Trekking in the 828

Has the pandemic kept you cooped up in your home for a year? Now that vaccinations are rising, doors are opening, and weather warming, it’s time to get back together, reconnect and socialize. Our new small group, Trekking in the 828, will lead older adults in our parish on three scheduled outings around Western North Carolina.

These daytrips are designed to be fun, fascinating, and accessible. Led by Steve and Mary Bruce Woody, these trips will feature lesser-known spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, like the pioneer settlement inn Cataloochee Valley or the Appalachian Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob. But though it’s in the mountains, don’t worry.

There will only be short, gentle walking involved. No difficult, uphill hikes. The first trek will be a day trip to visit and tour the historic pioneer settlement structures in the Cataloochee Valley with guide Stephen Woody whose ancestors settled the area.We will leave Trinity at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26th and drive in caravan in the two church vans to the Park where we will tour historic structures in Big Cataloochee and hopefully see some of the elk herd there. Due to COVID restrictions, this trek will be limited to 15 and you must sign up by contacting Jo Rice at Trinity by May 15th.

You are asked to bring a bag lunch, a walking stick and a folding chair. Cold drinks will be provided. The walking for this first outing will be easy. Reading Wayne Caldwell’s book, CATALOOCHEE, is recommended. Though a novel, it is based on stories of many of the pioneer families. 

We will end the afternoon with Communion in Palmer Chapel before returning to Trinity by five p.m. 

If you have questions, please call the Woodys at 828-274-0530.