Eighty miles on the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail!
A fresh start on a new trail with new crew. Down one hiker as she creates yet another, but up one new face to our adventures. Should be exciting!
We will leave very early Saturday morning, and start hiking that same day Friday night and stay somewhere close to our starting point. We'll leave a car at Cumberland Falls State Park Resort Sheltowee Trace Trail, Southern Terminus. We will hike North seven days, finishing up Friday. Meanwhile the wives will travel down Friday, pick up the car, and pick us up at the Big South Park Station Camp Parking Lot Yamacraw River Access boat ram with both vehicles. Next we'll head back to the resort where we'll cook a breakfast feast and stay Friday and Saturday night. Saturday we'll explore the area, and then head back home Sunday.
This trail appears quite different than what we're used to. It is at a lower elevation than previous excursions, with a peak of only 1600 feet. However, don't be fooled, we will still be ascending a total of 10,000 10,500 feet and descending just as many over the course of seven days! Hope you are prepared.
Sights along the way include overlooks, rock formations, caves, and arches. You know, the usual Kentucky/ Tennessee stuff.
There is only one shelter along the way, so we will mostly be making our own camps in established sites or anywhere along the way with a flat spot. There are three two pay campsites with very primitive various amenities that we could utilize if the timing is right. Overall, we will have much less of a structured day-to-day. All timelines outlined on this website are rough estimates for the purpose of pacing.
Water should be plentiful, especially the time of year that we are going. Much of the way the trace is following the Cumberland and other rivers. We will cross water frequently. Extra shoes with grip and that can be submerged are recommended.
We will pass near one town early on, but any supplies are a several mile hitchhike away even then. There is one potential re-supply spot at Bandy Creek Campground. Other hikers report sections of poorly maintained trail with overgrowth and downed trees. Poison ivy exists. Snakes exist. Bears exist. Ticks happen. Cell signals are sparse. Severe weather is possible. As I always say, never take this endeavor lightly. What we do is dangerous.
Daniel Boone National Forest camping.
Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area backcountry camping rules.
