Welcome to the website for the Cherokee Hiking Club. Our club sponsors frequent hikes and occasional backpacking trips into the areas of southeast Tennessee, northern Georgia, and southwestern North Carolina -- the former homeland of the Cherokee Indian Nation. If you are an avid hiker and live in this area, consider joining us on our hikes. You may join for $15 by filling out the application and mailing it to the address above. You may want to attend a hike or two before deciding to join, but once you start coming, you almost certainly will continue and will want to join. Below is a list of upcoming hikes. We ask that you contact the person in charge of the hike by email or phone a few days in advance to allow us to appropriately plan shuttles and to give you the most up-to-date plans for the hike. When deciding on a hike to take, please refer to our trail difficulty rating system.
Direct Link to Cherokee
Hiking Club events for this year
Printable Hike Schedule for 2026
Jennifer Scroll never disappoints. Her presentation on the Utah National Parks adventure was yet another example of this. Thank you Jennifer for a beautiful and fun presentation of this amazing experience shared by many of our club members. Thank you, too, for conceptualizing, organizing, and implementing this outing.
Not long after our son, Drew, had begun first grade, I remember carelessly grabbing his Ninja Turtle lunch box off the counter one morning to prepare his lunch for school. I nearly dropped the box because it was unexpectedly much heavier than I had anticipated. I remember thinking to myself, “What could possibly be inside?” Opening the box, I found seven or eight rocks and plenty of dirt. Summoning Drew to the kitchen, I asked, “What in the world are these rocks doing in your lunch box?” “Rocks,” he cried in disbelief! “Those aren't rocks! They are gems.” Realizing I had completely misunderstood the importance of his lunch box contents, I cautiously continued, “Oh, and where did these gems come from?” “I found them on the playground. Isn't that amazing?” Decades have passed and I still remember this teachable moment. He was right. The most precious gems in our lives can be found in the great outdoors. Looking for the real gems in life? Join some hikes with our hike club on our playground, and you, too, will find gems everywhere. You might even be tempted to put a few in your backpack and carry them home.
I have discovered that many of our club members enjoy reading books about exploring the great outdoors. I thought it might be fun to highlight books of interest for our hike club members. The first book recommendation is included in this newsletter. If you have read a book that you would like to recommend to our hike club, please send me the book reference.
Next month, the rolls will be purged of nonpaying members. If you haven’t paid dues for this year, please send a $15 check (per family in a household) to Cherokee Hiking Club, 1295 Crown Street NW, Cleveland, TN 37312. Please make out the check to Cherokee Hiking Club.
See you at our next scheduled club meeting at the Etowah Senior Center on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Our presentation will be the “History of Whitewater on the Ocoee River: The First Female Guide’s Reflections” presented by Judy Norton.
Rob Coombs, Club President
“You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.” Dr. Seuss
Oh, the weather outside is frightening . . . let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Several years ago I commented to a friend that I was looking forward to spring so I could get back to hiking. His response was immediate. “Why are you waiting? Even the most familiar trails take on a unique beauty not found in any other season.” Shortly thereafter I made my first winter hike and enjoyed every minute. Since that hike, I have not let a winter pass without a few winter hikes. Of course, it’s important to have the correct clothing. I was told by a longtime resident of Alaska if you are cold, it just means you have the wrong clothing. Certainly, with the advancements in clothing technology, this is true. Unlike summer when you can’t undress because of the heat, in the winter you can add layers as needed for the cold. It’s well worth the effort. It’s truly inspirational to hike in the winter. Even familiar trails are transformed into magical winter wonderlands where you can enjoy solitude, the quiet beauty of fallen snow, unique frozen sights, an escape from bugs, a great workout, along with the empowerment of successfully taking on a worthy challenge.
Dues for 2026 are now due. If you haven’t done so, please mail a $15 check to Jennifer Schroll, 1295 Crown Street NW, Cleveland, TN 37312. This will cover one family household. Please make out the check to Cherokee Hiking Club.
See you at our next scheduled club meeting at the Etowah Senior Center on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Our presentation will be The Five Utah National Parks Adventure presented by Jennifer Schroll.
Rob Coombs, Club President
This trail from Waucheesi Bald to Old Furnace Road, was build by Boy Scouts from Knoxville back in the 60s. The trail was popular for hikes and backpacks in the couple of decades afterwards as Scouts hiked and backpacked the trail and earned patches. Then wild fires destroyed much of the route of the trail and the trail fell into disuse. The trail was rehabed and reopened about 8 years ago, in part by members of our club, and now the Scouts are interested in reopening the trail to Scout Troops for hiking and backpacking. We are supporting the Scouts in this endeavor. Soon Scout Troops will be able to again hike and backback this trail and earn a patch while learning the extensive history of the region. The Scout Troops will register for their adventures through our help. We will be working with Scout Troops in repairing the tread in some areas along the trail and possibly building some much needed reroutes in the future years. Follow the link and read the history of the trail as written by Jim Wright, one of the original organizers of the trail back in the 60s. He is now in his 70s and still helping in this endeavor.
For more information on the Warriors Passage Trail or to sign up your Scout Unit or other Youth Organization to hike or backpack the trail, or to order patches, go to www.warriorspassage.org
Cherokee Hiking Club Continuous Loop Presentation
Warning -- huge 18 MB PowerPoint file
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