Hikers, backpackers, bicyclists, horseback riders and other outdoor enthusiasts will be taking part in National Trails Day on June 6.
Established by the American Hiking Society in the late 1980s and '90s, the daylong event is always scheduled for the first Saturday in June.
The national organization's website cites the nation's 200,000 miles of trails as a means of "access to the natural world for recreation, education, exploration, solitude and inspiration."
"National Trails Day evolved ... from a popular ethos among trail advocates, outdoor industry leaders and political bodies who wanted to unlock the vast potential in America's National Trails System, transforming it from a collection of local paths into a true network of interconnected trails and vested trail organizations," the website relates.
In this area, several groups are planning hikes or work sessions as part of NTD.
In a big example, Richard Harris with the Benton MacKaye Trail Association is expecting about 100 volunteers -- from his group as well as the Cherokee Hiking Club, the Southern Appalachian Back Country Horsemen, the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, the Chattanooga Hiking Club and Tellico Plains residents -- to work on the Towee Creek reroute of the John Muir Trail/Benton MacKaye Trail or to hike in the Cherokee National Forest.
The volunteers will be doing tread repair on the Towee Creek reroute on a slope above the Hiwassee River, according to Harris. In addition to the work project, three hikes in the Tellico Plains area are scheduled: Bald River Falls Trail (nine miles), Unicoi Turnpike Historic Trail (three miles) and Fall Branch Falls Trail (four miles).
Harris calls Tellico Plains "the little town with the big back yard," which seems appropriate as it covers less than two square miles but borders on the Cherokee forest and its 656,000 acres, the largest tract of public land in the state.
The 2000 U.S. census showed Tellico Plains with a population of 859. That had grown to 880 by 2010.
Harris advised that each hiker should bring a daypack, two quarts of water and lunch. Children and dogs are welcome, he noted, but children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and dogs must be kept on a leash.
Those interested in the hikes should meet at the Cherohala Skyway visitor center in Tellico Plains at 9 a.m. Those doing the trail work should meet, also at 9 a.m., at the Quinn Springs campground shelter on Tennessee Highway 30.
Workers should wear boots and long pants and bring water and lunch. Helmets, eye protection and gloves will be provided. Dinner will be provided for the workers at Quinn Springs campground.
A free breakfast for the hikers will be courtesy of Tellico Grains Bakery, and dinner will come from the Tellico Outpost. Trail workers will receive a free T-shirt celebrating Tellico Plains as a "Trail Town"; hikers can buy the shirt for $5.
Steve Barnes, the Chattanooga Hiking Club's coordinator for the joint work session, said he expects five to 10 club members to take part in the project.
"For me," he said, "it is about the pleasure of being in the woods and enjoying the camaraderie of a group working toward a common goal, which is essential to the preservation of our freedom to roam the wilderness."
Two events are planned at the multisite South Cumberland State Park, according to park secretary Jodie Jones. A seven-mile hike will be led by Randy Hedgepath, a state naturalist, and a trail work day will be headed up by ranger Jason Reynolds, starting at the Grundy Forest parking area.
Both events start at 10 a.m. CDT, and participants are requested to contact the park beforehand.
"This (work day) will be physically demanding, so attendees should be prepared with sturdy footwear, snacks and water," Jones said.
Closer to Chattanooga, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park staff and volunteers are expected to work on the Mountain Beautiful Trail atop Lookout Mountain. Anyone interested in helping should meet at the Lookout Mountain Battlefield visitor center at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers can expect to return there about 2 p.m.
"We're taking everybody," National Park Service volunteer coordinator William Sunderland said. "There is just a large variation of people that we can tap into, and we are hoping that they will come out and help us on National Trail Day."
Volunteers should wear long pants and sturdy, closed-toed shoes. Lunch and all tools and supplies will be provided, he added.
Sunderland asks that potential volunteers contact him at william_sunderland@nps.gov or 423-752-5213, ext. 137.
For information about other area hikes or related events, visit www.national trailsday.org/events.
Contact Gary Petty at sports@timesfreepress.com.