Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail is a 120 mi (193 km) trail under development in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Once completed, the trail will wind along Pine Mountain Ridge from the Breaks Interstate Park to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The park itself will cover a 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) band along Pine Mountain.[1] The trail will connect Bad Branch State Nature Preserve and many other natural areas owned by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves.
| Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail | |
|---|---|
| Length | 120 mi (190 km) |
| Location | Eastern Kentucky, United States |
| Trailheads | Breaks Interstate Park, Kentucky Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky |
| Use | Hiking |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Sights | Cumberland Plateau |
| Hazards | Severe weather American black bear Tick-borne diseases Mosquitos Biting flies Chiggers Steep grades Limited water Diarrhea from water Poison ivy Venomous snakes |
As of May 2014, the trail is completed from the Breaks Interstate Park to Kingdom Come State Park.[2]
Trail sections
editThe following chart lists the completed trail sections as of May 2014:
| Trail Section | Length | Shelters | Start to Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Knob | 28 mi (45 km) | one | Breaks Interstate Park to U.S. 23 |
| Highland Section | 16 mi (26 km) | two | U.S. 23 to U.S. 119 |
Trail rules
edit- Foot traffic only between US 23 and US 119
- Camping at designated sites only (There are a number of shelters along the trail - check for details on camping.)
- No overnight camping permitted in state nature preserves.
- No overnight parking at state nature preserves.
- Trails have sign-in and sign-out stations that help identify who is and has been on the mountain in the event of an emergency.
References
edit- ^ Susan Reigler, Pam Spaulding (2009). "Eastern Kentucky Parks". The Complete Guide to Kentucky State Parks. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-9208-0.
- ^ Pine Mountain Trail Conference Retrieved on 2009-12-28