Hiking

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Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center

  • address  125 Aldersgate Camp Rd, Ravenna, KY 4047237.7317109-83.8497558

Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center is a 354-acre Christian Retreat, recreation, R.V., camping and worship center owned and operated by the United Methodist Church of Kentucky. Aldersgate is open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, sex, handicap or national origin. Historic Fitchburg Furnace and the old ghost town of Fitchburg are all within Aldersgate’s boundaries. Located in the foothills of Appalachia Aldersgate is near Red River Gorge, Natural Bridge State Park, and other interesting and beautiful sites. Come Visit!

Angel’s Retreat

  • address 235 Bea Lane, Beattyville, KY 4131137.6314477-83.7417285

Guests will have the entire cabin to themselves plus a 1 acre yard to roam and play games. Guests will enjoy the sights and sounds of the country. We are approximately 3 miles from the Bald Rock Area which is great for hiking and rock climbing and close to the famous Red River Gorge (20 minutes).

Ash Cave Repelling

  • address Larrison Road, Fixer, KY 4033637.694867-83.6964052

Zip line across one of the most spectacular cave entrances in all of Kentucky.

Babcock State Park

  • address 486 Babcock Road, Clifftop, WV 25831

One of West Virginia’s most iconic locations, Babcock State Park has 4,127 acres of stunning scenery. Located 20 miles southeast of the New River Gorge Bridge, the park is most known for the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a fully functional replica of the original Cooper’s Mill, which once stood on the grounds. Other attractions include recreational activities like hiking, fishing and mountain biking, as well as whitewater rafting nearby in the New River Gorge.

Nature and landscape photographers who wish to fly a drone near the Glade Creek Grist Mill, are required to check in at the park office in advance. The use of drones is permitted, but only from 1-3 p.m., daily. Check in at the park office for drone use at other times. Drones may not be flown over buildings or the parking area, and must stay a minimum of 20 feet away from the mill.

The Glade Creek Grist Mill closes for the season on the last Sunday in October. Picnic area restrooms and certain area gates close for the season Oct. 31.

Bad Branch Falls – High Rock Trail

Bad Branch Falls Nature Preserve

  • address KY-932, Eolia, KY 4082637.0692269-82.7608634

Bad Branch Falls, with it’s beautiful trail and enchanting 60 ft. waterfall, is a Letcher County treasure. It is a must see for visitors wanting to explore our area. The hike to Bad Branch Falls is a little over a mile (one way) and takes close to 2.5 hours at a leisurely pace. The trail will take you through an old timber haul road that was built in the 30’s or 40’s.
This hike is a categorized as a moderate hike because it requires climbing over rocks and walking around small ledges. During the winter, there is usually ice along the trail which can also make hiking somewhat dangerous. Most people that can walk one mile should not have any trouble. 
The scenery to the falls is breathtaking, including high sandstone cliffs, giant hemlock pines and many different types of rock formations. If you want something a little more challenging, there is an option to take the High Rock Loop Trail, a little over 2 mile hike to the crest of Pine Mountain. This trail joins in with the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail - which will stretch over 110 miles when completed.

Photo credit- Letcher County Tourism www.discoverletcher.com

Bad Branch Falls Nature Preserve

  • address KY- 932, Eolia, KY 4082637.0692269-82.7608634

Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve is a 2639 acres nature preserve in Whitesburg , Kentucky. Originally dedicated by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission on September 26, 1985, the preserve originally covered 435 acres and included Bad Branch Gorge, a forested gorge with a 60 ft waterfall tumbling over sandstone cliffs on the south face of Pine Mountain. Subsequent acquisitions have expanded the preserve west into the Presley House Branch watershed, northeast into the upper reaches of the Bad Branch watershed and a small portion of the north face of Pine Mountain. The preserve also protects Kentucky's only known nesting pair of common ravens. Bad Branch has been designated a Kentucky Wild River. There are 7.4 mi of foot trails and bridges over uneven strenuous terrain.

Bear Track Lake Adventures

  • address 580 Beartrack Lake Road, Beattyville,, KY 4131137.6236441-83.7453333

Bear Track Lake, a 29 million gallon spring-fed mountain lake, is the centerpiece of our property. Whether it's giving you a relaxing view, cooling the ambient air, or providing a refreshing drink for wildlife, we think Bear Track Lake will be an excellent centerpiece to your vacation as well.

It covers more than 6 acres of land and is surrounded by spectacular cliffs and undisturbed forest. The lake is home to many types of fish, including catfish, bluegill, and bass. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of our albino catfish!

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Beartown State Park

  • address 4800 Watoga Park Road, Marlinton, WV 2495438.1166181-80.12776389999999

The Park is actually one large rock formation split into sections and clefts large enough for walkways. The Park is noted for its massive boulders, overhanging cliffs and unusual rock formations, which are comprised of Pottsville Sandstone formed during the Pennsylvanian Age. Faulting and erosion of the sandstone capping the mountain created a unique system of ‘sunken streets’ in this ‘town of rocks.’ Huge rock formations, deep caves, and dark corners invite the imagination to speculate if bears really do inhabit the vicinity.

Beartown State Park is a natural area. Its 107 acres are located on the eastern summit of Droop Mountain, seven miles southwest of Hillsboro, West Virginia. The land was purchased in 1970 with funds from the Nature Conservancy and a donation from Mrs. Edwin G. Polan, in memory of her son, Ronald Keith Neal, who lost his life in the Vietnam War.

Birch Knob Observation Tower

  • address 1 Birch Knob Drive, Clintwood , VA 2422837.237982-82.458106

Birch Knob Observation Tower enjoy views stretching from Virginia, to Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.

Breaks Interstate Park

  • address 627 Commission Circle, Haysi, VA 2425637.2860398-82.29449079999999

It is accessed via highway 80 (Virginia 80 and Kentucky 80), between Haysi, Virginia and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, and passes through the community of Breaks, Virginia east of the park.

Breaks Interstate Park

  • address 627 Commission Cir, , Breaks, VA 2460737.2861769-82.2951987

Breaks Interstate Park is a bi-state state park located partly in southeastern Kentucky and mostly in southwestern Virginia, in the Jefferson National Forest, at the northeastern terminus of Pine Mountain. Rather than their respective state park systems, it is instead administered by an interstate compact between the states of Virginia and Kentucky. It is one of several interstate parks in the United States, but only one of two operated jointly under a compact rather than as two separate state park units. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Kentucky Department of Parks are still major partner organizations, however.

The Breaks is also referred as the "Grand Canyon of the South", through which the Russell Fork river and Clinchfield Railroad (now the CSX Transportation Kingsport Subdivision) run. It is accessed via highway 80 (Virginia 80 and Kentucky 80), between Haysi, Virginia, and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, and passes through the community of Breaks, Virginia, east of the park.

Buckhorn State Park

  • address 4441 KY-1833,, Buckhorn, KY 4172137.3248584-83.4256394

Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park is positioned just along the edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest. Buckhorn offers five options for meeting space. The conference center can be divided into two smaller meeting rooms. There are two areas in the main dining room that can be sectioned off for meeting space. The meeting space can hold 10-200 people. Buckhorn offers 36 lodge rooms, two-2 bedroom cottages and three-3 bedroom cottages along with full service catering to all places to rent in the area.