The Trails of St. John
Use this page to learn all about the system of trails being built at St. John in the Wilderness in 2025!
Grand Opening Weekend: September 5-7
Join Us for the
Grand Opening!
One of the oldest churches in the WNC mountains, St. John in the Wilderness continues to experience renewal through learning about its history and opening itself to the wider public. The church will open a new trail system called The Trails of St. John on the weekend of September 5-7. Highlights of the weekend include an inaugural Eucharist in the Wilderness Chapel on September 5 at 5:30pm, a Kids' Mountain Bike Race on September 6 from 8:00am to 1:00pm, as well as the ribbon-cutting on September 7 at 1:00pm. See the full schedule below!
After the Grand Opening, the trails will be open to the public from dawn to dusk each day going forward with rules posted at the kiosks that you can find on the church property.
Map of the Trails of St. John, which are being built by
Trails Presentation
On January 19, 2025, the Holy Hikes Trail Committee delivered a presentation on future plans for a system of trails around the parish property.
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Example of an interpretation sign, courtesy of Long Cane Trails - not necessarily what the signs will look like on our trails!
Coming Soon:
Self-Guided History Tour
Along the trails will be interpretation signs describing five sites of historical significance, with QR codes to delve deeper into the complex history of this holy place.