NTD - Conasauga District

NOTE - THE AOC TRIP LEADER WILL NOT BE PRESENT AT THIS EVENT.  THIS IS A POST TO NOTIFY ALL AOC MEMBERS OF VARIOUS PROJECTS ON NATIONAL TRAILS DAY.  IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO LEND A BIT OF TLC TO THE TRAILS AND WISH TO JOIN OTHERS FROM THE AOC, BY ALL MEANS REGISTER.  I'LL SHARE CONTACT INFO. SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WORK THE TRAILS ALONGSIDE FELLOW AOC MEMBERS.

Please join the Conasauga District in the celebration of American Hiking Society’s 20^th National Trails Day® on Saturday, June 2.  The U.S. Forest Service, partnering organizations and volunteers will host a number of volunteer service events across Georgia’s national forests.  Hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers and everyone who enjoys the outdoors and wants to give something back are invited to participate.  “National Trails Day is an opportunity for us to accomplish some great work through our partners and volunteers,” said Forest Supervisor George Bain. “It’s also a day we celebrate our countless supporters who make the extensive trail system on Georgia’s national forests possible.”

Listed below are three projects the District will be working on: 

Project 1:  Meet at the Dally Gap Trailhead at 9am on Saturday, June 2^nd for a trail workday on the Penitentiary Trail.  The crew will mainly be working on drain dips/water bars with some removal of blow downs with crosscut saws.  Any equestrians are encouraged to bring their horses to attend the workday on this beautiful multi-use trail.  The day will end around 3pm with a “food and fellowship” gathering afterwards.   If anybody would like to bring food or drink to share, it would be appreciated but not necessary.

Remember to bring work gloves, a lunch, plenty of refreshing liquids and a daypack to carry it all in.  If you have a hardhat, please bring it, otherwise we can provide you one.  The Forest Service will provide the tools including fire rakes and pulaskis.  Those that are crosscut saw certified might want to bring their saw.

Please email Ryan Farr (jrfarr@fs.fed.us) or call 706-695-6736 ext. 113, if you plan on attending the Penitentiary Branch Trail workday.

Project 2:  Meet at the Dry Creek Recreation Area parking lot at 9am on Saturday, June 2^nd to work on various trail maintenance duties on the Dry Creek system trails.  Trail tasks that will be worked on include closing social trails, tread/erosion control, clearing blow downs, and brushing/trimming.  Any equestrians and mountain bikers are encouraged to attend the workday on this fairly new trail system.  The day will end around 3pm with a “food and fellowship” gathering afterwards.  If anybody would like to bring food or drink to share, it would be appreciated but not necessary.

Remember to bring work gloves, a lunch, plenty of refreshing liquids and a daypack to carry it all in.  If you have a hardhat, please bring it, otherwise we can provide you one.  The Forest Service will provide the tools needed to accomplish the trail maintenance tasks.  Those that are Forest Service chainsaw certified, we ask that a few participants bring their saws along with PPE.

Please email Ed Lang (elang@fs.fed.us) or call 706-695-6736 ext. 118, if you plan on attending the Dry Creek trails workday.

Project 3:  Meet at the Jacks River Fields Campground at 9am on Saturday, June 2^nd for a campground maintenance day.  For those that want to, come Friday night to camp out.  Back Country Horsemen of North Georgia (BCHNG) will be hosting this annual event.  Various campground maintenance duties that will be involved include mowing, brush removal, cleaning out fire rings, installation of portal entrance sign, and moving an existing information board to another location.  There might be an opportunity for some trail maintenance on the nearby South Fork Trail.  At the end of the workday, there will be a cookout.  If you would like to bring some food or drink to the cookout to share with the rest of the group, it would be appreciated.

Remember to bring work gloves, a lunch or snacks, and plenty of refreshing liquids.  Most tools are provided by BCHNG, however, you might want to bring loppers and/or a handsaw.

Please email Jerome Bennett (jeromebennett@fs.fed.us) or call 706-695-6736 ext. 101, if you plan on attending the Jacks River Fields Campground workday.

Project1

http://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/events/details.asp?eventid=2094&PRINT=TRUE

Project2

Dry Creek Parking Lot Directions The Dry Creek area of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is located in northwest Georgia about six miles south of Villanow, off county road 705 (Subligna-Villanow Highway, also called the East Armuchee Road). The East Armuchee Road is a scenic highway that extends southward from Villanow to Subligna and on to Gore at US 27 a few miles east of Summerville. The Dry Creek area straddles the Walker and Chattooga county line.

· To reach Villanow from I-75, when traveling north, take the GA 136 exit (Exit 320) and proceed west 14.3 miles on GA 136 until you reach Villanow. Villanow is a small town at the intersection of GA 136, GA 201, and county road 705. The Favorite Market store/gas station is on one corner of this intersection.

· From Villanow, travel south on the East Armuchee Road for 6.5 miles (about 10 minutes) to arrive at the turnoff to Forest Service (FS) road 226. Turn left on FS 226 and travel 1.5 miles (keep to the left when you encounter side roads) until you arrive at the new parking lot at the top of a hill. (About 200 yards before reaching the parking lot there is a road to the right that crosses East Armuchee Creek. There is a primitive camping area located across the creek that is used by equestrians and others.)

Project3

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CFYQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Ffsinternet%2F!ut%2Fp%2Fc4%2F04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTJw8jAwjQL8h2VAQAzHJMsQ!!%2F%3Fss%3D110803%26ttype%3Drecarea%26recid%3D10459%26actid%3D30%26navtype%3DBROWSEBYSUBJECT%26position%3DBROWSEBYSUBJECT%26navid%3D110170000000000%26pnavid%3D110000000000000%26cid%3DFSE_003717%26pname%3DChattahoochee-Oconee%2BNational%2BForests%2B-%2BJacks%2BRiver%2BFields%2BCampground&ei=Rjm-T534B4mogwf6vv3DAw&usg=AFQjCNGxtfPMMLdcFbm1HrV9BgHb_iRP8Q