2026 Class
The 2026 Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame class honorees are Daniel Chazin of Teaneck, New Jersey; Elmer Hall of Hot Springs, North Carolina, Reese Lukei, Jr. of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Sandra Marra of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
|
Daniel Chazin is well known within the New York New Jersey Trail Conference for his decades of work compiling data and writing books about trails in that region. Others may be unaware that he performs a vital service for all A.T. users. For over 40 years he has served as the compiler of data for the A.T. Data Book, an annual publication of ATC that provides mileages and information on facilities along the Trail from Maine to Georgia. The Data Book is the source document for information on the Trail used by all other Trail guides, online apps, websites, etc.
In addition to this work, Daniel has found time to write a hiking column for a local newspaper, serve on the NYNJTC board and head their publications committee. He volunteers for the A.T. because a continuous greenway that allows millions to enjoy nature appeals to him. It is “a great resource” he says, “that links communities together in a common effort.” |
|
|
|
Those hiking the A.T. near Hot Springs, North Carolina know that they are well advised to hurry into town to get one of the spots at the historic Sunnybank Inn. For 48 years Elmer Hall has hosted hikers in his 180 year old home and treated them to home cooked chef-quality all you can eat vegetarian meals. Elmer discovered Hot Springs while hiking the A.T. in the 1970s. He needed a break from running a busy vegetarian restaurant in Durham, NC. After finishing the hike, he felt drawn to Hot Springs and Sunnybank and eventually acquired the house.
Becoming active in the Hot Springs community, Elmer founded Trailfest. One of the best known and well attended festivals on the Trail, Trailfest hosts thousands of hikers, locals and others in early May of each year. Whether you know his place as Sunnybank or Elmer’s, his establishment has become a legendary spot on the Trail. |
|
There seems to be no end to the boot tracks Reese Lukei has left on A.T. He is a life and honorary member of the A.T. and was on its Board three different times. For five years he edited “The Register,” the maintenance newsletter for ATC Clubs. He chaired the “Youth Committee” (now called Outreach) and promoted the Boy Scout Backpacking merit badge. Reese was a founding member of the “Konnarock Crew” and was crew leader for two years, and served as president of the Tidewater A.T. Club.
Somehow he found time to be co-founder of the “Committee of 17” which got the ATC involved in the Partnership for the National Trails System. His talents didn’t stop there, as he was also National Coordinator of the American Discovery Trail, and east coast state coordinator of HikaNation, the 1981 hike across the country from California to Delaware. |
|
|
|
Sandi Marra says that she has had a literal and figurative romance with the Appalachian Trail since 1983. She began her decades long involvement with the A.T. then, including volunteering at the Blackburn Trail Center and other trail work with the Potomac A.T. Club. Later on, she joined the Board of Appalachian Trail Conservancy and eventually became its Chair. When ATC’s CEO resigned in 2019, Sandi agreed to become interim CEO. She was persuaded to allow that interim role to become permanent, serving until January, 2026, while guiding ATC through numerous challenges, including the COVID pandemic.
Coincidentally with her introduction to the Trail in 1983, she met another volunteer named Chris Brunton, a/k/a Trail Boss. Their friendship became a romantic one and they married at Blackburn. Their love affair continues after more than 40 years. Trail Boss is himself a legend of the A.T., elected to the Hall in 2020. |