Five Hikes for Halloween

With Halloween just three weeks away our friends over at Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine have published a list of the five most spookiest hikes in the southeast - each leading to a cemetery.

The magazine points out that the rich history of the Southern Appalachians, including the frontiersmen, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and the Cherokee and the Scotch-Irish cultures with their rich storytelling traditions, have created a recipe for an abundance of ghost tales.

Among their list are hikes to the Sarver Hollow Shelter on the Appalachian Trail, the Ghost House Trail in Big Ridge State Park, Corbin Cabin in Shenandoah National Park, and South Mountain Battlefield in Smith Mountain State Park.

They also have a hike to two cemeteries in the Great Smoky Mountains. They list the name of the trail as "Norton Creek Trail". Now I could be wrong, but I believe they actually mean the Noland Creek Trail (please correct me if so).

You can read the full article by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

National Trails Day at Shenandoah

Shenandoah National Park and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club will celebrate National Trails Day on June 5th. New hikers and experienced backpackers alike are invited to learn new trail skills and practice old ones at the Beyond the Trailhead event at the Byrd Visitor Center, milepost 51 on Skyline Drive. Come participate in hikes, demonstrations, and presentations throughout the day.

A variety of hikes guided by experienced Trail Patrol members will be offered for people of all ages and experience levels: hikes suitable for families with children and easy, moderate, and advanced hikes for adults. Hikers will need to meet at the registration table at Byrd Visitor Center 15 minutes before the hike time to sign in. Hikers should wear footwear and clothing for the season, and bring plenty of water.

Click here for the schedule of hikes. For more information on many of the trails in Shenandoah National Park, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage hiking schedule

As mentioned last week, the 60th annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will take place from April 21 thru April 25 this year - provided that the snow and cold weather decides to move out of here sometime before then.

As mentioned in that post, program details weren't yet released by the Great Smoky Mountains Association at that point. However, just yesterday, the GSMA updated their website with the complete program schedule.

Included in this year's Pilgrimage are several wildflower walks and hikes. Some are easy, and some are all-day stenuous hikes. Below is a list of most (but not all) of the hikes included on this year's schedule. Many of these are scheduled on multiple days.

* Albright Grove
* Appalachian Trail (2 miles)
* Appalachian, Fork Ridge and Deep Creek Trails
* Ash Hopper Branch
* Baskins Creek Trail
* Chestnut Top Trail
* Cove Hardwood Nature Trail
* Cucumber Gap Trail
* Gabes Mountain Trail
* Grapeyard Ridge Trail
* Grassy Balds - Russell and Spence Fields
* Injun Creek Trail
* Kanati Fork Trail
* Little River Trail
* Long Bunk, Mt. Sterling, and Little Cataloochee Trails
* Lynn Camp Prong
* Noah "Bud" Ogle Trail
* Oconaluftee River Trail
* Old Settlers Trail
* Old Sugarlands
* Porters Creek Trail
* Ramsey Cascades Trail
* Road Prong Trail
* Snake Den Ridge - Appalachian trail Low Gap Trail
* Sweat Heifer Trail to Kephart Prong
* Tremont to Elkmont
* Thomas Divide to Kanati Fork
* West Prong Trail
* White Oak Sinks

To see the complete Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage schedule, please click here.

On-line registration will begin March 9 and end April 17.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.