Rained out

This Southern weather has certainly not been on our side! As you probably know, we got rained out on the 24th. We have a new date, though: May 15th.

The time and locations are the same. Just make sure you bring plenty of water and bug spray, as the insects are increasing in number and persistence!

Meet: Lee's Coffee & Tea in downtown Laurel at 9:00 a.m.. We will carpool to the trail head.

Otherwise, feel free to meet us at the Long Leaf trail at 9:30 a.m. The hike will last approximately 2 hours. Afterward, we will book it to the nearest restaurant to enjoy a tasty lunch.

For directions to the trail head, click here.
See you there!

April Hike: The Longleaf Trail in Laurel

Sorry this has been so long in coming! I was sick for awhile, and then Spring just ran off with me! However, I've bee working hard on planning the next hike. It will definitely be in the Laurel area, and we will certainly have a marvelous time!

We will be hiking one of the loops of the Longleaf Trail in Laurel. I know, I know, it sounds like what we just did...but it's not! The Longleaf Trail is a multipurpose trail located in the Chickasawhay district of the Desoto National Forest in Jones County. It consists of three loops for a total of 26 miles of trail.

This trail is open to hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and horse wagons. There will be a $3 fee for each trail user (i.e., hiker), so make sure you bring your cash! There are no water fountains along the trail, so make sure you bring plenty of water!

Our hike will take place on Saturday, April 24th (weather permitting). Those interested in carpooling can meet me at Lee's Coffee & Tea at 9:00 a.m. We will plan to begin hiking at 9:30 a.m.

You will need:
*$3 entrance fee,
* Plenty of water,
*Comfortable hiking/walking shoes,
*Insect repellent (yes, it's getting to be that time of year!),
*A snack of some sort (Clif Bar, Power Bar, jerky, whatever you like to keep the blood sugar up),
*Lots of excitement for this amazing hike!

Directions:
(From Laurel)
Take Hwy 15 South
Go 8 miles to George Boutwell rd. and turn left
Go 5 miles to Forest Service rd. 201 and turn right
Go 5 miles to Forest Service rd. 213 and turn right
Go 1/2 mile to the trail head.

(From Hattiesburg)
Take Hwy 42 East
Go East 22 miles into Richton
Turn left on Hwy 15
Go 10 miles to Forest Service rd. 202
Go 3 miles to Forest Service rd. 218 and turn left
Go 5 miles to the trail head (on the left)

For those interested, I will be conducting an exploratory hike on Friday, April 9. If you would like to join, meet me at Lee's Coffee & Tea at 9:00 a.m.

Can't wait to see you there!

Oh, and before I forget, here are some pictures from the Trace....

We wound up biking because it seemed like so much fun! In total, we covered 15 miles of the Trace (7.5 each way).

Long Leaf Trace Hike Update

I can't believe that Saturday is almost upon us, and with it, our inaugural hike! I am looking forward to seeing lots of you there to explore a four-mile section of the Long Leaf Trace in Hattiesburg.

We will meet at the Gateway to Southern Miss entrance. From that point, we will shuttle people to Jackson Station and make our way back to the initial entrance. The trail is part of the "Rails to Trails" program, so it is quite flat and straight. However, there are lots of beautiful trees and some waterways to appreciate along the way.

The Friends of the Trace have posted signs along the way to notify hikers and bikers of the names of existing trees. I explored some of it last week, and it is so beautiful! If you would like to carpool, e-mail me at jonescountyhikes@gmail.com.

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday at 10a.m. in Hattiesburg!

Jones County Hikes fliers coming soon!

I've been working hard at finding ways to promote this group and get the whole community involved. Phase one is finally complete: awesome handouts!



These little beauties should come in about a week, so e-mail me to let me know if you would like some to hand out to your friends. Phase two will include other merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, etc. Let me know if you're interested in these items as well.

You can e-mail me at: jonescountyhikes@gmail.com.

Happy hiking!

Welcome!

Hello! It is so good to have the opportunity to connect with the outdoors in a new place, and I am so excited to see what natural beauty Jones County has to offer!

We will be using the hike information in the following books:"Hiking Mississippi: A Guide to Trails and Natural Areas" and "Hiking Mississippi: A Guide to 50 of the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures."

The goal is to complete all of the hikes within a 30-mile radius of Jones County within one year. Weather permitting, we will complete at least one hike each week, with the meeting place and time for each hike to be announced.

Our first hike will take place Saturday, March 6, 2010. This hike will explore the Long Leaf Trace trail in Hattiesburg, which begins at the gateway to Southern Miss. This hike is four miles each way, with a turnaround point at the Jackson Road Station.



Meeting time/place:
- 10:00 a.m.
- Gateway to Southern Miss (click HERE for directions)

To prepare:
- Bring water (enough to last at least 2 hours)
- Wear sunscreen, especially on your face
- Wear a hat (baseball caps or anything with a brim)
- Wear layers (if it gets cold, you'll want a sweatshirt; if it gets hot, you'll want to be able to remove clothing)
- Wear comfortable shoes (this hike is easy, so walking shoes/sneakers are fine)
- Bring some extra cash in case you want to purchase something at a shop along the way or get lunch with the group after
- Bring a friend

If you want additional information on the Long Leaf Trace, click here.
If you would like to arrange a carpool, e-mail me at jonescountyhikes@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing you on March 6th!