Day 4 – Pure Kentucky Wilderness

We hung our food bags last night because we were in bear country and wilderness. We were not on authentic Boone Trace because the railroad claimed that across the river.

We headed out about 8 am and met Dr. Fox soon after then headed off to the next section, which is real BT. I think this section is the most spectacular of the entire Kentucky path. We crossed Crooked Creek on the old bridge and picked our way through the hollers  (gullys for you northern folk).

This trip from North to South was a bit more difficult because of the direction the hollers faced. We took one wrong turn but realized we were headed uphill when we should have been staying on the bottom land. A quick correction and the rest was easy. The original Boone Trace follows a dry creek bed and crosses it several times.

When we came out of the wilds, we were met by the economic development director for Rockcastle County and a civil engineer for the Boone National Forest.  After some advice regarding the development of a public hike/bike route, we drove into Livingston for a lunch with Lynn, the economic director. We ate at a very cool country diner called Mama’s Treats on the north end of town. Angie, the owner, was a wonderful host and served real home-cooked food. Any trip to Livingston needs to include a stop at this diner.

John took Mike and me back to the spot where we had left off, and we hiked the next wilderness section. We needed to keep an eye on the topo map to find the next paved road and made it with little trouble. The whole day’s hike was a hiker’s dream with cliffs, creeks, springs, and big timber. Mike taught me how to identify a former homestead. Look for three things: cedar trees, walnut trees, and Easter lilies. If you see those, you should find an old cabin foundation.

The next two days are mostly pavement, and in order to meet interested folk, we are doing some driving. I will stay at the Woods Blockhouse marker tonight and will be driven to London tomorrow to attend the London Rotary Club meeting.

Walk On,

Curtis