ONEIDA, Tenn. — The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will host a ceremony to celebrate those who completed the 100-mile Centennial Challenge on Saturday, Dec. 10.
The event will be held at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and will begin at 2 p.m.
The Centennial Challenge has been a year-long celebration of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary. The Big South Fork NRRA encouraged visitors to the park to explore 100 miles either by hiking, by horseback, by paddling or by mountain biking.
In all, the Big South Fork offers 500 miles of trails and streams.
The Centennial Challenge is a self-paced, self-guided activity that relies on the honor system. Participants are logging their miles on a log sheet that they downloaded from the Big South Fork’s website.
At the Dec. 10 ceremony, all participants who completed the challenge will receive a patch that was designed especially for the challenge. The oldest and youngest people to complete the challenge will be honored, along with the person who covered the milage in the most diverse manner.
If you have not completed the 100 miles, there is still time. You can start by downloading a log form. Need some ideas on which trails to hike? Check out the ranger-guided hikes that the BSF offered as part of its Healthy Hikes program this year, or check out the hikes that were included as part of the Independent Herald’s Twenty Week Hiking Challenge in 2015.
