The idea for the footpath was birthed by benton mackaye. The benton mckaye trail is marked with a white diamond blaze. Benton mackaye trail fannin county chamber of commerce. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible yearround. In 1921 mackaye made his ambitious vision public with his proposal. My benton mackaye trail summary after 20 days hiking the remote, wild, rugged benton mackaye trail we emerged from the woods into the picnic area at big creek campground in north carolina. Like all of homans books, it is the best guide out there. Showing appreciation for the town that adopted him, in 1953, benton wrote and narrated a pageant depicting shirleys 200 year history. It is a major contribution to the history of the development of the wilderness conservation and recreation movement, as well as a thorough and engaging account of the life and work of one of its most innovative leaders. The benton mackaye winds its way through the area around blue ridge, ga, and on into tennessee. Benton mackaye, appalachian trail visionary the appalachian national scenic trail is a 2,185mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally and historically significant lands of the appalachian mountains. A history of american hiking by silas chamberlin is an account of the american hiking experience from the time of just after the american civil war to our current times or rather, in my opinion, an account of how hiking evolved from large group centered activities to an activity centered around an individual or small groups of friends. We currently dont have any books listed for benton mackaye trail.
The trail is named for benton mackaye, the forester, conservationist, and cofounder of the wilderness society who originally envisioned this route for the appalachian trail. When he died in shirley in 1975, tributes poured in from around the country. Nearly half the route is on land managed as wilderness. Neon john, the softly spoken nuclear scientist seriously and his much appreciated drying machine 2. Planner and originator of the appalachian trail and a cofounder of the wilderness society, benton mackaye 18791975 was a pioneer in linking the concepts of preservation and recreation. His most famous project in regional planning was to become known as the appalachian trail. Feel free to contact us and recommend a book for this section. Born in stamford, connecticut, benton mackaye lived in manhattan during his early years but spent most of his life in the new england village of shirley center, near concord, massachusetts. The hiking trail was created and is maintained by the benton mackaye trail association, and it is named for benton mackaye, the massachusetts forester and regional planner who first had the.
The shirley historical society has a collection of books, papers, letters, scrapbooks, and photos from the mackaye family. Unlike doing an appalachian trail thru hike, there is no big finish or celebration here. Benton mackaye 18791975 was a professional forester, community planner, and conservationist who first proposed and appalachian trail in 1921, in an essay in the journal of the american institute of architects. Ma school of forestry, 1905, where he was for some time employed as a lecturer and later at some government. There is no biography of benton mackaye and this is likely to become the standard work on this important american for many years. Benton mackaye trail smoky mountains benton mackaye. Lori and family, who magically appeared out of the fog bearing biscuits, hot soup and perhaps the most wonderful cup of coffee i. Complete with elevation profiles, water sources, campsites, road. This helpful book breaks down every section, including distances and access points. The folks i encountered along the way are what really made the benton mackaye trail a fantastic hike. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Appalachian national scenic trail legends of america.
Following the publication of his essay, titled an appalachian trail. America needs her forests and her wild spaces quite as much as her cities and her settled places. Without the vision of benton mackaye and the often abrasive tenacity of myron avery, the trail as we know it today would not exist. Benton mackaye johns hopkins university press books. Forest service employees with whom they had worked jointly on the endeavor, celebrated the opening of the georgia section of the interesting and diverse benton mackaye pronounced maceye trail bmt.
A cofounder of the wilderness society, he is best known as the originator of the appalachian trail at, an idea he presented in his 1921 article titled an appalachian trail. Outdoor adventures acadia national park, discover marthas vineyard, discover cape cod, discover the white mountains, discover maine. Driving the effort was a desire to see opened for hiking benton mackaye s chosen route for his appalachian mountain trail. His name is bestowed on nearly 300 miles of pristine appalachian wilderness hiking.
Veteran hiker and nature writer tim homan guides fellow hikers and backpackers along the benton mackaye trail, currently a 90mile trail that extends from springer mountain in. Every section is detailed with description of terrain, water features, and overlooks. He was born in stamford connecticut, the son of actor steele mackaye. Walking through a tunnel of rhododendrons and listening to a nearby creek. Bmt section maps benton mackaye trail thruhikers guide.
Following are a few trailheads on the benton mackaye in fannin county. Benton mackaye trail thruhikers guide, oak ridge, tennessee. A new long distance trail was created, honoring the memory of the father of the appalachian trail. In october 1921, regional planner benton mackaye went public with his proposal for an appalachian trail. A project in regional planning, mackaye traveled extensively to meet with hiking clubs to promote the project and. The benton mackaye trail, some portions of which coincide with the appalachian trail, is named after him.
As always, i welcome this transition, but each time i do so with a small dose of seemingly incurable apprehension. The trail passes through some of the most remote backcountry in. Sherpa guides georgia mountains the benton mackaye trail. The history of the appalachian trail is as complex as its construction.
Also included is an essay on the origins and history of the trail and the benton mackaye trail association, as well as a timetable for the development of the remainder of the proposed trail, information about the geology of the area, and a brief biography of founder benton mackaye. He studied forestry at harvard university ba, 1900. On october 14, 1989, many volunteers, along with a number of u. The benton mackaye trail or bmt is a footpath nearly 300 miles 480 km in length in the appalachian mountains in the southeastern united states and is blazed by a white diamond, 5. The benton mackaye trail, and eastern hiking in general is not done for aweinspiring views. Veteran hiker and nature writer tim homan guides fellow hikers and backpackers along the benton mackaye trail, currently a 90mile trail that extends from springer mountain in georgia into southern tennessee. In 1979 the benton mackaye trail association was organized to build and maintain mackayes chosen route along the western crest of the blue ridge mountains. Benton mackaye, myron avery, and the rivalry that built the appalachian trail tells this story in active, engaging scenes that weave history together and biography, detailing the external forces the trail builders faced. Spanning threequarters of a century, his long and productive career had a major impact on emerging movements in conservation, environmentalism, and regional planning. Books written by benton mackaye include the new exploration. Driving the effort was a desire to see opened for hiking benton mackayes chosen route for his appalachian mountain trail. March 2018 i thruhiked the georgia section of the bmt with my good friend will red beard wood from zpacks.
Wall maps print out your favorite trail to 6 feet high. Spanning threequarters of a century, his long and productive career had a major impact on emerging movements in conservation, environmentalism, and regional. This book should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand how such a complex project beginsand survives. A philosophy of regional planning by benton mackaye overview a classic in many planning curricula, this is a 1991 reprint of the 1928 work by the originator of the appalachian trail and a founder of the wilderness society. It passes through four states and consists of a combination of the foothills, bartram and benton mackaye trails, along with the smokies section of read more. While the appalachian trail follows the eastern crest of the appalachian mountains, the benton mackaye trail bmt mostly follows the western crest. Appalachian trail histories benton mackaye builders. Blue ridge is the first town on the benton mackaye trail system, which traverses the county into the cohutta wilderness and then into tennessee. However, in his proposal mackaye envisioned much more than a simple hiking trail. The guidebook is divided into 12 trail sections, each including a map. Named in honor of benton mackaye, who inspired the creation of.
Mackaye rhymes with sky, massachusetts forester and cofounder of the wilderness society, was the. The benton mackaye trail starts on the top of springer mountain, georgia, 0. The southeastern serpentine trail sst is a 583 mile 938 km trek through the southern part of the appalachian mountains. The benton mackaye trail is a footpath of 288 miles 463 km in the appalachian mountains. Benton mackaye born march 6, 1879 in stamford connecticut, december 11, 1975 was an american forest scientists and environmentalists. Benton mackaye trail association, cherry log, georgia. Hiking the benton mackaye trail peachtree publishing. Dive into firstperson adventure stories, untold histories, and tales of bravery, success, and defeat in. Overview of the benton mackaye trail named for benton mackaye, the massachusetts foresterregional planner who proposed the appalachian trail, this trail features remarkable changes in terrain and too many modern intrusions. The benton mackaye trail association bmta was organized in 1979 and incorporated in 1980 to build and maintain the bmt. Appalachian trail conservancyeach year, about a thousand people complete a thruhike on the appalachian trail, walking the 2,192 miles that run from springer mountain in georgia to mount katahdin in maine.
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