Annual Autumn Backpacking & Day Hiking at Cumberland Gap KY

This year, for the first time, we are also inviting day hikers who wish to remain camped and skip the backpacking up to Martins Fork. You can join the day hike on Friday plus choose other trails on Saturday and Sunday. I will provide trail descriptions of the 7 possible trails here at a later time. Please post a comment if you will be a day hiker only.

Thu Oct 23: Wilderness Road Campground in Cumberland Gap Natl. Hist. Pk. near Middlesboro KY (4 hours from Cincy). GPS: Search Google Maps for Wilderness Road Campground, NOT Wilderness Road State Park. Arrive when you can - we are "car camping" (base camping) in the natl park campground tonight. Will organize carpooling a couple weeks out. We will be camping in group site G-3 and will split the cost. Potable H2O and restrooms (with showers) available near the campsite. Maximum 4 cars at G-3 but parking is available directly across the road at picnic shelter.

Fri Oct 24: You can choose to arrive today instead. For folks who arrive on Thur, we will do a day hike today - trail to be determined. Lunch during hike in downtown Cumberland Gap TN. Fri night we will possibly stage some cars at the Sunday exit trailhead.

Sat Oct 25: Backpackers break camp by 9am and drive 20 minutes to Ewing VA and hit the Ewing Trail about 9:30am and backpack 8.5 miles to Martins Fork campsite (tent camping - no shelters), via Ewing Trail. We will stop at White Rocks Overlook and Sand Cave along the way. Treatable H2O at Sand Cave and Martins Fork. Pit toilets at White Rocks and Martins Fork. Day hikers as a group will choose their day hike, please at least 2 hikers minimum on any trail chosen. Day hikers can remain camped at G-3.

Sun Oct 26: Backpackers break camp by 9am and backpack 2 miles to Hensley Settlement for a self guided historical tour, then either 4 miles to staged car(s) via Chadwell Gap Trail or we may decide to hike back to our starting trailhead- expected ETA at cars 2pm to 4pm. Treatable H2O sources in Hensley and near Indian Rock. Day hikers as a group will choose their day hike, please at least 2 hikers minimum on any trail chosen. Day hikers must break camp and vacate G-3 by 12pm (leave any cars parked at picnic shelter). Optional 4pm group lunch/early dinner: Polancho's Mexican in Middlesboro KY.

Cost is $15 per person to cover group campsite, cost of firewood and to help defray Meetup.com cost (will pass the hat around the campfire). All food is on your own. I will bring charcoal grill and gas grill for day hikers who want to cook.

TRIP RULES:

1. Leave no trace rules and Bear safety to be followed - Must hang food and all smellables on the cables provided at Martins Fork, or in your car if you are day hiking.
2. Well behaved dogs are welcome but must remain on leash.
3. Please only RSVP “yes” if you actually plan to attend as space is limited on this trip.

· Cost: The cost of campsite and firewood will be shared, $15 pp. Share gas cost with your carpool driver.
· Difficulty level: Moderate.
· Backpacker Distance: A total of 15 miles over 2 days.
· Day Hike Distances: 7.8, 8.4, 8.7, 9.0, 10.3, 12.0 OR 13.1 miles – trails chosen by vote, but must be at least 2 persons on a hike. Trail descriptions will be provided later.
· Pace: Moderate (we usually break up into hares and turtles).
· Travel time: About 3.5 hours driving time from Cincinnati
· Event rules: Leave No Trace. Pack It In - Pack It Out.
· The trip limit and RSVP deadline can change without notice.
· By signing up and/or participating in this event, you fully accept that I am not, nor have ever claimed to be, a trained backpack trip leader - therefore you are personally responsible for any injury or death you experience during this trip.

· CAR POOLING INFO: The suggested place for people to meet for car pooling is the Meijer Store in Florence, KY located just off Houston Road (take I-75 South then Turfway exit, take Turfway to a left onto Houston, then go about 0.5 mile) - Meijer allows cars to be parked overnight out in the garden supply area away from regular customers. Please use the Comment Posting area below for this event to arrange who is driving and riding, departure times, etc.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS (from Meijer):
Take I-75 S. KY about 154 miles to: Exit 29 - US 25E (Signs: US-25 / Cumberland Gap Pkwy / Corbin / Barbourville). At end of ramp turn left (Corbin Bypass / W Cumberland Gap Pkwy / US-25). Follow US-25 (southeast) for about 45 miles (toward Middlesboro KY - US25 is also called Cumberland Gap Parkway). Stay on US 25E through Middlesboro. You will pass the Cumberland Gap National Park Headquarters on the right, keep going and you will enter US 25E Tunnel. Immediately after exiting the tunnel, take the ramp on right for US 58 toward Cumberland Gap, TN. Stay on US 58 for 2.5 miles and you will see the entrance on the left to Wilderness Road Campground (brown sign) - turn into the campground. Keep taking right turns and you will be on the campground loop. We will be in Loop G – Look for the “Cincy Backpackers Meetup” sign on the G-3 campsite signpost. Max 4 cars in the campsite parking, but overflow parking is across the road by the picnic shelter. My cell is 513 608 2921 if you get lost. I will try to set up a group text closer to trip time for questions/directions.