Originally, the Club built several cabins as bases for work parties to use in developing trails in areas beyond easy commuting distance from Washington, D.C. Others were built by forest rangers and the Civilian Conservation Corps or were the homes of early settlers. Now these structures provide shelter for people who want to escape from urban living for a while, experience the way our forefathers lived, and explore the woods and mountains with less effort than required for backpacking, but with more isolation and privacy than afforded at public campgrounds. The cabins are an excellent and inexpensive way to enjoy the outdoors without the interference of modern technology. If PATC cabins could talk, they would be able to relate many memorable stories.

The PATC owns and manages an array of rental cabins. Cabins (with some exceptions) are primitive; you will need to bring your own sleeping bag, food, light source, and personal items. There is no running water; you will need to collect and treat your drinking water, and the lavatory is an outhouse. There is no heating or cooling other than a wood fireplace or wood stove, and small windows. There is no electricity. In most cases you will be carrying in all your items from between a few tenths of a mile to several miles. You will need to store your food to protect it from small furry fellow mammals. Accomodations in our fully equipped "cabins" are identical to our primitive cabins, save for the added convenience of electricity, plumbing, and in some cases, heating.

Cabins on government property (such as Shenandoah National Park) are operated and maintained by the PATC through various agreements with the local government agency and are available for rent to the public and club members on a first come, first served basis. Cabins on PATC-owned land are typically reserved for the exclusive use of the club membership. Fees for overnight stays vary from cabin to cabin, however most are significantly less than what is charged for "front-country" accomodations.

NOTE: Most cabins can be reached by foot travel only. Other restrictions apply for cabins within Shenandoah National Park.

A complete information guide with photos showing all the cabins in the PATC system is available from PATC's On-Line Store. We strongly recommend acquiring and reading a copy of this information guide prior to renting a cabin for the first time.

Volunteer crews and overseers build and maintain all of our facilities. For information about volunteer opportunities, see our Cabins Volunteers web page.

Use the menus at left to learn more about rental procedures and specific cabins.
Click here to view a map of the PATC cabins.