Great Smokies Hiking & Adventure Group

Cool off on a hot summer day on the gently flowing Oconaluftee River. This is a little more of a drive but there is deeper water and some bigger rapids than Townsend. They will take us upriver to put in at across from the Cherokee School we will float down river behind the Oconaluftee Visitors center to the first Cherokee bridge. If I was told correctly this is a three-mile float. I have been on the upper section in years past it has several drops with good rapids, didn't walk. There may be a section at the end that get a little low depending on your location in the river.

Tubbing trips take about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. With the drive, many of us usually make a day of it. It is $14 a person. When I talked to them, they recommended ages 16 and up because of the rapids.

You will need to sign their waiver, and minors will need parental consent waiver. https://www.cherokeerapids.com/info

Carpool can meet at 8:30 am at the Food Lion 1707 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804. Then carpool from there. It is about 2 hours through the park to Cherokee, so we will arrive at the tubing place around 10:30am-11am. Be sure to have closed toe shoes to protect your feet, sunscreen, a change of clothes, and a bag to put your wet ones in. Typically, a group of us will stop in Cherokee somewhere to get something to eat after tubing.

By joining and/or participating in any Great Smokies Hiking and Adventure Group (GSHAG) event or activity you agree to hold the organizers and participants harmless from any loss, damage or liability that may occur during this event or while in transit to and from the event, assume all personal risks and liability related to or resulting from any GSHAG activities, functions and events and agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's organizers, or members liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or as a consequence from a group activity. In addition, by participating in any Great Smokies Hiking and Adventure Group event you assert and agree that you have the appropriate skills, physical conditioning, equipment and supplies to properly participate in the events that you chose to attend and that your membership in this group is on an "at will" basis.

Grab a permit, let's spend the night at LeConte Shelter! It is $8 to book a permit for the shelter for one night. The plan is for me, and another hiker, to book the permits ahead of time. Each hiker attending will reimburse us the fee after the permits are purchased. I will send information for reimbursement after the permits are booked. Once paid, the $8 fee is non-refundable.

There are three trails that lead to LeConte from the Rainbow Falls parking lot: Rainbow Falls (6.5 miles), Trillium Gap (8.8 miles), and Bullhead Trail (6.8 miles). The elevation gain is around 3,900 feet for each trail. The elevation gain is based on the elevation profile in the Little Brown Book.

In the RSVP question, please write which trail you wish to hike in and out (up and down) Rainbow Falls, Trillium Gap, or Bullhead. Or you can answer, undecided.

For example:

• in Rainbow, out Trillium
• up Bullhead, down Bullhead
• undecided

I need volunteers to help with this hike. Please indicate with a number if you wish to volunteer.

1. Help to book permits for August 2nd on July 1st or July 2nd (I'm watching the backcountry website to see the exact date the permits will be available).
2. Lead hike in (up) Rainbow Falls, Trillium Gap, or Bullhead
3. Lead a hike out (down) Rainbow Falls, Trillium Gap, or Bullhead

For example:

• 1, in Bullhead, out Rainbow
• 2 and 3, up Trillium, down Rainbow
• 2, up Rainbow, down Trillium

Once the group is settled at the shelter, hikers are welcome to visit LeConte Lodge to enjoy the experience or to buy souvenirs such as water bottles, stickers, and T-shirts. If you plan to buy souvenirs, be sure to bring cash, or a credit card and ID. The LeConte Lodge gift shop is open from 9:00am- 10:00am and 12:00pm- 4:30pm.

LeConte Lodge also offers a sack lunch for $14.00. The sack lunch includes peanut butter and jelly oat bar, Propel grape drink mix, trail mix, fruit snacks, cheese crackers, Oreos, and 100% grass-fed beef sticks. The sack lunch is available to purchase from 12:00pm- 4:30pm.

Other activities at LeConte include visiting Cliff Tops or Myrtle Point. Sunset is best at Cliff Tops, and sunrise is best at Myrtle Point.

Sunday morning, we will leave after everyone has eaten breakfast and packed up. Again, hikers have the option of either going down Trillium Gap Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, or Bullhead Trail.

Please bring all the gear needed for an overnight backpacking trip. Tents are not needed as everyone will be sleeping the in the shelter. I do recommend bringing earplugs to block out any outdoor or shelter noise.

Bring all necessary backpacking gear such as a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, food, snacks, fuel, backpacking stove, sleep clothes, etc. There are bear cables near the shelter for hanging food and other smelly items.

Please reach out if you have any questions about backpacking gear.