A group of volunteers, organized by The Mast General Store, will be conducting trail maintenance and restoration on House Mountain this Thursday, April 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Those interested in volunteering can sign up in person at the Mast General Store located at 402 S. Gay Street, or contact Nick Waller by phone at 865-546-1336 or email at nick@mastgeneralstore.com. Participating volunteers will be entered in a drawing to win a Deuter Speedlite 20 day pack.

All major tools and instructions will be provided, but it is recommended that all volunteers bring a pair of work gloves, water, a snack, and should wear long pants and sturdy shoes or boots. General trail maintenance during a typical work day includes clearing trails of vegetation, removing shoulders, relocating trails and preparing for bigger projects such as step building and wall construction. All trail maintenance follows sustainable trail building guidelines.

Directions to House Mountain:

From Knoxville, Tennessee, take I-40 East. Exit on U.S. Highway 11W (Rutledge Pike) and go north and east on Rutledge Pike. After about 10 miles, look for the “House Mountain State Park” sign on the right side of the highway and then turn left on Idumea Road. Turn left on Hogskin Road. The parking area is less than a mile on the right.