Conference Lodging and Transportation

Conference Venue - National Conservation Training Center (NCTC)

SCGIS 2024 International Conference is happening for the first time at the National Conservation Training Center, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA. NCTC is a Federally approved conference and training center located in West Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley along the Potomac River. Here is a link to an interactive map to explore NCTC grounds.

The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) has a fixed rate for accommodations + meals while staying at the venue which is $206 USD per night. Please visit their website for more information.

Lodging Reservation and Confirmation

NCTC has four lodge buildings, with 168 single rooms, 20 double rooms (two full size beds in one room) and 12 ADA rooms (one full size bed and a pull out couch). Conference attendees are to book their rooms directly with the National Conservation Training Center: Reservations.

Hotel Reservations
877-706-NCTC (6282) or 304-876-7900
Nctc-HotelReservations@Aramark.com

For more information on food/meals at NCTC, please visit the NCTC Services page.

If you have any issues confirming your lodging, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to assist you.

Facility Sustainability Fee

NCTC's sustainability fee is $25 per night. This fee covers costs for green improvements and state-of-the-art technology. It is pre-paid for all FWS employees. For non-FWS guests, this fee will be billed along with room charges at the time of check-out. Non-FWS Federal employees should identify the Facility Sustainability Fee on a GSA travel voucher as a non-mileage, miscellaneous fee.

Getting there

The National Conservation Training Center is located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia (link to Google Map).

Flying

The venue is about an hour drive from Dulles International Airport, and one hour and 45 minutes from Reagan International Airport in Arlington, VA. Visit the NCTC Visit Us page for information on driving directions from the area’s three major airports. 

Carpooling

SCGIS would like to invite you to use this Carpooling tool. We are not liable for any communications nor will we be tracking this sheet. It is simply a tool for conference attendees to use to find transportation to and from the venue. You will be able to privately communicate with the people you are carpooling with however you wish.

Shuttle Service

Shuttle service is available only from Dulles International Airport. The fee is $100.00 per person for a round trip and is payable at the NCTC Front Desk upon checkout; there is no discount for a one-way trip. There is no shuttle charge for children under 2 years of age. In the event that a federal holiday weekend either precedes or follows your class dates, special shuttle times may be in effect. If you want to use the shuttle you MUST make a reservation through the Hotel Reservations office at 304-876-7900. Office hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Please see the NCTC shuttle service website for further information

Driving

The venue is a 2 hour drive from inner Washington, DC. We highly recommend carpooling if you can. 

By Train

The nearest train stations are in Martinsburg (23 minutes) and Harpers Ferry, WV (30 minutes). Amtrak’s Capitol Limited line serves this station, and runs from Washington, DC (and Chicago, IL, Cleveland, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA) 

For detailed information on NCTC facility services, please see the NCTC facility services web page.

Childcare

Parents attending the conference will have childcare service available. The Children's Tree House is a non-profit 501(c)3, nature based early childhood education center located on the property of the National Conservation Training Center, where wild things, gardens, and creative minds grow. We care for and nourish children from 3 months to 5 years and provide summer camp for children 5-12 years of age, and we are the home of West Virginia’s only certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom. We connect children to nature while providing high quality care that helps build the foundation for their educational journey.

For further details on getting childcare service while attending the conference, please visit Children's Treehouse.

Register Now to attend the 2024 International Conference!

2024 conference sponsor logos: esri, UC Davis, mpumalanga tourism and parks agency, juniper gis, blue raster, NASA, locana