by Danny Bernstein
In 2011, Holly Demuth was the North Carolina director of Friends of the Smokies and wanted to show that the North Carolina side of the national park has great hiking trails. She asked me to lead a hike for Friends of the Smokies. I said yes. After all, that’s what I do. I lead hikes for any nonprofit that asks me.
On a sunny day in March, Holly and I led a group on the Smokemont loop. Although a couple of hikers were extremely slow on the way up, everyone came out of the woods safe and sound with smiles on their faces.
Holly and I planned our next hike. We had no idea that the program would blossom into the large program which is now the Trails Forever Hikes program. This gives people a chance to go on an expert-guided hike in the Smokies while also raising money for the Trails Forever program that funds the preservation and rehabilitation of the park’s most impacted trails.
Last month, 16 experienced hikers from both sides of the mountains convened in the old Oconaluftee Visitor Center for training as hike leaders for the 2025 Trails Forever Hikes program. Many of us have led hiking groups for years; we knew how to do this. But leading for Friends of the Smokies is different from leading for other nonprofit organizations, such as the Carolina Mountain Club or Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. And things change.
Kevin Fitzgerald, Retired Deputy Superintendent of the Smokies, explained why he has been a longtime hike leader.
I volunteered to lead hikes for the Classic Hikes of the Smokies program a number of years ago to give back to the Friends of the Smokies and raise awareness of the Trails Forever program. As a former park manager, I personally observed the benefits of the generous support that the Friends brought to the park year after year in a variety of ways. The Trails Forever program allows visitors and donors to see up close the direct results of their generosity in supporting one of many critical needs identified by the park year after year.
Dana Soehn, President and CEO, started with an introduction to Friends of the Smokies. She emphasized the organization supports the park financially for many items that cannot be funded with the government allocation. Specifically, the Trails Forever Hikes program brings in more than $17,000 between dues and company sponsorships. That is a small percentage of what Friends of the Smokies offers the park but it’s real money.
I discussed the nuts and bolts of leading a hike. Besides the volunteer leader, the hike has a volunteer sweep (tailender) who stays in the back to make sure no one is left behind. In addition, Friends will provide two staff members. Olivia Wright is the outreach coordinator for Friends of the Smokies and will always be on the hike. A second staff member will enjoy a day out of the office while on a hike with us.
If all goes well, as it almost always does, the staff will meet hikers, answer their questions as we hike, and socialize on the trail. Occasionally, a hiker has trouble keeping up. The leader, sweep, and staffers are there to preserve the group experience and ensure the safety of the group. In some cases, they might decide to ask the hiker to turn back with one of staff if the hiker cannot keep pace with the group.
Karen Schultz, vice president of Carolina Mountain Club, is a second-year hike leader for Friends of the Smokies. She shared how she became involved with Trails Forever Hikes.
I moved to Western North Carolina from Chicago four years ago during the pandemic. I quickly connected with Carolina Mountain Club to learn about hiking in Western North Carolina. The first hike I did with CMC, the hike leader, Danny Bernstein, passed out brochures for Friends of the Smokies and told us about Trails Forever Hikes. I had no idea that the Smokies reached into North Carolina and was thrilled to know that we could also be hiking in the Smokies in a little over an hour’s drive! I joined Friends and did several of the hikes over the next couple of years. As I became a stronger hiker, I became a hike leader for the Carolina Mountain Club. At the same time, I was working on the 100 Favorite Trails of the Smokies and the Carolina Blue Ridge challenge. I fell in love with many of the hikes on the challenge and experienced areas of the park I was not previously familiar with.
When I was invited to lead hikes for Friends of the Smokies, I jumped at the chance. By volunteering to lead hikes in many areas of the park, I would learn more about the history of the Smokies and the trails and share that knowledge with so many others. It’s a privilege to lead hikes for Friends of the Smokies!
After a great lunch, Josh Shapiro, supervisor of the Trails Forever Crew, talked about the challenges and joys of the Ramsey Cascade Trail rehabilitation. What a trail! Then Joshua Albritton, head of the Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR), talked about educating visitors before they get too deep in the woods and need a real SAR (Search and Rescue).
Steve Pierce, an experienced Friends of the Smokies and CMC leader, explained why he volunteers to lead Trails Forever Hikes:
When I was asked to lead Friends of the Smokies hike, I immediately said, “Yes, sign me up!” The hikes are an excellent way to introduce the Smokies to people who haven’t hiked in the park and who might be reluctant to go out on their own. The hikes are also a great way to meet people who enjoy being outdoors and hiking. Trails Forever Hikes are designed to showcase different areas of the park and a variety of features that make the Smokies a unique and special place.
Leading the hikes gives me an opportunity to get out on the trail with friends new and old and to share information about the area we are hiking. It is an honor to be able to share our beloved Smoky Mountains with fellow hikers. I also like that these hikes raise funds for the Trails Forever Endowment that provides funds to rebuild trails ensuring they will be there for future generations.
At the end of the training, Olivia, who has been keeping the meeting going and on track, gives out the list of hikes that volunteers will lead. There are almost twenty hikes scheduled for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and even a couple of Saturdays. Come on out.
TRAILS FOREVER HIKES – Spots Available through November 2025
Trails Forever Hikes are offered the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month, March through November, plus two Saturdays in May and October. The hikes feature interpretation of the trail, history, ecology, and updates on park projects supported by Friends of the Smokies. Your participation supports Trails Forever, a program dedicated to the restoration and rehabilitation of some of the Smokies most impacted trails. https://friendsofthesmokies.org/hike-with-trails-forever/
