National Trails Day 2012

The following link explains National Trails Day:
http://www.americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/

Today there are thousands of miles of wonderful trails due to the tremendous efforts of thousands of volunteers and volunteer organizations who would be happy to know that there work is enjoyed by millions of hiking newbies and old hands alike.

Great Videos about PATC and the early days of building the Appalachian Trail:
http://atmuseum.org/FA_PATC_Video1.htm

Pictures from sunrise Saturday thru sunrise Sunday text later.

The following lucky catch was taken from a Skyline Drive pull off very early Saturday morning.

The following picture is from the interior of Pinnacles Research Station which is a SNP facility predominately used by college researches who are in engaged in various studies of the the SNP's rocks, plants, and animals.

PATC sets up its stations outside the Byrds Visitor Center located at Big Meadows.

On National Trails Day PATC sponsored SNP visitors on around six different short hikes.    Beside being enjoyable unto themselves one of the goals of these hikes is to get newbies comfortable being more than 100 yards from their cars.   In the picture below you see a PATC volunteer doing a little bit of map reading skills training at Lewis Falls. 

Lewis Falls

The Appalachian Trail runs parrellel to and crosses Skyline Drive and its affiliated pull offs at many places within SNP.

A different hike and a different group but more map reading skills training.

Sunset from a Skyline Drive pull out on Saturday Night.

Sunday morning sunrise from a Skyline Drive pull out on the way to a day on Old Rag.

An interpretive sign about Old Rag on Skyline Drive

Another sunrise shot.