Hike to Charlies Bunion with the Friends of the Smokies, June 13

Press Release from the Friends of the Smokies:

WAYNESVILLE, NC – Lace up your boots this summer for Friends of the Smokies Classic Hike to the iconic stone outcropping, Charlies Bunion. Join the group hike on June 13 for an 8-mile out-and-back trip to see some of the world famous views along the Appalachian Trail, which runs for more than 71 miles through Great Smoky Mountains National Park entering the park from the south at Fontana Dam, and exits in the northeast at Davenport Gap.

Each year Great Smoky Mountains National Park recruits a series of individuals called Ridge Runners, who provide a presence on the Appalachian Trail from March through October.  They provide visitor information, trail maintenance, keep up composting privies, report on conditions of the trail and shelters, assist with emergencies, advise hikers on food storage, and relay real-time information regarding possible problem bears among many other responsibilities.  The June Classic Hike to Charlies Bunions offers hikers the opportunity to experience a portion of the Appalachian Trail that passes through the Park and see first hand the work of the Ridge Runners.

Waynesville Resident and Smokies enthusiast Steve Winchester will lead the Classic Hike.

“I especially enjoy the hike to Charlie’s Bunion because of the trail we use to get there. Not only is this trail central to the GSMNP, it is a key section of the Appalachian Trail thru the park. It is also one of the highest elevation trails we will visit on the Classic Hike Series, providing us an outstanding view of the unique eco-system,” says Winchester.

Meeting locations for the daylong excursion will be in Asheville, Waynesville, and at the trailhead. Visit Hike.FriendsoftheSmokies.org to register for any Classic Hike of the Smokies, sponsored by Mission Health.

Monthly guided day hikes in the Classic Hikes series are $20 for members. New and renewing members may join Friends of the Smokies and hike for $35. Donations benefit Friends of the Smokies’ Trails Forever program, which provides the opportunity for a highly skilled trail crew to focus reconstruction efforts on high use and high priority trails in the park including the recently restored Alum Cave Trail, Chimney Tops Trail, and Forney Ridge Trail.

For more information, contact Marielle DeJong at marielle@friendsofthesmokies.org or visit www.FriendsoftheSmokies.org

SHARE
About Molly Horak
Molly Horak served as a reporter at Mountain Xpress. Follow me @molly_horak

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.