In Greeneville, Tennessee, and the surrounding regions, there are multiple opportunities for you to take a relaxing hike through the woods. Also, if you're a serious enthusiast looking to share your love of hiking with others in your community, there are also multiple clubs with which you can get involved in both Greeneville and the nearby Tri-Cities area.
Close to Home
The Greeneville Hiking Club is located in Greenevile. It conducts anywhere from two to three activities a week, either hiking or bike riding. It was founded in 1984 by Denise Ashworth, a former employee of the U.S. Forest Service. There are more than a 100 members with participants from Greene County or the surrounding counties, and even a few out-of-state members. The club's mission statement is to organize overnight backpacking trips, mountain and road-bike rides, rafting and canoeing trips, and day hikes in Greene County, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and many other areas. It is dedicated to protecting natural resources and continue to spend time maintaining and cleaning park trails.
Mid-Appalachian Region
Although the Greeneville Hiking Club is the only one directly in Greeneville, there are other options in nearby Johnson City. There is, for instance, the Mid-Appalachian Highlands Club Inc. it is a hiking and outdoor activity club that was founded in February 1976. Its website has scheduled events that it is conducting. Its last hike of the 2010 season was Sept. 26, but there is always next year.
Johnson City
Also in Johnson City, the aptly named Johnson City Hiking Club is a nonprofit organization that promotes hiking programs for outdoor enthusiasts. It also is concerned about the exacerbating condition of the environment and believes in conservation of wildlife. Its 2010 season is over, but 2011 is just around the corner, and new members always are welcome.
Kingsport
Slightly further away in Kingsport, The Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club, also known as the TEHCC, is looking for new members. This organization, previously known as the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club, was founded in 1946 and has continued to grow since then and now includes canoeing and other outdoor activities. It continues to sponsor day trips, but also hikes in California, Utah, and Wyoming, along with other trails in Canada and the northern United States. Its day hikes are scheduled on weekends. Total membership has climbed to more 600, but the club always is looking for new additions to its ranks. It also is committed to the conservation of the environment, holding an annual trail maintenance event called "Hard Core."
Knoxville
Slightly further away, there is a section of the Sierra Club that is located in Knoxville. Approximately a 45-minute drive from Greeneville, this club is dedicated to preserving the Knox County parks and preventing residential housing from being developed in any parks. In addition to meetings about the environment, it conducts hiking outings until as late as Nov. 7 in its 2010 season. There is also an updated calender for 2011 outings available on the website.
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