August 22 DUPONT FOREST, CORN MILLS TO BRIDAL VEIL FALLS
6 miles, 500’ climb, R5, $3.00
From the Corn Mills Shoals parking we hike that trail to Bridal Veil Falls, have lunch, and return.  Important note:  We will wade the Little River.  Either bring a pair of sandals to use, go barefoot when crossing, or wet your feet.  It is a doable but slippery crossing, wearing socks when crossing helps.

August 29 COVE CREEK/CANEY BOTTOM
4.7 miles, 700’ ascent, R4, $2.00 car fee
From parking (road from fish hatchery) we hike in on a gravel road and do the loop.

September 5 FISH HATCHERY TO MCCALL CEMETERY
7 miles, 830’ ascent R7, suggested car fee:  $2.00
An out and back hike from the Fish Hatchery.  We go up Cat Gap Loop, right on Butter Gap, right on Long Branch trail, right on Cemetery Loop a short distance to McCall Cemetery and return.  There is a good lunch stop back on Cemetery Loop near Long Branch trail.

September 12 TWIN FALLS/CLAWHAMMER LOOP
6 miles, estimated 800’ climb, R7, car fee:  $1.00
From Avery Creek Road hike in on Buckhorn Gap trail to Twin Falls returning via Buckhorn Gap to Clawhammer Cove.

September 19 CAT GAP LOOP AND JOHN ROCK
6 miles, 1,000’ climb, R7, $2.00
Hiking counterclockwise we will hike Cat Gap via the short cut to John Rock trail.  We’ll stop for lunch with a view and continue on the John Rock loop to Cat Gap and back to the Fish Hatchery.  

September 26      DUPONT FOREST, WINTERGREEN FALLS, 2
3.2 miles, 400’ ascent and descent, R2, $2.00 car fee
An in and out trail from Guion Farms parking.  We take Tarkiln Branch Rd. and continue on Wintergreen Falls trail to the falls.  

October 3 BUCK SPRINGS TO PISGAH INN
5.9 miles, 1,250 ascent, 65’ descent, R7, car fee: $4.00.
A shuttle:  leave a car at the Pisgah Inn, we will begin our hike at the Buck Springs parking on HWY 276.   There are 15 stream crossings and 8 switch-backs.  Let’s plan to have lunch at the Pisgah Inn?

October 10 ESTATOE AND ANDY COVE
4.5 miles, 213’ ascent, R2, no car fee
Out and back from Lowe’s parking, it is a “lollipop” hike to and behind the Forest Service building.

October 17 GORGES STATE PARK, RAINBOW FALLS W/O STAIR STEP FALLS
4.1 miles, 750’ ascent, R6, recommended car fee:  $3.50
From parking we hike out and back to Rainbow Falls, Turtleback Falls, and Drift Falls

October 24 MST, 816 TO HIGHWAY 215 WITH DEVIL’S COURTHOUSE
5.8 miles, 850’ descent, 250 ascent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
From parking at road 816 and the MST we hike to the left turn for Devil’s Courthouse, go up to the view and eat lunch, return to the MST to finish our hike at Hwy 215/MST.

October 31 MST, 816 TO HIGHWAY 215 WITH DEVIL’S COURTHOUSE
5.8 miles, 850’ descent, 250 ascent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
From parking at road 816 and the MST we hike to the left turn for Devil’s Courthouse, go up to the view and eat lunch, return to the MST to finish our hike at Hwy 215/MST.

November 7 DUPONT FOREST, WEST SIDE RAMBLE
6.9 miles, 700’ ascent, R6, suggested car fee:  $2.00
Leaving from Corn Mill Shoals parking, we take the Wilke trail to Buck Ridge Rd. to Buckhorn Creek trail to Cannon Creek trail. We stop at the small Cannon Creek Falls, then retrace to Tower Rd. to see the old quarry, then back by Micajah and Wilke trails.

November 14 PANTHERTOWN, EXPLORING THE EASTERN SIDE
6 miles, 860’ ascent, 860’ descent, R7, car fee:  $5.00Mac’s Gap trail, right at Little Green trail, diversion to Tranquility Point, back, diversion to Schoolhouse Falls, back to Panthertown Valley Trail, right, back to cars.

November 21 MOUNTAINS TO SEA, GRAVEYARD FIELDS
6 miles, 1,100’ ascent/descent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
From midway on FS816 we hike around Black Balsam Mtn. to a junction with the Graveyard Ridge trail on the far side of Graveyard Fields, the go down to the lower falls for lunch.  We hike up to the BRP and hike back on that highway to 816, then return to our cars.

November 28 MST PROMONTORY STUMP
5.1 miles, 200’ ascent, 1,450’ descent, R3, car fee: $3.00
A shuttle, we start at the Mountains-to-Sea trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Pigeon Gap and the Hwy 276 on ramp.  We hike down to the Barnett Branch trail on the Mountains to Sea trail, continue on to Pink Beds, then right to our car(s) at parking there.  Lunch at the picnic tables in Pink Beds.

December 5 SOAPSTONE RIDGE
6.2 miles, 600’ climb, R6, $3.00
From the gauging tower off Yellow Gap Rd. we hike in on the South Mills River trail, take a right onto a “user trail” hike up Soapstone Ridge to Barnett Branch, right, then down to Pink Beds, right, right again

December 12 DANIEL RIDGE LOOP
5.6 miles, 900’ climb, R6, $2.00 car fee
From the Daniel Ridge parking we hike into the forest going clockwise completing the loop.

December 19 MST, CRAVEN GAP TO FOLK ART CENTER
5.4 miles, 300’ ascent, 1,125’ descent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
A shuttle hike, we meet at the Folk Art Center about 9:45 AM, leave cars and carpool to Craven Gap to start the hike.

December 26 FISH HATCHERY TO MCCALL CEMETERY
7 miles, 830’ ascent R7, suggested car fee:  $2.00
An out and back hike from the Fish Hatchery.  We go up Cat Gap Loop, right on Butter Gap, right on Long Branch trail, right on Cemetery Loop a short distance to McCall Cemetery and return.  There is a good lunch stop back on Cemetery Loop near Long Branch trail.

January 2, 2026 ESTATOE AND EXERCISE LOOP
4.4 miles, 30’ ascent, R2 no car fee
An out and back from Lowe’s parking, we cross the foot bridge and go past the Art Loeb parking turning left onto the paved road, cross bridge then right onto the Exercise trail, go around the English Chapel, then return to Lowe’s going straight across the paved road.

January 9, 2026 HOLMES EDUCATIONAL STATE PARK
4.0 miles, 610’ ascent, R5
 A loop trail starting from parking with take the longest trail including the “Talking Tree” trail.