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What is this Great Eastern Trail?

Why.... this Great Eastern Trail?

• Approx 2000 mile foot path• Alabama to New York• Coalition of member clubs• Utilizing existing trails• Connects North Country Scenic Trail with the Florida Scenic Trail.• Inspired by Earl Schaffer• Located west of Appalachian Trail• Wilderness area – remote• Extension of Benton MacKaye’s vision

WHAT is…

Why.... this Great Eastern Trail?

• Early 1900’s – Author, forester, member of the TVA and co-founder of the Wilderness Society.• Coined the term, “GeoTechnics” which was a philosophy of balancing the needs of humanity with the needs of nature.• Was one of the early opponents of urban sprawl and the impact it had on natural resources.• Lived during the height of the industrial revolution in the United States.• Best known for an article , “An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning” , published in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects 9 (Oct. 1921): 325-330.• This article went on to spur the development of the Appalachian Trail (AT), which currently is a wilderness footpath running from Springer Mountain, GA to Mt. Katahdin, ME – 2,181 miles in length.

Benton Mackaye’s Vision


• Appalachian Trail (AT) – The crown jewel of long distance trail. HUGE SUCCESS!• AT is attracting over 2 million day users per year.• 1948 – First “thru” hike of the AT completed (Earl Shaffer).• 2010 – Estimated 4,000 attempted thru hikes.• AT spawned creation of the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, North Country Trail, Florida Trail & Potomac Heritage Trail – All part of the 1968 Trails Act.• Eastern third of the US is home to two-thirds of it’s population.

• The success of The Great Eastern Trail will help to preserve the wilderness experience of the AT for future generations!

WHY?


• First discussed in depth in 1969 at a meeting of the Tennessee Trails Association by then ATC Chairman of the Board, Stan Murray.• Fall of 2003, PATC met with Southeast Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC) to discuss joint project. SEFTC endorsed project in 2004.• Fall of 2004, the American Hiking Society, National Park Service/RTCA, PATC and SEFTC signed a memorandum of agreement.• Spring of 2005 – Mid Atlantic Foot Trails Coalition (MAFTC) formed in Pennsylvania• Fall of 2005 the MAFTC and SEFTC settled on name of new trail

• GREAT EASTERN TRAIL

• Fall of 2007, member clubs met in Virginia and incorporated as the Great Eastern

Trail Association.

HOW


WHO – Member Clubs

TuGuNu


• Alabama Trail•Alabama Pinhoti• Georgia Pinhoti• Lookout Mountain Trail• Cumberland Trail• Pine Mountain Trail• Bluestone Trail• Mary Draper Ingles Trail• Appalachian Trail

TRAILS

• Allegheny Trail• Shenandoah Mountain Trail• Carr Mountain Trail• North Mountain Trail• Tuscarora Trail• C & O Canal Trail• Standing Stone Trail• Mid State Trail• Finger Lakes Trail / Crystal Hill Branch

LANDMARKS• Flagg Mountain• Lookout Mountain• Mushroom Rock• Cumberland Gap• Breaks Interstate Park

• High Knob Tower• Big Schloss• Green Ridge State Forest• Thousand Steps• PA Canyonlands


“TRAIL FRIENDLY” TOWNS

• Andulasia, AL• Montgomery, AL• Cave Spring, GA• Chattanooga, TN• Wartburg, TN• Pineville, KY• Elkhorn City, KY• Matewan, WV• Pineville, WV• Mullens, WV

•Pearisburg, VA•White Sulphur Springs, WV•Hancock, MD•Everett, PA•State College, PA• Mapleton / Mt. Union, PA•Woolrich, PA• Tioga, PA• Village of Addison, NY


• Starts at FL / AL Border @ FST.• Some trail, mostly road walk.• Susan Turner @ southern Terminus of GET – logged most mile to date.• Pinhoti starts primitive backcountry backpacking


• Opportunity to build “trail legs”.• Conecuh National Forest Trails• Discover South Alabama Culture


• Flagg Mountain, southernmost Appalachian mountain over 1000’,• Ridgeline backpacking on Alabama Pinhoti. • Talladega National Forest.


GEORGIA

• Pinhoti moves into GA.•Trail town of Cave Springs, GA• Moves back again into AL• Ridgeline Backpacking into TN


• Some of the most scenic landmarks on the GET over the Cumberland Plateau.• Over 330 miles of remote backcountry hiking.• Some backcountry road walks.


• From Cumberland Gap National Historical Park• To Breaks Interstate Park• Some of the most primitive backcountry backpacking on the East Coast !• Two shelters available – great campsites.


Twin Falls

New River

TuGuNu Section• You have never seen coal country like this before!• Newest section to be developed• Will carry the GET blazes


• Shared 20 mile section of AT.• Trail town of Pearisburg, VA• Allegheny splits off at Peters Mountain.


• Allegheny Trail along the ridge tops of WV / VA. • Lake Sherwood• Meadow Creek Trail


Headwaters Section

•Shenandoah Mountain Trail• North Mountain Trail• High Knob Tower• George Washington & Jefferson Nat’l Forest


Tuscarora Trail

• Northern WV into Pennsylvania

• Several Shelters available


C&O Canal at Hancock, MD• Paw Paw Tunnel• Green Ridge State Forest


• PA Canyon lands in the north.• State Game Land restrictions.• Western Route


Rocksylvania?


Northern Terminus near Moss Hill Lean To – Crystal Hill Trail / FLT.


EXTENSIONS

• NCT to the Adirondacks or North Dakota

• FLT from PA to the Catskills• CT Branch to Niagara• Niagara to Bruce Trail, Canada

• From the Everglades to Gulf Coast


How to help?• Volunteer for Trail Maintenance• Club Sponsorship of sections• Corporate Sponsorship?• Get the word out about the GET!• HIKE THE TRAIL

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Education

trail legs

north country trail

north countryscenic

trail town of pearisburg

florida scenic trail

continental divide trail

pacific crest trail

trail town of cave springs