GAINESVILLE — On Saturday, June 6, hundreds of volunteers and partners are expected to work side by side on national forest trails across Georgia. From the Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Trail near Monticello to the Panther Creek Trail near Clarkesville, there is a workday opportunity for all forest users to give back to the trails they love.
“It’s really heartening to see the passion of trail users and witness the huge difference that folks make right here in Georgia,” said U.S. Forest Service Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests Supervisor Betty Jewett. “And along with us, trail users across the country will be celebrating trails, keeping them maintained and sustainable.”
The Forest Service, CoTrails, partnering organizations and volunteers will host eight events across the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests in celebration of the 24th annual National Trails Day. Work day activities include invasive plant removal, trail surface hardening, and sling blade work, among other maintenance tasks. All skill levels are welcome.
Scheduled events include:
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Tearbritches Trail: Chatsworth |
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Who: Open to all volunteers and Team Conasauga. Where & When: Tearbritches Trailhead/ FSR 68, 9:00am. What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants. Trail work: Water bar maintenance, sling blading, brush trimming, and tree removal. Wrap-up: Informal pot-luck. Please bring a dish to share and place settings for eating. Information: Conasauga Ranger District at (706) 695-6736.
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Dry Creek Trail System: Calhoun |
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Who: Open to all volunteers, the Back Country Horsemen of Northwest Georgia and the Northwest Georgia chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association. Where & When: Dry Creek Trailhead, 8:00am. What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants. Trail work: Water bar maintenance, sling blading, brush trimming, and tree removal. Wrap-Up: Snack at 1pm to close. Information: Conasauga Ranger District at (706) 695-6736.
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South Fork Trail: Blue Ridge/Chatsworth |
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Who: Open to all volunteers and the Back Country Horsemen of Northwest Georgia Where & When: Jack’s River Field Campground, 9:00 am What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants Trail work: campground clean-up, brush trimming, and tree removal. Wrap-Up: Snack/lunch at 1pm to close. Information: Conasauga Ranger District at (706) 695-6736.
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Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Trail: Monticello |
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Who: Open to all volunteers and the Heart of Dixie Horse Lovers Club, the Rockdale Trail Blazers, Back Country Horsemen of Central and South Georgia. Where & When: Ocmulgee Bluff Equestrian Trailhead 9:00am. What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants. Trail work: Trail maintenance and surface hardening using pavers and rock. Information: Oconee Ranger District at (706) 485-7110.
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Panther Creek Trail: Clarkesville/Lakemont |
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Who: Open to all volunteers. Where & When: Panther Creek Trailhead 9:00am What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants Trail work: General maintenance will include sling blading, brush trimming and tree removal. Information: Chattooga River Ranger District at (706) 754-6221.
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Bear Hair Trail: Blairsville |
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Who: Open to all volunteers, the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, the Benton MacKaye Trail Association, Mountain High Hikers and Georgia Forest Watch. Where & When: Vogel State Park/Bear Hair Trail 9:00am What to bring: Snacks, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants Trail work: Invasive plant removal and trail tread maintenance. Wrap-up: Covered dish luncheon with program and guest speakers. Please bring a dish to share and place settings for eating as well as a chair for sitting. Other: From 9am-12pm there will be guided family hikes open to the public. Information: Blue Ridge Ranger District at (706) 745-6928.
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Jake& Bull Mountain Trail System: Dahlonega |
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Who: Open to all volunteers, the Chattahoochee Trail Horse Association and Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Where & When: Bull Mountain parking area, 9:00am What to bring: Snacks, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants Trail work: Weed eating, cleaning water turnouts and other trail clearing objectives. Wrap-up: Lunch provided by CTHA. Information: Blue Ridge Ranger District at (706) 745-6928.
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Logan Turnpike Trail: Dahlonega/Cleveland (NOTE: this event will be held on June 20) |
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Who: All volunteers and the Lumpkin Coalition. Where & When: Logan Turnpike Trail, Saturday, June 20 at 8:45am What to bring: Sack lunch, water, boots, and leather gloves. Recommend: long sleeves and long pants. Trail work: Maintenance needed is primarily sling blade work to remove weeds from the 2011 tornado damage trail section. No motorized equipment can be used in this Wilderness area (ex. chainsaws). Other: The last half mile of the road to the trail head is very rough; vehicles should be 4 wheel drive or at least high clearance. Car pool available as needed. Information: Chattooga River Ranger District at (706) 754-6221.
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To stay in touch with future forest events and alerts, you can download the forest’s free mobile app by visiting www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mobile-app or text ‘follow chattoconeenf’ to 40404. Learn more about the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests at www.fs.usda.gov/usda.
