Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 12
T H E G O O D WA L K
A CHALLENGING 4.5 MILES
Walking amid
Kentucky Old Growth
Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve is home to healthy 100-foot
hemlocks and other natural wonders.
By LEONARD M. ADKINS | Photos by LEONARD M. AND LAURIE ADKINS
G
rover and Oxie Blanton bought land on Pine
Mountain in southeastern Kentucky in 1928,
passing it on to their descendents with the
understanding that it should never be logged.
Today, that land is the 3,509-acre Blanton
Forest State Nature Preserve, containing the
state's largest remaining old-growth forest,
with some trees having been found to be more than 350
years old.
Although more than 2,000 acres are considered to be
old growth, the preserve's trail system doesn't necessarily go by the biggest or oldest trees. Yet, it was enough
to know that somewhere in close proximity to the pathways Laurie and I were walking grow trees that were already decades old when George Washington was born
in 1732.
12
BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Please note: This outing is definitely more strenuous
than the majority of walks presented in this space. A
little more than 900 feet of elevation will be gained in
less than two miles on sometimes narrow and rocky
pathways on the steep side of Pine Mountain. Expect to
encounter loose footing.
Rising steadily, we came to the aptly-named Knobby
Rock-although someone we met at the trailhead told us
locals had historically called it " Knotty Rock. " No matter
the name, the contorted slab of sandstone tilts at a 45-degree angle, providing unobstructed views of some of Kentucky's highest mountains. One website I had consulted
compared the knobs to " a pile of elephants' knees, " but
I was reminded of a bed of tree burls coated in concrete.
The Maze brought to mind a mini version of the Appalachian Trail's Mahoosuc Notch in Maine, only the gi-
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 3
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 4
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 5
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 6
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 7
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 8
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 9
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 10
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 11
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 12
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 13
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 14
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 15
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 16
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 17
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 18
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 19
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 20
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 21
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 22
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 23
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 24
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 25
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 26
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 27
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 28
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 29
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 30
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 31
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 32
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 33
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 34
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 35
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 36
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 37
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 38
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 39
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 40
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 41
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 42
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 43
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 44
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 45
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 46
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 47
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 48
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 49
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 50
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 51
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 52
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 53
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 54
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 55
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 56
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 57
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 58
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 59
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 60
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 61
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 62
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 63
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 64
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 65
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 66
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 67
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 68
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 69
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 70
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 71
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 72
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 73
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 74
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 75
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 76
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 77
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 78
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 79
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 80
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 81
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 82
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com