Press release from Friends of the Smokies:
Set your sights on a fresh start this year with the 2017 Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hike Series sponsored by Mission Health. Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park and experience the natural and cultural beauty of southern Appalachia. Stunning vistas, picturesque cascades, and historic places will be just a few of the highlights to expect on the monthly guided hikes.
The Classic Hike Series offers the opportunity for locals and visitors alike to become familiar with Great Smoky Mountains National Park through iconic trails that vary in length and difficulty. The hikes feature trail interpretation, history, and information about park projects Friends of the Smokies supports. Local Smokies enthusiasts lead the hikes and provide unique perspectives in a fun group environment.
Author and hiking expert Danny Bernstein founded the Classic Hike Series in 2011. Her knowledge and passion for Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been vital to the success of the popular day-hike program, and has shaped an ever-growing community of Smokies enthusiasts in Western North Carolina.
“Danny’s energy and expertise has played an instrumental role in leading the Classic Hike Series to be what it is today. Anyone who has been on the trail with Danny knows she adds a specialness to the hike that is unlike any other. We are grateful she is a Friend of the Smokies who continues to share her time and talents” says Anna Zanetti, North Carolina Director of Friends of the Smokies.
The Classic Hike Series will also provide an all-inclusive overnight experience at Fontana Lake on August 28th-29th. Participants will stay at Fontana Resort and choose from three guided hikes in this remote area of the park. More details and registration for this special fundraiser will be available mid-February.
The first Classic Hike of 2017 is Tuesday, March 14th at Mingus Creek. The hike is an easy four miles round-trip, and will include a visit to the Mountain Farm Museum and Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
To learn more or register for any Classic Hike visit Hike.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org. Individual hikes are $20 for current Friends of the Smokies members and $35 for new and renewing members. Hikers interested in registering for the entire series (excluding the overnight experience) can mail a check to Friends of the Smokies, 160 S. Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786 for the discounted series registration rate of $160. All donations made through the series support Trails Forever, a partnership program between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Friends of the Smokies that funds a full-time trail crew dedicated to restoring and rehabilitating priority trails in the park.
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