Les Love doesn’t understand why so many people come out to the Carolina Mountain Club’s annual trail work day on National Trails Day.
This year, the event will be Saturday on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County.
“They will be very much sore and hurting afterward. We guarantee that,” said Love, a trail crew leader with the club. “They come out one time and say, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so hard,’ but they tell us it was so good. I think people enjoy helping, even though it’s hard work.”
That is really the point of National Trails Day — started by the American Hiking Society 23 years ago and held on the first Saturday of June each year — to encourage the public to find new ways of experiencing the country’s extensive system of foot and water trails, whether by mountain bike, horseback, canoe or by foot.
Many groups — from hiking clubs to nonprofits and land trusts, to national and state parks, across Western North Carolina — will attend free events and activities, such as the Carolina Mountain Club’s Trail Work Day, to showcase and inspire appreciation for our natural resources.
WNC has plenty to check out — the mountains have nearly 3,000 miles of public trails, including about 1,600 miles in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, more than 800 miles in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and 369 miles along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
DuPont State Recreational Forest has some 80 miles of hiking trails, and there are many more in the state parks, including Chimney Rock, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell in WNC.
“I think the idea is to show appreciation for the trails we have here, and the Carolina Mountain Club maintains hundreds of miles of trails,” said Love, 59. “These work days show people it’s hard work; otherwise, nature just takes them over. The main thing we hear at the end of the day is, ‘I had no idea it was this hard to build a trail.'”
The public is welcome to the work day Saturday and any of the quarterly club work days, which are run by club member Piet Bodenhorst. Bring gloves, sturdy boots, lunch, plenty of water and tools such as hazel hoes if you have them.
Carolina Mountain Club first began building the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Western North Carolina on Sept. 19, 1983, at Silvermine Bald, part of the Art Loeb Trail, Love said.
This work day and this section of trail — about a half-mile on the Mountain-to-Sea Trail on the west side of Waterrock Knob — is special, Love said. There are many trees to cut down, stumps to remove, boulders to hoist and trail to be cut, but once completed, this section will provide a continuous 317-mile hike from the Smokies all the way to Stone Mountain State Park, where the trail leaves the mountains and heads into the Piedmont.
“This year will be a real milestone for us,” Love said. “After this section of (Mountain-to-Sea Trail) is complete, we won’t be doing any trail-building for a while, just trail-maintaining.”
The entire trail when finished will be about 1,000 miles long from the Smokies to the Coast. After the work day, participants will receive trail prizes such as water bottles, T-shirts and whistles. It’s small, but the work is much appreciated.
“The parkway has 369 miles of trails but it doesn’t have a dedicated trail maintenance crew,” said parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon. “So the contribution of volunteers like the Carolina Mountain Club and the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway is invaluable, really. We rely on a daily basis on our partners and volunteers to make sure the trail experience is a quality experience for our visitors.”
She also encourages people to hike safely by planning ahead, telling someone where they are going and when they plan to return, staying on designated trails and keeping dogs on leash.
To coincide with National Trails Day, Land Trust Day in North Carolina is also Saturday.
“The natural assets we preserve have helped make this region an international destination for hiking, biking, camping, fishing, river adventures and farm-to-table culinary experiences,” said Cheryl Fowler, membership director with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, a land trust based in Asheville. “Our conservation work directly impacts tourism as an economic driver in Western North Carolina communities.”
To show appreciation for the work land trusts do in preserving the natural resources, Mast General Store in Asheville and Waynesville have pledged to donate a percentage of sales to the conservancy. Other participating businesses are Second Gear, New Morning Gallery, Blue Spiral 1 Gallery, Fine Arts Theatre, Bellagio Art to Wear, Bellagio Everyday, Navitat Canopy Adventures, Black Dome Mountain Sports, Laughing Seed, Jack of the Wood and Weinhaus.
The conservancy will offer a free, guided hike Saturday at its community farm in Alexander.
Social hiking
American Hiking Society is offering awards for the best photos taken at National Trails Day events. For a map of National Trails Day events go to www.NationalTrailsDay.org. Connect on social media for stories and photos from the trails, using the hashtag #NationalTrailsDay.
WNC National Trails Day events
•Carolina Mountain Club MST Trail-Building Day: MST trail-building work day with special prizes in honor of National Trails Day. Meet at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Home Depot off I-40 in Enka-Candler, Exit 44 to carpool, or meet at the Waterrock Knob parking area at Milepost 455 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (From Asheville take I-40 West to U.S. 74 west to US 19 through Maggie Valley and get on the parkway at Soco Gap). Return to Asheville by 3 p.m. Call Les Love at 828-230-1861.
•Sierra Club Montreat Loop Hike: Meet at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Black Mountain with return around 2 p.m. Distance approximately 4 miles on this loop, hike rated at easy/moderate. Planning to hike up Greybeard trail along the shaded creek, continuing over brook crossings. Double-back on Greybeard trail long enough to catch the Harry Bryant trail, visit a small waterfall and return via a loop trail. Learn about wildflowers and possibly salamanders. RSVP to hike leader Lisa McWherter atlisamcw2@gmail.com or 828-713-4994.
•Discovery Trail Hike with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: Meet at 10 a.m. Saturday for a moderately easy, family-friendly farm tour on the land trust’s 1.5-mile Discovery Trail in Alexander. Hikers will learn about the many projects on the Community Farm, including active farming areas for the Farmer Incubator Program, successfully restored streams and a native shortleaf pine restoration project. Bring a lunch and blanket to picnic on the farm after the hike if you wish. Directions provided upon registration. Contact Kana Miller at 828-253-0095 Ext 205 or kana@appalaachian.org, or visit www.Appalachian.org.
•Chimney Rock State Park Ranger Hike: Join a park ranger or naturalist along the Hickory Nut Falls trail, offered at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Meet in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts. Included with park admission. Park is on U.S. 74A in Rutherford County. Call the park at 828-625-1823 or visit www.chimneyrockpark.com.
•Friends of Chimney Rock State Park Volunteer Day: Join the Friends’ sponsored volunteer program to assist rangers with some of their duties, including marking uncharted territories, bush whacking new trails and battling invasive plants. Meet at 10 a.m. at the ticket plaza at the park entrance. Bring work gloves and plenty of water. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Work will be on the new Skyline Trail on the way back to the top of Hickory Nut Falls. Call the park office at 828-625-1823 to sign up.
•Lake James State Park National Trails Day/Salamander Hike: Meet Park Ranger Kevin Bischof at 9 a.m. at the Holly Discovery Trail parking area for a hike in search of salamanders. Come prepared to journey through woodlands, seeps, streams and pools. Bring appropriate footwear that can get wet and muddy. Call the park office at 828-584-7728.
•Gorges State Park Lower Bearwallow Falls and Lime Kilns hike: Meet Ranger McGraw at 9 a.m. at the Frozen Creek Access in Transylvania County for an adventure to Lower Bearwallow Falls and the Lime Kilns. This short but strenuous hike will take several hours and require 4×4 access into the interior of the park. Bring cameras, water and your lunch. Limit is 15 people. Call the park at 828-966-9099 to save a spot.
•Grandfather Mountain Guided Ranger Hike: Meet Ranger Appling at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Boone Fork Parking Lot. This program is suitable for adults and children above the age of 10. Children 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. No pets. Hike is on moderately strenuous terrain. Be prepared for the weather conditions, dressed appropriately and bring water and snacks. Call the park office at 828-963-9522 or email luke.appling@ncparks.gov.
•High Peaks Hike to Little Hump Mountain: Join the N.C. High Peaks Trail Association Saturday for a fun but strenuous 7-mile hike to Little Hump Mountain. This grassy bald north of Roan Mountain offers fantastic views, wildflowers and some early blooming rhododendron. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Burnsville Town Square. Transportation will be provided in a Yancey County van for a $5 fee, reservations required. Dogs are not allowed in the vans. Elevation change of 1,500 feet, so best for experienced hikers. Bring water, rain gear, snacks, lunch and a hat in case of sunny weather. Check www.nchighpeaks.org, or Facebook page for changes due to weather. RSVP to hike leader Dennis Smith at 675-9459 or dennissmith4141@gmail.com.
•Laurel River Trail Hike with Hike It Baby: Meet at 2 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of U.S. 25/70 and N.C. 208 in Marshall for a 5-mile hikealong the Big Laurel River in Madison County. This is an in-out route. The trail is flat and for the most part, tree covered. There are some rapids and trout pools along most of the route. Smaller children might need to be carried. Pack snacks and water. For more information, email k_huwe@yahoo.com, call 828-545-3382 or visit www.hikeitbaby.com.
•Panthertown Valley Hike in Nantahala National Forest: Meet at 10 a.m. Saturday on Breedlove Road in Cashiers for guided hike with Friends of Panthertown in Nantahala National Forest. Group size is limited and RSVP is encouraged. Call 828-269-HIKE (4453) or email friends@panthertown.org for more information or to reserve your spot. For more information about Panthertown Valley: www.panthertown.org.
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