Kentucky Hiking

Most backpackers are unaware of the phenomenal
Kentucky hiking opportunities - of all lengths
and difficulty ratings. But these trails are easy
to access, carry you through special ecosystems,
and provide scenic climaxes unique to the eastern
United States. Best of all, on most of them you
find outdoor solitude.

When it comes to walks on the wild side, resident hikers and backpackers in Kentucky, as well as numerous out-of-staters, head to Red River Gorge.

This is understandable. With more than 100 known natural arches and bridges, 60 miles of maintained trails, and an epicenter of one of the most enduring lost treasure legends in the south, Red River Gorge has a lot going for it. Including crowds. Day hikers, rock climbers, backpackers, fisherman, geology freaks, and other outdoor users are all drawn to the Gorge’s unique geologic attractions. Many of them are unaware that Kentucky offers numerous other, uncrowded trails.

As somebody who walked more than 400 miles researching a Kentucky hiking book, I discovered just how diverse the Bluegrass State’s hiking and backpacking trails can be. There’s plenty to choose from.

There are more than 2,300 miles of Kentucky hiking trails. These range from diminutive quarter-mile nature paths, to the awesome 259-mile long trail called the Sheltowee Trace. They range in difficulty from the laughably easy, to the extremely strenuous. And more trails are being added all the time, such as the in-the-works Pine Mountain Trail, which, when completed, will stretch 125 miles from Breaks Interstate Park, on the Virginia border, to Pine Mountain State Resort Park, in south-central Kentucky.

I love the convenience of Kentucky hiking – particularly the Commonwealth’s day-hiking trails. They’re found everywhere in the state, and, no matter what you look for in the woods, you’ll find it on one of those shorter trails. My own Hiking Kentucky, now in its second printing, is still considered the definitive guide to those trails.

But as good as they are, a day trip isn’t really the best way to explore the wild country of the state. To experience that, a multi-day backpacking trip is the way to go.

For Kentucky hiking, most backpackers head for the hill country of eastern Kentucky, particularly the Daniel Boone National Forest. To be sure, that’s where many of the longer Kentucky hiking trails can be found, including the Sheltowee. And, unlike some long trails, the Sheltowee Trace offers a true wilderness experience. There are three sections that pass through popular outdoor recreation areas. But other than those, you are unlikely to see another hiker over its entire length.

There are five ranger districts in the Daniel Boone, each with its own group of trails and back-country possibilities. The forest contains two wilderness areas as well, where mechanized vehicles are not allowed. Although not as concentrated as they are in Red River Gorge, natural arches are found throughout the forest. One of my favorites is Chimney Arch, in the Natural Arch Scenic Area, south of Somerset. I can spend hours exploring its many facets. And an interesting two-day hike can be made on the trails surrounding it.

As appealing as eastern Kentucky is, don’t sell the rest of the state short. There are some incredible, not to mention less used, Kentucky hiking trails ideal for backpacking in western Kentucky as well.

Take Land Between The Lakes, for example, the National Recreation Area nestled between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Virtually overlooked by backpackers, there are several good trails ranging in length from 14 miles to the 65-mile long North/South Trail. By using connector trails and The Trace (the highway that bisects the length of LBL) you can cut that into any sized loop that meets your time or fancy.

Even better is Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave? You betcha! To be sure, the more than 350 miles of connected caverns are the big draw. And if you visit you should cut out some time to see them. But less well known are the 50,000 surface acres of the park, most of which is very wild.

Within this wilderness are 70 miles of official Kentucky hiking trails. But the land is criss-crossed with fisherman’s paths, unofficial trails made by hikers who don’t know any better (when I grew up hiking in the Adirondacks, these were disparagingly called “herd paths.”), and numerous game trails. So trail finding can sometimes be a real exercise in wilderness skill.

Stanley Sides, a caver who wrote a guide to these surface trails, carried an altimeter, two digital pedometers, and a pocket transit, as well as a compass and topographic maps when researching his book. Yet he still managed to get lost twice.

Sides offers several tips. Among them: do not hike with a time deadline. Haste on the trail can lead to accidents. And be aware that when leaf fall is heavy the tails can become even more obscure than usual.

Camping in the backcountry is only allowed at the developed campsites, of which there are 12 located on or near the trails. So your best bet is to choose a trail that is not overly long or strenuous, and which has campsite options so you can extend or shorten each day’s walk as daylight and energy dictate.

An ideal first choice would be the Good Spring Loop Trail. The main loop is 4.6 miles long. But it connects with a secondary loop that extends the hike to 7.9 miles, and makes a good introductory two-day pack trip. With three of the 12 campsites along this loop, you are never really far from a place to sleep.

There are special regulations when over-nighting in the backcountry. So check with the park people before heading out.

As you make your backpacking plans, give some thought to the Bluegrass State. You’ll be glad you did.