Benton MacKaye Trail Association launches monthly hiking series

Friday, January 8, 2010

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association is launching a monthly hiking series this year to introduce people to the new long-distance trail that crosses through the remote southern Smokies.

The Benton MacKaye Trail is a long-distance footpath of nearly 300 miles that takes hikers through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. From Deals Gap to Davenport Gap, the trail runs for 96 miles through the Great Smoky Mountains.

The red line represents the Benton MacKaye Trail and the yellow line represents the Appalachian Trail.

The trail was designed in the tradition of the Appalachian Trail, which was the brainchild of Benton MacKaye, a forester and co-founder of The Wilderness Society. It follows MacKaye’s original vision for the AT, which consists of a more westerly route as it proceeds out of Springer Mountain in Georgia.

The BMTA will feature a different section of the trail on a day-hiking series held the third Saturday of each month in 2010. The first hike of the year will be held Saturday, January 16, which will follow Big Lost Creek Trail. The hike, about a six-mile roundtrip, features a beautiful gorge, high rock walls, cascading rapids and falls.

The website emphasizes that you don't have to be a BMTA member to hike with the group.

Please call the hike leader Liz Carter for the meeting time and place. 828.644.0645.

You can also visit the BMTA website for more information.


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

1 comment

marko said...

Ifound you on search, looking for mountain activities :) Found bmta very nice, simple and family friendly site.