Hikers of the Bluegrass

# 🌄 Hikers of the Bluegrass: Historic Fort Hill Civil War Fort Historic Neighborhood Walk + Full Ridge Trails + Overlook and Forest Descent Loop

Frankfort, KY — [ Saturday September 5th] — 09:30 AM Meet at: River View Park — 404 Wilkinson Blvd, Frankfort, KY 40601

## 🌿 Why Hike These Trails

This loop combines a straightforward neighborhood warm‑up, preserved Civil War earthworks on Fort Hill, shaded ridge‑top forest walking, and a short descent trail that returns directly to River View Park. The route offers a mix of history, scenery, and accessible terrain without being strenuous. It’s a practical, varied hike that fits well into a morning or early afternoon.

## 🧭 Route Overview

We begin at River View Park, walk through Frankfort’s older residential neighborhoods, enter Fort Hill from the Clifton Avenue entrance, explore all ridge‑top trails, and return to River View Park using the short forest trail.

## 🗺️ Outbound Neighborhood Route

All sidewalk. Flat. Easy navigation.

### Sidewalk Confirmation

The walk from River View Park to Clinton Street is fully sidewalked and flat. This segment is easy.

### Turn‑by‑Turn

1. West on Clinton St
2. Left on St. Clair St
3. Right on Mero St
4. Left on Holmes St
5. Left on Wright St
6. Right on Wallace Ave
7. Left on Owenton Ave
8. Left on Thornhill Rd
9. Left on Clifton Ave → Fort Hill entrance

### Neighborhood Ages

• St. Clair: late 1800s–1920s
• Clinton, Clifton: 1900s–1930s
• Mero, Holmes, Wallace: 1920s–1950s
• Wright, Owenton, Thornhill: 1940s–1960s

### Distance & Time

• ~–2.5 miles
• ~50 minutes at relaxed pace

## 🏞️ Fort Hill Ridge‑Top Trails, Entrance at 400 Clifton Avenue, Frankfort

We will walk all trails shown on the Historic Trails Map.

### Features

• Earthworks & Fort Boone
• Artillery platforms
• Defensive ditch and walls
• Soldier encampment area
• Military road section
• Interpretive signs throughout including artillery engagement

### Overlook Location

A short spur trail on the eastern ridge leads to views of:

• Downtown Frankfort
• The Old State Capitol
• The Kentucky River valley

### Distance & Time on Top

• -1.0 miles
• –50 minutes

## 🌲 Forest Trail Descent (Return Route)

The return route uses the short forest trail that drops directly back into River View Park.

### Where It Starts

From the ridge, follow the trail downhill until reaching the wooden steps that descend into River View Park.

### Distance & Time

• ~0.4–0.5 miles
• ~10–12 minutes downhill

## 📏 Total Distance & Time

• Neighborhood Walk: –2.5 miles
• Ridge‑Top Trails: –1.0 miles
• Forest Descent: 0.4–0.5 miles

### Total: ~3.8 to 4.0 miles

### Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes

## 🚗 Parking

### River View Park (Recommended)

• Large parking area
• Easy meetup location
• Forest trail ends here

###

## 🍽️ Nearby Walkable Restaurants (Optional After the Hike)

### Gibby’s — 202 W Broadway St

Distance: ~0.4 miles (8–10 minutes) Cost: $10–$20 per person Serves:

• Burgers
• Sandwiches
• Wraps
• Salads
• American comfort food

### Serafini — 243 W Broadway St

Distance: ~0.5 miles (10–12 minutes) Cost: $12–$22 per person Serves:

• Pasta dishes
• Chicken and seafood entrées
• Salads
• Italian‑American classics

Both routes are fully sidewalked and easy to walk back from. Add another mile to the hike.

## 🎒 What to Bring

### Required

• Comfortable walking shoes or hiking shoes
• 1 liter of Water (35 oz minimum)
• Weather‑appropriate clothing
• Bug spray
• Small daypack

### Recommended

• Trekking pole (optional)
• Snacks
• Camera or phone
• Sunscreen
• Personal medications

### Optional

• Cash or card for the optional restaurant walk afterward

## 🧭 Difficulty Rating

### Overall Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

### Breakdown

• Neighborhood segment: Easy — flat sidewalks
• Ridge‑top trails: Easy — gentle grades, shaded
• Forest descent: Moderate — short downhill, dirt trail, roots, wooden steps
• Thornhill Road incline: Mild uphill, still sidewalked

### Suitable For

• Beginners who can walk 3–4 miles
• Intermediate hikers wanting a relaxed pace
• Not ideal for anyone with balance issues on uneven terrain

# 🌲 Pine Mountain Triple Crown

## Blanton Forest • Kingdom Come State Park • Bad Branch Falls

Saturday, September 12
Experience three of Pine Mountain's signature landscapes in one unforgettable full-day adventure. We'll begin in the ancient old-growth forest of Blanton Forest, continue to the spectacular overlooks of Kingdom Come State Park, and finish with the dramatic gorge and waterfall at Bad Branch Falls.
This is a balanced, rewarding day designed for hikers who enjoy variety, moderate challenges, and some of eastern Kentucky's finest scenery.

***

# 🌄 Our Adventure

## 1. Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve (Moderate to Hard)

We'll begin the day hiking the Knobby Rock Loop @ 2.4 miles through one of the largest remaining old-growth forests in the eastern United States. Blanton Forest protects approximately 2,400 acres of ancient Appalachian forest with towering hemlocks, oaks, and hardwoods that have never been logged.
Expect:

• Optionally up to 4.5 miles of hiking
• Steady elevation gain
• Root-covered Appalachian trails
• Massive old-growth trees
• Quiet mountain forest

This is a beautiful warm-up hike that immerses us in one of Kentucky's most remarkable natural areas.

***

## 2. Kingdom Come State Park (Easy–Moderate)

Next we'll travel to the crest of Pine Mountain and explore several of Kingdom Come State Park's iconic overlooks and natural features.
Highlights include:

• Eight scenic overlooks
• Log Rock Arch
• Panoramic views across the Cumberland Valley
• Approximately 5 miles of easy to moderate hiking on short connecting trails

These trails offer spectacular scenery with relatively little climbing, making this the perfect middle stop of the day.

***

## 3. Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve (Moderate–Hard)

We'll finish the day with one of Kentucky's classic waterfall hikes.
Although only about 2.2 miles round trip, this trail is the most technical of the day. Expect:

• Wet sandstone
• Boulder scrambling
• Creek crossings
• Narrow gorge sections
• Uneven footing

The reward is the magnificent 60-foot Bad Branch Falls, cascading into a beautiful sandstone canyon.

***

# ⭐ Why Join This Trip?

• Experience three completely different ecosystems in one day
• Ancient old-growth forest
• High mountain overlooks
• A spectacular waterfall gorge
• A bucket-list hiking adventure without extreme mileage
• Great opportunities for photography
• Supportive group atmosphere
• One of the best ways to experience the diversity of Pine Mountain

***

# ⚠️ Difficulty & Risks

## Overall Rating

Moderate to Hard
This is a full day outdoors with varied terrain. While none of the hikes are extremely long, Bad Branch Falls includes technical footing that requires good balance and careful movement.

### Trail Difficulty

Blanton Forest — Moderate to Hard

• Steady elevation gain
• Root-covered trails
• No cliff exposure

Kingdom Come State Park — Easy to Moderate

• Short trails
• Uneven rock surfaces
• Minimal elevation gain

Bad Branch Falls — Moderate to Hard

• Wet rocks
• Boulder scrambling
• Slippery sandstone
• Narrow gorge trail

### Potential Hazards

• Slippery rocks near the waterfall
• Uneven footing throughout the day
• Heat and humidity
• Dehydration
• Full-day fatigue
• Limited cell service
• Cliff edges at several overlooks in Kingdom Come State Park

***

# Who Should Attend?

This trip is ideal for hikers who:

• Are comfortable hiking moderate trails
• Can handle uneven terrain
• Enjoy a full day outdoors
• Want to experience forests, overlooks, and waterfalls in one trip
• Are comfortable with one moderately technical trail

***

# 🎒 What to Bring

• Comfortable hiking shoes or boots
• Trail lunch
• Trail snacks
• 2–3 liters of water
• Personal first aid kit
• Rain jacket or poncho
• Camera (optional)

***

# 🚗 Meeting Information

Meet: Cabela's Parking Lot, Lexington
Meet Time: 7:00 AM
Departure: 7:15 AM (please arrive early)

***

# 📍 Trip Itinerary

### Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve

4294 Highway 840
Wallins Creek, KY
GPS:
36.859167, -83.382139

***

### Kingdom Come State Park

502 Park Road
Cumberland, KY 40823

***

### Bad Branch State Nature Preserve

1748 Highway 932
Eolia, KY
GPS:
37.078986, -82.770500
After completing the Bad Branch Falls hike, we'll return to Lexington.

***

# 🚙 Driving Distances

Lexington → Blanton Forest

• 147 miles
• Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes

Blanton Forest → Kingdom Come State Park

• 28 miles
• Approximately 30 minutes

Kingdom Come State Park → Bad Branch Falls

• 16 miles
• Approximately 20 minutes

Bad Branch Falls → Lexington

• 163 miles
• Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes

***

# 🕒 Tentative Schedule

7:15 AM — Depart Lexington
9:30 AM — Arrive at Blanton Forest
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Hike Knobby Rock Loop
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Drive to Kingdom Come State Park
12:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Explore overlooks and Log Rock Arch
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Drive to Bad Branch Falls
3:30 PM – 5:15 PM
Hike Bad Branch Falls
5:15 PM
Depart for Lexington
Approximately 8:00 PM
Arrive back in Lexington

***

# ☀️ Daylight

Sunrise: 7:16 AM
Sunset: 7:52 PM

***

# Important Note

Our itinerary is flexible. If weather, trail conditions, or timing require adjustments, we may shorten our time at Kingdom Come State Park or Blanton Forest to ensure we complete the day safely.
Questions?
Feel free to ask in the event comments or contact me directly:
859-457-6657

Join Hikers of the Bluegrass for a day trip to hike in Cumberland Gap.

The Hensley Settlement is an Appalachian living history museum on Brush Mountain, in Bell County, Kentucky. The settlement is part of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The settlement contains twelve homestead log cabins, a one-room school house, and a blacksmith shop.

TRAIL OVERVIEW
Location: Cumberland Gap National Historic Park
The Trail: Hensley Settlement via Chadwell Gap
Distance: 8-9 miles
Elevation: 2191 ft
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Challenging Route
Estimated time: 4-5 hours
Trail Conditions: a few rocky sections
Dogs: are welcome but must be on a leash

No Guests: due to the difficulty level-members must have their own membership to rsvp

Experience Level This hike is best suited for hikers who are comfortable with longer distances and uneven terrain. We’ll move at a steady pace and regroup at key points along the route.

Essential Hiking Gear

• Sturdy hiking boots or shoes with good traction
• 3 Liters of water, snacks & lunch
• backpack to hold gear
• Weather-appropriate layers (70-80 degrees)
• Trekking poles (optional)
• Bug Spray, Sunscreen, & Hat,
• First Aid Ki

On the way to our trailhead we will stop for breakfast at McDonalds

Post Hike Dinner at Cracker Barrel on the way home.

If time permits we stop at Pine Mountain State Park to hike Chained Rock. (1/2 mile rated moderate)

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/hensley-settlement?p=-1&sh=nnytjk&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality

DISCLAIMER
By committing to this event, you acknowledge you have read the following Disclaimer: Meetup organizers/leaders are not guides, nor are they experts. You are solely responsible for your own safety. By signing up for and attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking is an outdoor activity that can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. By participating in this meetup event, you acknowledge that you're of good physical standing and willing to risk the inherent dangers of the activity. All attendees participate at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for this event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event.