Check back here for our next scheduled Adopt-a-Highway Service Outing

Join us for the Foothills Group Conrad Road Adopt-a-Highway Service Outing

Join us for our community service event on Conrad Road in Lewisville as we prepare it for the summer blooms, picking up trash, recyclables, and other "interesting" things. It's rewarding to see a clean road at the completion of our task, and great fun to talk to others while we work. Safety vests, gloves, trash bags, and pick-up sticks will be provided. Wear layers and footwear to keep your feet dry. The pickup takes about 3 hours. Contact Joel Wooten for details at joeltotopmountain@gmail.com. The Sierra Club requires all outing participants to sign a standard waiver.

Our most recent Adopt-a-Trail Work Day was Saturday, July 18th 

Good trails don't maintain themselves, but they're a lot more fun to maintain with friends!

Join us at Cumberland Knob for the next trail work day, scenic views, and camaraderie in one of the most peaceful spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We'll trim, clear, and spruce up the trail while enjoying fresh mountain air and good conversation.

Tools will be provided, but if you have pruning shears, loppers, or a garden rake gathering dust in the garage, bring them along!
Don't forget work gloves, sturdy hiking footwear, rain gear, water, and a lunch.

Come lend a hand, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and leave knowing you've helped keep these trails welcoming for the next hiker, birdwatcher, or sunset seeker. We hope to see you there!  Check back soon for information about our next  Adopt-a-Trail Work Day.
Parking Lot Location:
21585 Blue Ridge Pkwy, Lowgap, NC 27024
Location Info & Map:
https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/cumberland-knob-trail.htm                                                                                  

The Foothills Group co-hosted several Forsyth Creek Week Events - March 21-29, 2026

See you next year at our Foothills sponsored Forsyth Creek Week Events!

                    Photos from 2026 Forsyth Creek Week:                                                                                                                                           Bethania Bottoms                                        Long Creek Park

FUTURE HIKES

Ivy Bluffs Trail Slow Hike                                   

Saturday, August 22 · 9:00am-11:00am
Location: 
Ivy Bluffs Access Area
4240 Shoals Rd, East Bend, NC 27018
 Join us on a slow contemplative hike along the Pilot Mountain State Park's Ivy Bluffs Trail. Our founder, John Muir, disliked the term “hike” and we will take time to enjoy the trail and let the river and forest speak to us. This is a part of the Yadkin River section of the park that is seldom seen by visitors. The trail will be a total of 2 miles with less than 200 feet of elevation gain. It is rated moderate and will have a stream crossing with stone steps. You will need hiking footwear, rain gear, water, and snacks.

We will meet at the Ivy Bluffs Access Area parking. Participants will need to sign the Sierra Club waiver. Participants are invited to join us for lunch in East Bend after the hike.

PAST HIKES

Riverbluffs Trail Slow Hike in Hanging Rock State Park
Saturday, June 20th, 10am-12pm 

Location: View Map to the trailhead/parking lot
Hosted by Henry F. and Angela S.

Join us on a slow, contemplative hike along the beautiful Riverbluffs Trail on the Dan River in Hanging Rock State Park. Our founder, John Muir, disliked the term “hike,” and we will take time to enjoy the trail and let the river and forest speak to us. This is a part of the park that is seldom seen by visitors. The trail is a 1.3-mile loop, rated easy, and we will add a portion of the Indian Creek Trail, which will have a stream crossing. We should be back at the trailhead by noon.

You will need hiking footwear, rain gear, water, and snacks. We will meet at the Indian Creek /Riverbluffs trailhead at the park's Dan River access ramp. Participants will need to sign the Sierra Club waiver. We’re planning to gather for a casual post-hike lunch at River Rock Cafe in Danbury. We'd love for you to join us! 
Sign Up Here, or contact Henry Fansler at henryfansler@windstreram.net to participate. 

Sunday, May 17 · 9:00am: Elk Knob State Park Hike

Join us for an Elk Knob State Park day hike on the Summit Trail, 3.8 miles total with 961.3 elevation gain to a 365° view of the mountain around you! Meet at 9:00am in Yadkinville. There will be Trillium and Trout Lilies in bloom on the trail. This is a moderate day hike. Bring water, lunch, rain gear, and hiking footwear. For more information, contact Joel Wooten at [joeltotopmountain@gmail.com] or call before 8:00pm at 336-466-1314.
Sign Up HERE

Sunday, April 19, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT: Hike Rock Castle Gorge Loop Trail - 11 miles - STRENUOUS!

This is a classic spring hike that used to be an annual tradition of the Sierra Club Foothills Group. Rock Castle Gorge is in the Rocky Knob Recreation area of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Stuart and Floyd, VA. The trail is an 11-mile loop trail with about 2,700' of total elevation gain along the way.
We start this loop trail at the bottom of the gorge along Rock Castle Creek and climb unrelentingly and seemingly endlessly (actually about 2.5 miles) up to the Blue Ridge Parkway at the crest. The trail includes beautiful rock-strewn meadows, lots of wildflowers, cows, cattle guard ladder crossings, rhododendron tunnels, and mountainside traverses, ending with a 4-mile descent along the gorgeous Rock Castle Creek. 

This will be a long day. It's a 1.5-hour drive to the trailhead, then about 7 hours of hiking to complete the loop. We will be starving by then, so bring some $$ for a stop at Stuart, VA's finest Mexican food restaurant before heading back home.
This hike is not for the faint of heart or weak of leg or lung. Wear sturdy, comfortable hiking boots/shoes, bring rain gear regardless of the forecast, and plenty of food and water. Trekking poles are also highly recommended.

We will have a special hike outing this month. On Sunday, March 29th, we'll enjoy a Slow Hike in celebration and honor of the life of our dear friend, Charlie Wilson.

Dr. Charles E. Wilson died January 19th at home in Winston-Salem.
Born in 1931 in New Jersey, he and Elizabeth, his wife of 67 years, moved to North Carolina. He leaves behind his devoted wife Elizabeth, three daughters, Susan Cuthbert (Oxford, England), Laura Porter (Greenock, Scotland), and Jennifer Chrysson (Lewisville, NC), and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Charles earned bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the Newark College of Engineering, NY University, and Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He served in the Air Force and as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the NJ Institute of Technology.
He authored and co-authored several engineering textbooks, some of which were translated into Spanish, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese. An expert in noise and vibration, he did work for NASA and Mitsubishi during the Gemini space program.
A man of the outdoors, Charles loved swimming, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skate sailing, and snorkeling. He marked and preserved walking trails in the woods and local mountains. He was active in the local and national Sierra Clubs and Natural Resources Committee, even in his 90's. Charlie has requested his memory be honored by a hike.
We'll meet at the Bethabara Park parking lot beside the Visitor Center at 2pm for a slow walk along the trails of Bethabara and the greenway.  We'll get to Charlie's home at 1173 Edgebrook Drive, arriving around 3:00.  We'll visit with Liz and Jennifer for light refreshments, then return to our walk back to the parking lot.  Anyone who would like to visit with the family but is unable to enjoy the walk is encouraged to visit with Liz and Jennifer and meet us there!

We'll meet at the Bethabara Park parking lot beside the Visitor Center at 2pm for a slow walk along the trails of Bethabara and the greenway.  We'll get to Charlie's home at 1173 Edgebrook Drive, arriving around 3:00.  We'll visit with Liz and Jennifer for light refreshments, then return to our walk back to the parking lot.  Anyone who would like to visit with the family but is unable to enjoy the walk is encouraged to visit with Liz and Jennifer and meet us there!
 
Please contact Henry Fansler at henryfansler@windstream.net or 336-473-0283 if you plan to join us.

Sierra Club Foothills Group Grayson Highlands Camping Weekend
Friday, August 14 – Sunday, August 16, 2026

       Grayson Highlands State Park • Virginia
                  Come Join Us! 

About the Trip
Near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain - Virginia’s two highest peaks - Grayson Highlands offers stunning alpine-like scenery above 5,000 feet.
Expect sweeping views, cascading waterfalls, and direct access to the Appalachian Trail.
 
🐎 Wild Ponies of Grayson Highlands 🐎                 

Hikers on the highland trails are likely to encounter the park’s famous wild pony herd. Introduced in 1974 to prevent reforestation of the highland balds, the herd is managed by the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association. Please admire from a respectful distance!

What to Bring
Come prepared with:
Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, flashlight or headlamp
All meals, snacks, and water (aside from our group meals!)
Layers — highland nights can be chilly even in August
Rain gear (mountain weather changes quickly)
Sturdy hiking boots
Daypack for hikes, sunscreen, insect repellent
 
Logistics & Registration
Visitor center on-site
Developed campgrounds
Hiking trails to waterfalls & overlooks
Year-round Appalachian Trail access
Horse trails & equestrian camping area

To Join Us
Contact debdemske@gmail.com to RSVP