To close out the year, we’ll hike to the Pulpit on the Bullhead Trail. Our hike starts down the Old Sugarlands trail for 3.5 miles, following the sounds of the river a good part of the way. We’ll pass old home sites, rock walls and CCC ruins before reaching the Bullhead trail. We’ll turn up Bullhead and climb 2.6 miles to the Pulpit, a stone cairn built by the CCC. Lunch will be on the ridge here (if it’s not too windy) while we enjoy the views and then return the same way.

* Total hike distance is 13.6 miles with 2800 ft total elevation gain; rated Difficult.

* To carpool, meet at Kroger Alcoa, 244 S. Hall Rd (on the side on far left when facing Kroger) ready to leave at 6:45am {drive 72 miles RT @ 7¢/mile = $5.00}. Or meet at Sugarlands Visitors Center (facing the VC, far left side of parking lot) at 8:00am. The leader will meet you at Sugarlands VC.

* Leader: Pat Watts, patty.watts@aol.com, 901-487-7941.