National Trails Day observed locally Saturday

Published 9:45 pm Tuesday, May 31, 2011

By Submitted by the U.S. Forest Service

On Saturday, the American Hiking Society will celebrate the 19th Annual National Trails Day.

The slogan for National Trails Day 2011, “Made with All Natural Ingredients,” is an open invitation to all Americans to get outside and experience everything the great outdoors has to offer. Trails do not just appear for our enjoyment. It takes many hours of planning and labor to develop them and much more time annually to maintain them. National Trails Day, the only nationwide celebration of trails, brings awareness to trails and thanks many people and partners for their support and hard work, including volunteers, land agencies and outdoor-minded businesses. It is also a day to give people an opportunity to give something back for the many joys and benefits trails offer.

Everyone is invited to celebrate National Trails Day in North Georgia by joining a U.S. Forest Service-sponsored event on the Sumac Creek Trail in the Cohutta Mountains. Forest rangers and trail volunteers will join forces on Saturday to provide some much needed TLC (trail loving care) to this popular multi-use trail open to hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. The first 50 people to sign up get a free T-shirt.

Meet at the Sumac Creek Trailhead at 9 a.m. Immediately following the trail work at 3 p.m., everyone will gather back at the trailhead for a picnic.

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To find the trailhead from Chatsworth, travel north on U.S. 411 North about 12.5 miles to Cisco; turn right onto Old Georgia Highway 2 and continue straight about 3.2 miles; turn right onto Forest Road 17 and drive about 2 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right side of the road.

No experience is needed, but please bring your own work gloves, sturdy footwear or boots, lunch/snacks, plenty of drinking water and a daypack to carry it all in. We will have lunch on the trail.

Please sign up with Forest Service event coordinator Larry Thomas by phone at (706) 695-6736, extension 103, or by email to lrthomas@fs.fed.us.

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