Cherokee MST Birthday Hike 

LOCATION:  Oconaluftee River Trail and Mingus Creek Trail, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (MST Segment 1, Eastbound Miles 24.2 to 28.0)

TIME: Meet at 9:30 am on Saturday, September 7

HIKE DESCRIPTION: This hike will be led by Friends of the MST's Trail Resource Manager and guidebook author Jim Grode, and leaders from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians may also be present. The hike highlights Cherokee culture and the beauty and human history of this part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Beginning at the park's Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the hike follows the gravel and natural-surface Oconaluftee River Trail past several interpretive panels featuring information about the Cherokee people's culture and relationship with the river; the Mountain Farm Museum, a collection of mostly 19th century farm buildings collected from locations throughout the park; and along the Oconaluftee River, where elk are frequently spotted. This portion of the hike will be featured in Friends' forthcoming guide, Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail. After returning to the visitor center, the hike will continue a short distance on the wide grassy shoulder of US 441 to the Mingus Creek trailhead, where hikers can see a working grist mill. From here, the hike continues on natural surface trail along a beautiful creek for as far as hikers wish to go (after about 2.5 miles, the trail leaves the creek and becomes steeper). 

 LENGTH OF HIKE: The out-and-back format provides options ranging from 1.4 to 7.6 miles or more

DIFFICULTY: Easy

MEETING LOCATION: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, 1194 Newfound Gap Road, Cherokee, NC 28719; N35.51288, W83.30665.

HIKE LEADER: Jim Grode, jgrode@mountainstoseatrail.org

HIKE LOGISTICS: After returning to the starting point, hikers are encouraged to explore the exhibits and shop at the visitor center at their leisure. The hike is kid-friendly. Dogs are welcome on the Oconaluftee River Trail, but are not allowed on the Mingus Creek Trail.

STICK AROUND CHEROKEE: On Sunday, September 8, Les and Catherine Love will lead a hike for the Carolina Mountain Club in nearby Sylva, which MST hikers are welcome to join. The Assault on Black Rock and The Pinnacle is a strenuous 11.5-mile hike with 3,450 feet of ascent. For more information, go to www.carolinamountainclub.com, select Hiking>Hike Schedule, be sure the dropdown boxes are set to All-Day Weekend, Quarter 3, 2019, and scroll down to September 8.

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