July 10th, 2007
Red River Gorge Sports Map
Distance: Varied mileage for approaches to climbing areas
Difficulty: ++++
Scenic Views: ++++
Elevation Relief: 800ft
Ownership: Daniel Boone National Forest, USFS, Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition, The Muir Valley, and private lands
Google to trailhead
The Red River Gorge is internationally known for rock climbing. With the expansive development of climbing areas in the Gorge, numerous guidebooks have been published to help climbers find new routes. The current definitive publication and website is RedRiverClimbing.com. An interactive map locating climbing areas pulls from redriverclimbing.com’s online guidebook and shows the myriad of publications currently available. While the basic GPS-gridded map with 50 crags, the Muir Valley, and the Southern Gorge can be purchased here.
Tags: Hiking Maps
Posted in Red River Gorge, NGA | No Comments »
July 9th, 2007
This is an essential Cave Run Lake experience: hiking to the top of Tater Knob. You can’t say you’ve ‘done’ Cave Run, unless you’ve watched the sunset from this last-standing fire tower in the Daniel Boone national forest. Built in 1934, the tower was decommissioned in the 1970’s when aircraft replaced fixed observation points.
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Tags: Hiking Maps
Posted in All Hikes, Cave Run Lake, DBNF | No Comments »
July 9th, 2007
Big South Fork Map
Distance: 6 Miles round-trip from Leatherwood Ford
Difficulty: ++
Scenic Views: ++++
Elevation Relief: 525ft ^
Ownership: Big South Fork, NPS
Google to trailhead & coordinates
The hike from Leatherwood Ford along the John Muir Trail to the Grand Gap Loop trail is one of the most scenic river walks in the park. Contrasting the views of wildflowers and Fall Branch creek are the gorge overlooks found along the 4 mile stretch of Grand Gap Trail that hugs the cliffline above the river. The notable vista is the Angel Falls overlook and many deep pools in the river for swimming and fishing. You might find other happy day hikers and backpackers who shuttle from Bandy Creek Campground and hike the 12 miles from Leatherwood Ford back to the campground. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Hiking Maps
Posted in Big South Fork, NRRA | No Comments »
July 9th, 2007
Cumberland Gap Map
Distance: 23 Miles round-trip from Wilderness Road Campground
Difficulty: +++
Scenic Views: ++++
Elevation Relief: 2,100ft ^^^
Ownership: Cumberland Gap, NPS
Google to trailheads
Sherman Hensley hiked up this mountain in 1903 with his pregnant wife and all of the tools and food-on-foot he could drive. They saw the large meadow that would bear the Hensley name and carved out a pioneer homestead. The Gibson family later joined the settlement and together they lived on the mountain, even after the park purchase their land, until Sherman left in 1970. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Hiking Maps
Posted in All Hikes, Cumberland Gap, NHP | No Comments »
June 13th, 2007
Pine Mountain Trail Map
Distance: 14 Miles round-trip from trailhead
Difficulty: ++++
Scenic Views: +++
Elevation Relief: 2,100ft ^^^
Ownership: Private, Kentucky SP, Jefferson NF
Google to Elkhorn City trailhead
The Pine Mountain Trail is one of the most challenging trails in Kentucky. The elevation change, distance, and the undulating, serrated ridge together make a hard, but rewarding backpacking trip. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the trail are the many intersecting jeep and ohv trails. Even with a good map and navigation tools, you will loose the trail and hopscotch down this trail or that. No worries though, since the trail essentially hugs the knife edge of the ridge, you will eventually, if arduously, retake the trail. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Hiking Maps
Posted in All Hikes, Pine Mountain | No Comments »
