There are a series of trails that cross Laurel Creek Road that can be combined in numerous ways to create a variety of hikes. This loop hike will give new and old members alike a taste of the area and the trails involved. We'll start on the Finley Cane Trail (with a couple of hopefully rock-hopable water crossings and cooling rhododendron tunnels), make our way down a section of the Bote Mountain Trail (thankful to be going down instead of up), cross Laurel Creek Road to pick up the Schoolhouse Gap Trail (for a gradual climb), then take the Turkeypen Ridge Trail for our final up and down journey back to the cars. In total, the hike is 9 miles with total elevation gain of 1200 ft., rated Moderate.

To carpool, meet at Kroger, 244 S. Hall Rd., Alcoa (park at the side of the building, near the SE corner) ready to leave at 8:00am {drive: 52 miles RT @ 7¢/mile = $3.64 or round up to $4}. Or meet at the Finley Cane trail head at 8:45am.

The leader will meet you at the trail head.

Leader: Pat Watts, patty.watts@aol.com - 901-487-7941

Co-leader: Randy Mitchell, mitchell1982@tds.net - 865-406-6469