The Cherokee Hiker July 2014 Volume 30, Issue 7 Cherokee Hiking Club, Inc. • 198 Crews Drive • Benton TN 37307 www.cherokeehikingclub.org ~CHC Hike and Events Calendar~ July 10, 2014 – Thursday. Club meeting and meal at the Golden Corral Restaurant in Cleveland at 6:00. July 12, 2014 – Saturday. Hiawassee River Float Trip. Leader: Clayton Pannell. July 27, 2014 – Sunday. Gee Creek Wilderness Hike. 2.5 miles round trip, easy to moderate. Leader: Leon Bates. JULY HIKES Hiawassee River Float Trip – July 12, Saturday Event leader: Clayton Pannell. We will meet at the boat ramp in the Hiawassee/Ocoee State Park (Gee Creek Campground) at 2:00 p.m. We will work out a shuttle when we meet in order to get some vehicles to Patty Bridge, from where we will launch out. The river most likely will be low, but we plan to float anyway. Everyone is responsible for their own canoe or kayak, life jackets, paddles, drinking water, snacks and any other needs. Note: life jackets MUST be worn at all times when on the river. Please contact Clayton Pannell if you plan to attend, by calling 423-263-9730 (home) or 423-435-1848 (cell). Directions from Cleveland: head east on U.S. Highway 64, and take the access road to U.S. Highway 411 in Ocoee (right past the McDonald’s on the right). Turn left on 411, continuing north, going through Benton, and past the Polk County High School on the right. Soon after you cross the Hiawassee River, you will see Spring Creek Road off to the right. Turn down Spring Creek Road and continue on this road a mile or two, crossing over Gee Creek. Not long afterwards, you should see a sign for the Hiawassee/Ocoee State Park on the right. Turn down this road, going for a short ways. You should see the Gee Creek Campground off to the left. Turn in here and look for the boat ramp. Gee Creek Wilderness Hike – July 27, Sunday afternoon Hike leader: Leon Bates. Rating: easy to moderate. Length: 2.5 miles round trip. This will be joint hike with the Cherokee Hiking Club and the Tennessee Valley Wild Ones (native plant society; website is http://tennesseevalley.wildones.org/ ) to the Gee Creek Wilderness will be Sunday afternoon July 27. Meet at the Gee Creek Trailhead near Delano at 1:30 p.m. and bring water, snacks and rain gear. The 2.5-mile round trip is rated easy to moderate with spectacular scenery and diverse wildlife habitat. 1 Contact Leon Bates at 256-710-5508 for more details, and to confirm participation. Directions from Cleveland: head east on U.S. Highway 64, and take the access road to U.S. Highway 411 in Ocoee (right past the McDonald’s on the right). Turn left on 411, continuing north, going through Benton, and past the Polk County High School on the right. A little ways after you cross the Hiawassee River, you will see Gee Creek Road off to the right. Turn down Gee Creek Road and continue on this road for a little while; it will first go south and then head back up toward the northeast. After a little while, you will see the trailhead off to the left. To make sure you don’t miss it, please contact Leon a day or more ahead of time at the number listed above, as cell service will be limited in this area. Hikes and events in July For last minute updates to our current hike schedule, there are 3 places to check: 1. Our club website at http://www.cherokeehikingclub.org 2. The Cherokee Hiking Club Facebook page. Click on the Facebook link: . 3. The Cherokee Hiking Club Meetup page. Click on the Meetup link below: *NOTE: As a courtesy, ALWAYS contact the hike leader in advance of the hike to facilitate planning. OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST July Club Meeting – July 10, Thursday The meeting will be held along with a cafeteria-style supper in the Golden Corral Restaurant in Cleveland at 6:00 p.m. The address is 350 Stuart Road NE. Everyone is responsible for their own tab and tip. Directions: go to Exit 27 on I-75, and turn toward the east, going into Cleveland on Paul Huff Parkway. Go past the Home Depot and the Bradley Square Mall on the left and Lowe’s on the right. Continue through the major intersection with Highway 11 (Keith Street); Paul Huff Parkway at that point becomes Stuart Road. Just a short ways afterwards you will see the Golden Corral on the right. In Memory of Bob Lee As was mentioned in the June newsletter, Bob Lee, an active member of the club for many years and avid hike leader along with his wife Effaleda, passed away at the end of May. In honor of Bob and in appreciation of his many years of service to the club and love of the Smoky Mountains, the club donated a sum of $100 to the Niota United Methodist Church in Niota, Tennessee, at the request of his widow Effaleda. Please continue to keep Effaleda and the Lee family in your prayers of sympathy. 2 Monthly Saturday Work Trip in the Tellico Ranger District – July 12, Saturday This is not an official CHC event, but all willing and able hands are invited. No special skills are needed, just an ability to wield simple yard tools, a strong back and positive attitude. We will be tackling side hill slump on the Henderson Mountain Trail, as well as logging and brushing out the trail. This event is open to all, but you must let us know in advance. We will be limiting the number of workers to 20. Put this on your calendar and let us know if you plan to join us – Rick Harris. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor’s Center in Tellico Plains. The address is 225 Cherohala Skyway. Bring a lunch, water and some tools such as loppers, lightweight saws, clippers, etc. And don’t forget the bug spray! Directions from Cleveland: go east on U.S. Highway 64 and turn onto U.S. Highway 411 at Ocoee, heading north. Go through Benton and turn right on TN State Highway 310 (Mecca Pike) in Etowah, heading east again. This road turns into TN State Highway 39 and ends up in Tellico, where it will dead- end into TN State Highway 68. Turn right on 68, and then a short ways after, turn left on Highway 165, the Cherohala Skyway. Go a short ways down and you will see the Cherohala Skyway Visitor’s Center on the left. Please contact Rick Harris at 513-260-1184 (cell) or [email protected] if you plan to attend. For further updates on this event, and to post comments or questions, go to http://www.meetup.com/Cherokee- Hiking-Club-of-Southeast-Tennessee/events/190563732/. Cherokee Heritage Festival –August 2-3, Saturday-Sunday This event is sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Friends of Red Clay. The event, as well as most events held at the Red Clay State Historic Park near Cleveland, is of interest to all those who are interested in the Cherokee heritage and history in this area. The times will be 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., both days. This is the first of a new annual event that will offer a different Cherokee theme each year. This year, the theme will be “Resistance and Persistence: The Formation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee”. Complete with traditional singing and dancing, Native American foods, nature programs, Cherokee vendors, 18th and 19th century living history historians, storytelling, and other programs throughout the weekend. Be sure to enjoy the traditional game of Stickball and hear the lectures about the Cherokee removal and the formation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. There will also be a new temporary exhibit in the Visitor’s Center that will focus on the new theme. We look forward to seeing you there. If interested in purchasing food or gifts from the Cherokee vendors and artisans, it is advisable to bring cash. Other costs include $5.00 per vehicle for parking. There are short hiking trails at the Park, so if you feel like a little exercise, bring your walking shoes/boots. The terrain is a little hilly, but the trails are well-made and don’t have a lot of rocks. For more information please call the park office at 423-478-0339. Directions from Cleveland: head south down I-75 and turn at Exit 20, going east (left) on U.S. 74/Bypass U.S. 64/APD 40. Go a few miles, and turn down Blue Springs Road to the right, going south. Continue for several miles. The road will come to a “T” intersection at some point; just take a right, and Blue Springs Road will continue there. When Blue Springs Road crosses TN State Highway 317 (Weatherly Switch Trail), continue to go straight. The road name changes at that point to Red Clay Park 3 Road. At the fork, bear to the right. The road will pass over a creek shortly after. Continue for a ways, and the road will curve to the left and then to the right. You should start seeing the signs to the Red Clay State Historic Park around that point; just follow the signs. The entrance to the park will be on the right. If you have crossed the state line into Georgia, you have gone a little too far.