Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar
Here's what else is happening around town...
🫶 Our Rt. 340 Entrance is Prettier!
The entrance from Rt. 340 into Bolivar looks sparkly clean and we have a wonderful group of neighbors to thank! 11 volunteers joined us on March 28 to pick up over 14 bags of trash and a vehicle exhaust pipe shaft along Rt. 340 around the Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) Welcome Center and down Jefferson Street.
It was quite the haul! A huge thank you to everyone who showed up and special kudos to the CVB and Bolivar Bread Bakery for allowing us to use their dumpster for the collection. The streets of Bolivar look much better because of your hard work.
Volunteers stand with the some of the trash collected from the CVB Welcome Center
🥾🍾 Upcoming Trails & Trash Workday: May 17
Join the Trail & Town Alliance of Harpers Ferry & Bolivar for a volunteer work palooza that includes trail maintenance and trash removal!
We will be closing a short segment of trail ordered by WV Department of Natural Resources and some people's choice shortcuts causing unnecessary erosion, but sprucing up the fun with trail string trimming and cleanup of trash (mostly glass) spotted nearby! This will help us enter the late spring with our trails clear of both grasses 🌿 and glasses 🍾 before the spring growth fully covers both.
When: Sunday May 17 at 9:30 AM. Expect an hour, but there will likely be enough trails to string trim and glass to find to stay longer for those interested.
Bring: Comfortable shoes - Gloves - Long pants - Heavy duty trash bags (we’ll provide some too) - Boxes or other disposable containers for disposing of glass - Water bottle - String trimmer if you have one - Truck to move trash bags if you have one - Your neighbors!
Trash Disposal: We will coordinate a dumpster if available such as the free dumpster for Bolivar Clean-Up Week. However, it is still recommended that volunteers take bags home for those able.
🌳 Flip-Flop Kickoff was a Success
The Flip Flop Kickoff on April 24-26 was a success. We hosted 72 thru-hikers total over the weekend with a group of 16 thru-hikers setting off together on the trail on Sunday morning! Thanks to our town volunteers and our friends at Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the hikers departed well fed and well prepared for the challenges of the trail. Since 2015, the Kickoff has been a cooperative effort of Trail & Town Alliance, ATC, the Towns of Harpers Ferry, Bolivar, and—since 2022—Brunswick. River & Trail Outfitters provides support, as well as several other businesses and individuals. The Kickoff has been successful in promoting the "Flip Flop" concept, in which thru-hikers depart from the middle of the Appalachian Trail (AT) often from Harpers Ferry, hike to one end, then return to hike to the other end. This has alleviated heavy traffic of the trail by growing numbers of north-bounders originating from the southern terminus of the AT in Georgia in the spring.
We send a big thank you to all the folks who contributed their time, their talent, their food and funds to this effort!
Flip Flop thru-hikers before sendoff North from Harpers Ferry
🌿 Invasive Plant Removal in Woodpecker Woods
The Ecology Committee of the Trail & Town Alliance had a very gratifying Invasive removal work trip in Woodpecker Woods on April 12! With support from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 7 volunteers spent two hours pulling two species of plants along the trails' edges that are listed as the highest level of threat on the WVDNR list of non-native invasive plants: Garlic Mustard and Wineberry. The work not only reduces the harmful presence of non-native invasive plants and helps restore biodiversity, but betters the hiking experience and reduces work for trail maintainers!
For more info about invasive plants and the role they play in disrupting the balance of the ecology of our native flora and fauna, visit the WVDNR Invasive Plant Species List.
The invasive pulling volunteers from the event take a break for a photo (minus Lyn Widmyer as the photographer)
🌳🦌 Vegetation Survey Pilot
On April 21, the 4 volunteers from the Ecology Committee of the Trail & Town Alliance successfully piloted our first two plots for the AVID (Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer) protocol. Volunteers identified various tree seedlings including black cherry, box elder, eastern red cedar, hackberry, pawpaw, red maple, redbud, and non-native sweet cherry. While spring wildflowers were scarce, volunteers did find Solomon's seal and yellow fumewort. These surveys help us better measure and understand the intense deer pressure on our local forests.
Ecology Committee volunteers at their second site to conduct AVID
🚧 Byron Bridge Update
At the moment, the Byron Bridge remains open, but work has begun to prepare for the new staircase-ramp to be installed in the near future. Remember that this passageway between the C&O Canal and Harpers Ferry will be closed for about three weeks for final installation. During closure, Harpers Ferry NHP will provide a shuttle between the NPS Visitor Center and C&O Lock 34.
May 9 (10:30 AM - 2:00 PM): Holding the High Ground: Hike to the Stone Fort on Maryland Heights. Come prepared with proper footwear, plenty of water, and a lunch or snack to eat at the top. This hike is 7+ miles, rated Difficult to Strenuous, has a 1000ft elevation gain, and steep walking on dirt roads and trails. Meet at the Point in Lower Town, Harpers Ferry.
May 15-22 (8 AM - 4 PM): Bolivar Clean-Up Week. Free Dumpsters will be located at the Bolivar Municipal Parking Lot (37 Taylor Street) from 8 am – 4 pm daily. For additional information, contact the town hall at 304-535-2476.
May 15-16: Harpers Ferry World Fiddle Day. This event is inspired by “World Fiddle Day” that began in Ireland, and has spread to various cities and countries. Harpers Ferry World Fiddle Day is organized in partnership with the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar Historic Town Foundation. Proceeds will benefit the revitalization of the First Zion Community Center, an historic building being renovated for use as a cultural center. You’ll have the opportunity to hear exemplary musicians from the region who are specialists in traditional fiddle playing, the music of Appalachia, and beyond. Experience jam sessions, informative workshops, and concerts in the charming location of historic Harpers Ferry, WV. All events will be within walking distance of each other.
May 21 (6-7 PM): Folklore of Herbs in the 19th Century | History on Tap. Explore the rich stories of our historic town and gain a deeper appreciation of Harpers Ferry’s place in the nation’s story during our History on Tap series. Step into the warm, inviting ambiance of Alstadts Ale House and immerse yourself in engaging discussions on a range of fascinating history.
May 23 (2-4 PM): Backpacking 101. John, Dottie, and Regina will introduce attendees to backpacking skills, Leave-no-trace backpacking ethics, backcountry cooking, and the Appalachian Trail. Hosted in the conference room of the ATC Visitor Center. Limited to 15 attendees.
May 30 (8–10 AM): Woodpecker Woods Monthly Bird Walk. Join local birding enthusiast Deb Hale for a walk to view and hear local and migrating bird species. In places trails are steep and may be muddy and slippery. Hiking shoes, hiking poles with blunt tips, and water bottle are recommended. Bring binoculars if you have them (we'll have some extra). Sorry, no pets. The event is free. Meet at the Old Furnace Rd gravel parking lot. Group size is limited; please sign up by emailing ecologyhf@gmail.com. Sponsored by the Ecology Committee of the Trail & Town Alliance.
June 8 (8 AM): Harpers Ferry Bird Walk. Join volunteer Mark Bruns on a bird walk in and around Harpers Ferry this spring, starting at the ATC Visitor Center.
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What's the Trail & Town Alliance?
The Trail & Town Alliance of Harpers Ferry & Bolivar was formed by the towns of Harpers Ferry and Bolivar in 2008.
We're a group of volunteers who care about the future of our towns. We work for sustainable economic development, partner with our National Parks and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and make our towns’ outdoor resources even better for residents and visitors.
We also serve as the steering committee for the town's involvement in the Canal Towns Partnership and as a designated Appalachian Trail Community.
We meet monthly and always welcome new faces. Come say hello and learn what's happening in town! And feel free to forward this to a friend.
Trail & Town Allianceof Harpers Ferry & Bolivar Hi neighbors, Hope to see you at our next meeting! ☕ Our July meeting When: Monday, July 20 at 5pm Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar Here's what else is happening around town... 🌿 Recent Productive Garlic Mustard Pulls We have had a very productive season keeping combating invasive plant species! With support from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and our incredible volunteers, we have successfully executed multiple pulls...
Trail & Town Allianceof Harpers Ferry & Bolivar Hi neighbors, Hope to see you at our next meeting! ☕ Our June meeting When: Monday, June 15 at 5pm Where: Snallygaster's, at 1102 Washington St. in Bolivar Here's what else is happening around town... 🫶 May 17 Volunteer Workday was a Palooza! A huge thank you to the 6 amazing volunteers who joined the Trail & Town Alliance for our multi-tasking volunteer work palooza on Sunday, May 17! Together, we spent 1.5 high-impact hours giving our local...
