Ernie Dickerman led essentially the same hike that we are planning in 1964. In the handbook write-up for the March 15 hike that year he said, “Little Dudley and Big Dudley will be along as our native guides, but as they usually give out before reaching the top, don’t count on these two streams to lead you all the way.” Ernie was a strong advocate for wilderness designation in the Smokies before and after the Wilderness Act was passed that year. The first schedule of hikes for SMHC in 1926 listed a hike on September 18-19 to Round Top via Gatlinburg on trail number 5. Altitude 4900 feet. Distance 5 Miles. Over the following years of hiking in the Smokies by the club, there have been numerous other hikes on this mountain, climbing it from all sides. On this hike we will start from the Gatlinburg Community Center, hike across HWY 321 to Big Dudley Creek where we will mostly follow old roads but with some off-trail hiking to the Levi Ogle place on the Grapeyard Ridge Trail. From here we will continue up this creek on an old road for a while then bushwhack on to the crest of Mount Winnesoka at the summit of Round Top. Our descent will be down the dividing ridge between Dudley Creek and Roaring Fork Creek then dropping down to Little Dudley Creek and following it back to near the beginning. Hike around 9 miles with 3 ½ miles off-trail and the other on unmaintained old roads. Rated difficult. Contact one of the leaders for the meeting time and place. Leaders: Ed Fleming and Mike Harrington

To register, contact the leaders directly. You can find contact information in the March 2024 newsletter writeup for this hike.