by Julie Dodd
Hikers of the Classic Hikes of the Smokies for June and July added 15.4 miles toward the Hike 100 Challenge.
The June Classic Hike provided hiking in Tennessee and North Carolina and hiking in sun and in rain, as the hikers logged in 10 miles.
The hikers parked their cars at the trailhead for Kephart Prong Trail and then loaded onto a bus that took them to Newfound Gap for the start of the hike. Master hiker Danny Bernstein led the guided hike.
They hiked to Charlies Bunion with views of mountains and rhododendron. The return hike was on Dry Sluice Trail and Grassy Branch Trail (in the rain) and then Kephart Prong Trail.
The July Classic Hike was a 5.4-mile out-and-back (or more appropriately up-and-down) hike to Mt. Sterling.
The weather was sunny and the hikers not only had great views from the top of the Mt. Sterling fire tower but enjoyed wildflowers along the trail.
The Classic Hikes from March to July have totaled 38.5 miles so far, moving toward the goal of 100 miles for the Hike 100 Challenge in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the National Park System in 2016.
You can read more on Danny Bernstein’s blog about the June Classic Hike and the July Classic Hike. Danny reached her 100 miles of Smokies hiking in 2016 with the June hike. She’ll be helping others reach that 100-mile goal with the six remaining Classic Hikes of the Smokies for 2016.
Thanks to hiker Linda Spangler for sharing photos from the hikes.
The next Classic Hike of the Smokies will be on Aug. 23-24 to Mt. Le Conte, with an overnight at LeConte Lodge. Register in advance for the hike at hike.friendsofthesmokies.org