Unicoi Trail Services

05/20/2026

I’ve been meaning to do this for a couple months now but shuttles and life prevailed. Life things still go on, but not running shuttles anymore has and will allow me to start spending more time on the trail, performing maintenance and providing information to hikers in my area.

Over the last few years I’ve been able to provide information to the good folks at FarOut. They have always been very supportive in passing it on to hikers via the AT Guide. I recent walked the .5 at the south end of the Iron Mountain Detour (mm360.5) and identified 2 potential water source locations and 1 for tenting. Admittedly, at the current time the water sources are minimal at best, but with precipitation in the forecast, hopefully that will change.

Hope this information proves beneficial. A lot of hikers had commented to me about the lack of waypoint information along the detour.

05/04/2026

Don’t know why but I always feel the need to “scout out” the trail heads before I hike the section. Guess I don’t want to be the person who doesn’t know where they are when they get to a road crossing. 🤷‍♂️. Believe me and I’m sure you can imagine, I can tell ya some stories 😂.

Still .8 from the Northern Terminus but you know I have to find “it”. I’ll be back to hike it soon.

05/04/2026

Sorry, couldn’t resist 😂😂

05/03/2026

Found a nice little trail to check out yesterday. Gave me a chance to try and stretch out my sciatica.

Walking | May 2, 2026

04/30/2026

The first thing this shuttle driver does when he retires

04/29/2026

Details to follow, but…….

04/22/2026

After 3 shuttles to Hot Springs today, I couldn’t resist ending the day with a ‘short’ brew and a great mahi mahi taco before heading home.

Oops, supposed to take a picture before eating. Oh well, take my word for it, it was delicious 😋

04/21/2026

Something new for section or through hikers in Erwin!!

A new theater venue that opened recently in downtown Erwin! Tonight we saw a classic, Second Hand Lions.

G-Man has been here a few times since they opened but tonight was my first time. A wonderful little classic venue.

Get in to Uncle Johnnys early, get your hiker chores done and slide in to town on the 4pm shuttle. That would give you enough time to grab dinner at the Red Fork or Tacos and Grill then catch a 7pm show. You could be back to UJs by hiker midnight or saunter over to the Union Street Tap Room for a beer 🍻.