Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - 13
T H E G O O D WA L K
WHEN YOU
GO
THE WALK: A strenuous 4.5-mile outing in Blanton Forest
State Nature Preserve populated by giant trees, giant rock
formations, and a soaring vista of some of Kentucky's highest
mountains.
GETTING THERE: Take U.S. 119 North from Pineville,
drive 23.5 miles, turn left onto KY 840 and in approximately 1
mile turn right onto Camp Blanton Road to the parking area.
MORE INFORMATION: A short site description and trail
map is at knlt.org/blanton
ABOVE: The 45-degree ascent of Knobby Rock is made over a bed of knotty rocks.
RIGHT: Mature hemlocks and rhododendron tower above the trail.
FACING PAGE: Sand Cave's towering rock wall dwarfs hikers beneath.
ant boulders that we had to climb over, crawl around or
go under were not in a notch between two mountains,
but rather on a sloping hillside.
Near the apex of the outing is Sand Cave, a huge
stone shelter whose rock wall dwarfs those who stand
underneath. Also towering above us as we descended
the mountain were possibly the tallest hemlock trees
I've ever walked beside. Surely, this was a part of the old
growth forest we had come to see, with tops of the trees
reaching more than 100 feet high and bases of trunks
being close to three feet in diameter.
As the walk came to an end, I thought, " Here is a
place that, despite being surrounded by the modern
world, still operates the way nature had planned it eons
ago. Trees live for centuries, red efts turn into newts,
laurel and rhododendron twist into lush thickets and
SLEEP IN A CLASSROOM AND
DINE IN THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE
The two-story Benham Schoolhouse was built in 1926 and has been
refurbished as an inn (benhaminn.com). Laurie and I thought it
was a shame that the blackboards had been removed, but many of
the rooms still have hardwood floors and students' lockers still line
the hallways with original terrazzo floors. The restaurant's kitchen
is appropriately situated in the former home economics classroom
and customers dine in what were administrators' offices or the
teachers' lounge.
sphagnum moss grows in mountain bogs. "
Thank you, Grover and Oxie Blanton, for having the
wisdom-and the will-to have preserved it.
Find out more about Leonard's walking and hiking adventures at habitualhiker.com.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
13
http://www.knlt.org/blanton
http://www.benhaminn.com
http://www.habitualhiker.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
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Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2021 - Cover4
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