Space is still available on the Friends of the Smokies guided hike exploring the Kephart Prong Trail, followed by a visit to the OconalufteeVisitorCenter and MountainFarmMuseum. Saturday, March 17, hiking enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein (Hiking North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Heritage) will lead this 4 mile hike along the Kephart Prong Trail, interpreting the remains of the CCC camp and a backcountry shelter. The hike is easy to moderate in difficulty, and has a total elevation gain of 950 ft. Hikers will also visit the nearby Oconaluftee Visitor Center and receive a Ranger-guided tour of the adjoining Mountain Farm Museum.
Participants may gather to depart fromAsheville at 9 a.m.,MaggieValley at 9:30 a.m., or in the Park at 10:30 a.m. Meeting locations specified upon registration. Hikers should come prepared with food, water and appropriate hiking gear for the all day excursion. A donation of $35 to go to the Friends’ Smokies Trails Forever program is requested, and includes a complimentary membership to Friends of the Smokies. A donation of $10 is requested from current Friends of the Smokies members. Members who bring a friend hike for free.
To register for any of the hikes, contact Friends of the Smokies at grtsmoky@bellsouth.net or 828-452-0720. For more information, including a complete list of the North Carolina Classic Hikes series, visit www.friendsofthesmokies.org. Information about helping to maintain and improve these special trails can be found at www.smokiestrailsforever.org.
– Friends of the Smokies
