The Smoky Mountain Hiking Club celebrated its 100-year anniversary on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the Bearden Banquet Hall with many of its members in attendance. It’s a testament to the landmark’s importance, not only for the sake of its existence, but as a display of how fervently those in East Tennessee value the hills so many only ever get a glimpse of from their backyard.
Even as Knoxville and to some extent, the Smokies themselves have changed, this group has remained a constant in preserving the history and heritage that comes with the crown jewel of our neck of the woods. The group has now gone through 100 annual handbooks, though one chapter has always remained: its principles.
“Education, promoting the park, conservation, the Appalachian Trail and enjoyment of the outdoors were listed in the early handbooks of what the club was about,” said Brian Worley, the club’s historian. “And you can look through any of these books and they’re still in there.”
The group was founded as an offshoot of the Knoxville YMCA, when two of its members were tasked with a group trip to Mt. LeConte on October 19, 1924. That soon spurred discussion of sharing that experience with others in the community. From there, membership grew and began attracting names Knoxvillians would recognize even today. Some of those early names included Carlos Campbell, David Chapman and Paul Adams alongside his furry four-legged friend, Cumberland Jack.
The group and the landmark have attracted numerous fond memories over the years, something they’re hoping to replicate through a centennial celebration. Old traditions of the group include square dancing, a fish fry and their constant legacy hikes. The group still preserves some of the same trail paths that were trod by those that came before them dating all the way back to the group’s inception.
The group has also been instrumental in the preservation of the park, in both large and small scales. In the old days, members were required to participate in periodical clean-ups and maintenance, which they still do today on a voluntary basis.
Keeping the grounds unperturbed by outside forces has always remained a priority. When a proposal came about to build a second road through the park, members held a 17-mile march in protest of the development, ultimately seeing that it didn’t come to fruition. The beginnings of that development was then dubbed the “Road to Nowhere.”
The club has grown tremendously in the past 100 years. Starting with around 60 members, they now see close to 800 on their total roster for 2024. While the old timers are sure to make up a majority of that, Worley says that he sees hikers and nature lovers of all ages looking for a way to connect with the park amidst a group steeped so heavily in its history. His advice for these next 100 years of members? Stay the course.
“Stay on our core principles,” Worley said. “Never give it up. We’ve been on it for 100 years and we’ll hopefully be on it for another 100. Our handbook shows you how we drive home that continuity.”
More information about the club, its history and how to be more involved can all be found on the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club website.
Adam Delahoussaye is a freelance writer for the KnoxTNToday who loves telling stories about music, arts and culture in and around his hometown. Have a story for Adam? He can be reached at email or text 865-919-5059 with your story idea.
