Alternative Spring Break
Build Trail. Leave a Legacy.
Spend your spring break helping build the Cumberland Trail, Tennessee’s 300-mile long-distance hiking trail.
Since the late 1990s, college students from across the country have traveled to Tennessee to spend a week working alongside our professional trail crew, constructing new sections of trail, exploring the Cumberland Plateau, and making a lasting impact on public lands.
What to Expect
A typical Alternative Spring Break experience includes:
No previous trail-building experience is required.
Who Can Participate?
We welcome:
Why the Cumberland Trail?
Unlike many service trips, participants help build entirely new sections of trail that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
Students leave knowing they made a tangible contribution to one of Tennessee’s most significant conservation and recreation projects.
A Tradition of Service
For nearly 30 years, Alternative Spring Break participants have helped build miles of the Cumberland Trail and contributed thousands of volunteer hours toward connecting Tennessee’s premier long-distance trail.
Schools from across the country have participated, including Michigan State University, New York University, Butler University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, and many others.
Request more information about Alternative Spring Break
Contact us to discuss available dates, project locations, lodging options, and program details.