Hiking has been a very popular sport for a long time, especially along the nearby Appalachian Trail and on many improved local trails. A must for hikers is the publication by John R. Ray, Malcom J. Skove, and Bill Kenyon: Chunky Gal Trail and Fires Creek Rim Trail. It contains a detailed trail guide and trail maps for the Nantahala National Forest section in Clay County.
Included in this Chapter is a Forest Service map of the “Fires Creek Trail System.” A large sign at the Fires Creek Recreational Area “describes nearby hiking trails and Forest Service regulations. Easy-access trails are located at the picnic area." Using Fires Creek Rim Trail, hikers reach the summit of the County’s highest peak, Tusquittee Bald, at 5,249 feet.
Mountain High Hikers is a group of about 200 who enjoys weekly hikes year-round, “although many summertime residents also take part." They also conduct guided hikes and overnight trips, and maintain a website that includes 165 hikes in a database. They publish a quarterly newsletter, hold pot luck dinners, and have an active conservation committee (Ibid.). Some great non-strenuous hiking is on the paved trail adjacent to Lake Chatuge at the Clay County Recreation Park near the Dam. Also, Jarrett Road, accessed off Tusquittee Street on the north side of downtown Hayesville, has a pleasant small nature trail that blooms with many native wildflowers.
Uploading ....