Eastern Tennessee is a hiker's paradise, known for its scenic mountain views and miles upon miles of hiking trails. The region is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and close to Great Smoky Mountains State Park. Outdoor enthusiasts can arrange individual hikes or join an area hiking club. There are multiple hiking clubs in the area that offer scheduled hiking excursions and a variety of group activities to please avid and amateur hikers alike.
Southeastern Tennessee
Located in southeastern Tennessee, the Chattanooga Hiking Club is a nonprofit organization that sponsors a variety of hiking adventures. The club hikes in locations such as Cherokee National Forest, Bald River and some out of state locations such as the Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. All of the club's hikes are rated according to five different categories: easy, moderate, strenuous, extremely strenuous and death march. The club encourages hikers to bring a plentiful supply of water along on each hike to avoid dehydration.
Knoxville Area
If you love the East Tennessee Mountains and live in the Knoxville area, the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club might be the hiking club for you. The club organizes weekly outings and day trips, usually hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as in surrounding areas such as Oak Ridge's North Boundary Trail and Sun Cucumber Gap. The club is integral in maintaining local parts of the Appalachian Trail; members volunteer hundreds of hours per year to perform maintenance on trails and shelters.
Statewide Club with Eastern Chapters
Join a club with members across the state. In addition to having chapters in central and western Tennessee, the Tennessee Trails Association chapters including Upper Cumberland, Big South Fork, Plateau, Cove Lave and Soddy-Daisy are all located in Eastern Tennessee. The Association was originally founded in 1968 with the mission of building and promoting the Cumberland Trail. Individual chapters of the Association volunteer for trail maintenance, schedule excursions and hold events such as Big South Fork's "Bike Ride Across Tennessee," the proceeds of which go to benefit the Cumberland Trail.
Northeastern Region
Get ready to volunteer some of your time; members of the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club in northeastern Tennessee volunteer to help maintain more than 135 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Due to the club's location in the southern Appalachian Mountains, the Appalachian Trail is its main hiking destination; however, excursions are also planned to nearby attractions such as the Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee, Jefferson National Forest and Grandfather Mountain.
Benefits of Hiking
In addition to getting you enjoying the outdoors, joining a hiking club encourages you to become more active, which is an important factor in any fitness routine. Incorporating more moderate aerobic activity into your routine can help to prevent cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, increase endurance and burn fat and calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, hiking for one hour can burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour, depending on your pace and body weight.
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