Sierra Club

Saturday, September 17th from 10 am to 2 pm. We’ll spend a relaxing afternoon in the open fields of Cades Cove, one of the most beautiful spots in the Smokies. On this outing join butterfly experts from the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont, to learn about Monarch Butterfly migration and catch and tag butterflies that are migrating through the area.

Let’s get ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with a little exercise - a hike to a waterfall in the Smokies. This is one of the least well-kept secrets in the Smokies. This 2 mile round trip hike to a beautiful waterfall begins at the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont and passes by places of historical and geological interest. We travel through several forest types to eat lunch by a 60-foot waterfall.

RSVP deadline Dec 30th. We will then have plenty of time to tour the many parts of the aquarium – Ocean Realm, Shark Lagoon, Touch a Ray Bay, Tropical Forest, Coral Reef, Discovery Center, and Penguin Playhouse – and to take in the live shows. To answer any questions you may have about visiting the aquarium see their frequently asked questions website at https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg/faq/

This will be a relaxing afternoon playing one of the fastest-growing outdoor sports, especially among young people. Don’t worry if you have never played the game. If you can toss a Frisbee you can have fun playing this game. We will supply discs for everyone to use and practice throwing them. We’ll learn the mechanics and rules of disc golf and spend some time playing a round or two on the 9-basket Inskip Course that was specially built for youth to learn to play.

Saturday, March 25th. Time TBD. More details coming soon!

Saturday, April 15th. Time TBD. More details coming soon!

Saturday, May 20th from 1-4 pm. A bicycle ride at Forks of the River Wildlife Management area is always a great outside activity. We’ll spend some time walking through fields of sunflowers in addition to riding. If you have binoculars bring them to to look at the many birds and butterflies that live in these fields and nearby forests.

A bicycle ride at Forks of the River Wildlife Management area is always a great outside activity. We’ll spend some time walking through fields of sunflowers in addition to riding. If you have binoculars bring them to look at the many birds and butterflies that live in these fields and nearby forests.

We will go the first weekend before the National Park Service program at Elkmont in the Smokies. Don’t worry, there will still be many fireflies when we go. We will be providing a handout detailing preparation and logistics for this outing. For natural history information about the fireflies see the Park website: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm

RSVP BY JUNE 15. With nearly-continuous Class II-IV rapids like Lost Guide and Accelerator and views into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Upper Pigeon delivers. More info here: https://noc.com/trips/pigeon-river-rafting-upper-pigeon. The NOC requires youth to be at least 8 years old and weigh over 70 pounds. The Sierra Club will pay the rafting fee for the youth and all adults will pay their fee of $40. RSVP for more details.

This 5-mile tandem canoeing trip on the scenic French Broad River to Cruze Landing will be a real treat! Interesting rock formations, wildlife, and lunch on an island will be enjoyed along the way. Participants must be 7+ years old.