The Gilmer County Historical Society and Museum will welcome a past president of the Benton MacKaye Trail Association (BMTA) to discuss the past and present of the popular footpath named for the man who envisioned the Appalachian Trail (AT).
The lecture by Ralph Heller will take place at the Gilmer County Library Saturday, Oct. 12, beginning at 2 p.m.
“Ralph will share with us the history and sights of the Benton MacKaye Trail with a power point projection, including a description of the trail and such interesting locations as waterfalls, creeks and rivers,” said Wayne Hooper, the historical society’s vice president.
“The trail, which begins on Springer Mountain in Gilmer County, is a footpath of nearly 300 miles through the Southeastern Appalachian mountains. Among its local sights is a 260-foot suspension bridge over the Toccoa River,” Hooper added.
Heller, who’s been with involved the BMTA nearly 20 years, said the organization covers the trail’s length through Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
“We were founded in 1980 and we’ll have our 40th anniversary coming up next year,” he said.
BMTA members enjoy day hikes that range from easy to strenuous levels, but the nonprofit’s main objective is conducting numerous trail maintenance projects each year.
“The center of our activity is right here” said Heller.
“Because Ellijay is so close to Tennessee, we also encourage members who live here to help out in Tennessee because they’re short on people up there.”
Heller said he’ll give an overview of BMTA projects and “the different things people can do if they come out and join us for one of our work trips.”
“It’s not all work doing trail maintenance, but also a social thing. At the end of the work trips, we often have food for the participants or go out to eat afterward,” he added.
The MacKaye trail was built in 1980 as an alternate route to relieve traffic on early portions of the AT leading to North Carolina, Heller said.
Although named for MacKaye, the forester and regional planner credited with conceiving the Appalachian Trail, the BMT is regarded as an entirely separate piece of trail despite the fact that it joins the AT, he added.
“Benton MacKaye came up with the concept of the Appalachian Trail in the 1920s, but he never got his name on a trail (before) ours. The BMT begins on the Appalachian Trail, 0.2 miles down from its start at Springer Mountain.” he added.
“People do not get credit for hiking the AT if they hike the BMT and join the AT farther on up, although they were talking about doing that at one time.”
The lecture is free and open to the public. The Gilmer Historical Society will provide light refreshments, Hooper said.