trail and getting to wish luck to the ‘thru starters’ to Maine. It was such a great experience and community at the Hike Inn. Every employee and volunteer really made it feel like a home away from home.”
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College offers 34 majors and 23 minors, ranging from biology or outdoor studies to business administration or kinesiology. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
