National Park Service Founded: 100th Anniversary, 1916

National Park Service Founded: 100th Anniversary, 1916 – This might be a great way to get your Church Group, Youth Group, Boy Scout Troop or even Trail Life Troop to work together and you all can go hiking as a group.

National Park Service Founded: 100th Anniversary, 1916

The Centennial or known as the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service was founded on August 25, 1916. So on August 25, 2016, the National Park Service will celebrate 100 years.

Going hiking and camping is a great way to see the creation of God. You can see all He created like wildlife animals. Not to mention trees, shrubs, plants and more.

National Park Service Founded: 100th Anniversary, 1916 (Centennial)
National Park Service Founded: 100th Anniversary, 1916 (Centennial)

The Organic Act of 1916

The Organic Act of 1916 established the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior. The act stated: “The service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments and reservations.” It should conserve scenery of natural and historic objects and wild life and provide for the enjoyment while leaving them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

Events Planned

Events are planned all over the Nation’s National Park Services including the The Great Smoky Mountains, which is close to me. The National Park Service is also offering free admission to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, 2016 in celebrating their Centennial.

Hike 100

In part of the celebration, if you can prove you hiked 100 miles in 2016 (January 1, 2016 until December 6, 2016), you can get a special certificate. It is part of the Hike 100 Challenge. On December 8, 2016, Hike 100 Celebration, in the Smoky Mountains, there will be a special certificate and pin given. This challenge is part of the Smokies Centennial Challenge – Hike 100. Do note these hikes must be done in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (borders the state of Tennessee and North Carolina).

I love to hike, I didn’t know about this until recently when one of the guys at church who also works with the youth mentioned he has been working on his Hike 100. It is still possible to get this feat down too! I walk a lot, but haven’t got to hike yet this year. I just might start and put in hikes on the weekend. That would mean I would need to do the full 100 miles in less than 4 months. That is about 15 Saturdays to go, that would be about 6 miles a week or 12 miles every other week for me. (At the time of posting this blog post). If you live near the Great Smoky Mountains area and wish to go hiking or know of hiking groups, please let me know. Thanks.

 

Sample 100 Mile Hike Plan

Gatlinburg Trail – 4 miles
Little River & Cucumber Gap Trails Loop – 6 miles
Chimney Tops Trail – 4 miles
Porters Creek Trail – 8 miles
Ramsay Cascades – 8 miles
Abrams Falls Trail to the Falls – 6 miles
Gregory Bald Trail to the Bald – 9 miles
Trillium Gap Trail to Grotto Falls – 3 miles
Laurel Falls Trail – 3 miles
Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald – 5 miles
Big Creek Trail to Mouse Creek Falls – 5 miles
Smokemont Loop Trail – 7 miles
Noland Divide to Lonesome Pine Overloop – 7 miles
Deep Creek & Sunkota Ridge Loop – 13 miles
Cataloochee Divide Trail – 10 miles
Oconaluftee River Trail – 3 miles
*The suggested list and to Learn More visit nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/gsmnp-hike-100.htm
If you are working your your Hike 100 be sure to hastag #Hike100

Leave No Trace

Leave no trace, something that was thought in me in Boy Scouts. Jerry, our other youth leaders that loves to hiking says leave nothing but foot prints and taking nothing but pictures. We should leave no trace that we were ever there. Not to mention, we should take our trash with us and not toss in on the trail. We cannot take rocks, plants, etc. with us either. We can take pictures of what we see, but do not take items from the park. Taking things from the park, including rocks is poaching and is illegal.

Did you do your Hike 100 for the Great Smoky Mountains this year?

Learn more about the National Park Service visit nps.gov

About the Author

Author: Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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