Joyce Kilmer reroute planned for Benton McKaye Trail
The Benton McKaye Trail Association recently completed a major reroute of the trail’s path through the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness.
The new route is more direct and include scenic highlights such as Stratton Bald and the Hangover. In addition, it avoids crossing Slickrock Creek — a dangerous proposition during high-water conditions.
Owners of the historic Tapoco Lodge also helped the process by allowing the new route to cross their property. This allows the trail to emerge onto U.S. 129 directly across the road from the trailhead for the new Yellow Creek Mountain reroute, eliminating the half-mile of road walking left over from the May 2014 trail reroute through that area, which had reduced the 3.8-mile road walk to a half-mile.
Signage for the new route will finish in the fall, but the 2015 Benton McKaye Trail guidebook has current information.
The Benton MacKaye Trail is 288 miles long and volunteer-maintained through its North Carolina-Tennessee-Georgia route.
