In the wake of Hurricane Helene, MountainTrue is dedicated to addressing the urgent needs of our community.
Join MountainTrue's very own Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly for our Winter Tree ID Workshop Hike at Big Laurel Creek Trail. During this hike, we will discuss the different ways that you can identify trees in your area. This hike is open to all skill levels of aspiring tree identifiers so we hope to see you there!
Join MountainTrue's very own Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, on March 20th from 10 am - 12 pm, for our Winter Tree ID hike at Lake Chatuge. The 1.2-mile loop trail at the Lake Chatuge Recreation Area Trail offers a tour along the lake shoreline which holds a wide diversity of native trees perfect for identification! During this hike, we will discuss the different ways that you can identify trees in your area. This hike is open to all skill levels of tree identifiers so we hope to see you there!
This is a great late winter hike that follows the Green River offering continuous views of its quiet stretches to its most intense rapids. We'll look for early wildflowers and migrating warblers. Because it lies at lower elevations than more northerly mountain counties, temperatures should be mild and spring vegetation will be farther along.
Join our MountainTrue Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, and Broad Riverkeeper, David Caldwell, as we explore two trails in the North Pacolet sub-basin, a tributary of the Broad River. David will discuss the value and concerns associated with headwater streams, while Bob informs us all about the flowers, plants, and animals we find there.
This easy-to-moderate trail climbs one mile through the lovely mountain forest and opens up onto a large grassy field at the top. This spectacular summit will be the site for some guided reflection before looping back down the mountain. MountainTrue's Ecologist & Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, will offer some ecological insights along the hike. Once we reach the top of the Mountain Creation Care Alliance director Scott Hardin-Nieri, will provide some spiritual context around caring for our ecological neighbors.
Join us for our Western Region Spring Hike! For this hike, we'll hike the Panthertown Valley Trail to Mac's Gap Trail, forming a loop. This is a moderate 5.6-mile hike with 895 feet of elevation gain located near Glenville, North Carolina in the Panthertown Valley area of Nantahala National Forest. There is lots of variety on this hike - streams, views, waterfalls, lovely forests, and beautiful varying terrain.
Join MountainTrue's Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly, as he leads us on a hike to explore the wildflowers found in Elk Knob State Park. The hike is on the Summit trail, a moderate, 4-mile out and back trail, that offers spectacular views of Mount Jefferson, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, and more!
Join Mountaintrue's Ecologist & Public Lands Director Bob Gale as we explore the trail leading to Rattle Snake Lodge. More than thirty varieties of flowers are known to live on the way to the lodge, including dwarf larkspur, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and blue cohosh. During the hike, Bob will stop and discuss the wildflowers we will see on this trail. The hike will take us to the Rattlesnake lodge site, which was built in 1903 as a summer home for Dr. Chase P. Ambler. The Parkway gained the right-of-way in the 1930s, giving hikers an opportunity to explore the remains.
Join Tony Ward, MountainTrue's Western Region Program Coordinator, on Saturday, May 22 at 10 am for a 1.2-mile loop trail hike through an upland forest area of Meeks Park in Union County, Georgia! Although this hike is considered easy, there will be 150 feet of elevation gain from the starting point at a bridge crossing Butternut Creek to the highest point of the hike. This trail features a wide variety of native trees perfect for identification. During this hike, Tony will discuss how to identify trees in our area in a way that is accessible to all skill levels of tree identifiers.
MountainTrue in Partnership with Conserving Carolina presents our Lewis Creek Nature Preserve Walk. The Lewis Creek Preserve is an eight-acre preserve protected and managed by Conserving Carolina. MountainTrue Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, will lead a slow hike along the trail, interpreting the plant life, wildflowers, and value of pollinators on this property. The visit includes a boardwalk that overlooks an example of the remaining rare Southern Appalachian Bog ecosystems. Bob and MountainTrue have special expertise in managing these bogs and in addressing their threats, including non-native invasive plants.
