Mapping the Sheltowee

[stand]

Hi this is going to be my first time hiking the ST. We plan on doing it straight threw and i have some technical questions that i really need to figure out before we go. thanks!

1) i've seen on our maps that there are state parks along the whole trail. Are there safe areas, to leave gear, to park cars in each section? We are planning on leap frogging and i would rather not have to go to far off the trail.

2) Do you have to pay to park at any of the areas or are they all free?

3) are the parks close enough together to pack for one week at a time and switch out as we leapfrog?

4) Should we plan to do six or seven days on the trail at a time in corrlation to the driving points?

Thanks any answers and tips for this trail are greatly apprecated! looking forward to hiking it!!

[Boyd]

Greetings & welcome stand.

1) Pickett State Park, Cumberland Falls and Natural Bridge State Resort parks, Holly Bay Campground at Laruel Lake, and the Morehead USFS Visitor Center all are safe, & free (except the Holly Bay Campground), places to leave your gear.

2) safe planning for distant is:

From Pickett State Park to Cumberland Falls SRP = 6 days

Cumberland Falls SRP to Holly Bay Campground = 2 Days

Holly Bay Campground to Natural Bridge SRP = 8 days, 6 if you shuttle from Turkey Foot to Mt. Olive....both places i'd probably not leave cars with gear in....

Natural Bridge SRP to Morhead Visitor Center (no camping) = 5 days

The trail is another hour or two north to US 60, the practical end of the Sheltowee.

[stand]

Thanks for the spots i was worried about having to take days off moving cars and things. On your schedual what is the millage per day? We are planning on going begining of June to begining of July during the summer.

I heard that the weather flucuates and is sporadic with rain. It sounds like you've hike threw before from your posts that i've read how is the weather and trail conditions?

[Boyd]

For mileage I recommend traveling slower in nicer parts of the trail and enjoy the great areas of the Big South Fork and Red River Gorge.

1---From Pickett SP to Cumberland Falls SRP = 6 days at 65-70 miles...that's about 11 miles a day...easy pace and lots of exploring along the river.

2---Cumberland Falls SRP to Holly Bay Campground = 2 Days at 22 miles....about the same pace with lots of sweet waterfalls.

3---Holly Bay Campground to Natural Bridge SRP = 8 days at 120 miles....that's 15 miles a day with quite a few points of access to roads and stores.

The ST crosses I75 at exit 49 so it's easy for one of your 'support crew members' to meet you there. There're stores in Hazel Patch (by the interstate), McKee, Arvel, Heidleburg (a little north), and near ST mile 90 on KY52.

You'll find many road sections, from hardtop highway to crooked jeep road. If you want to save time, I would consider skipping some sections here....like Arvel, ST mile 110 to ST mile 82 at Zacariah...or from S-Tree Campground, ST mile 135 to Natural Bridge SRP, ST mile 76.

4---Natural Bridge SRP to Morhead Visitor Center (no camping) = 5 days at 45 miles....that's 9 miles a day. I recommend doing a side loop or two in the Red River Gorge. The ST basically ends at US60...the trail does go north to the terminus, but it is infrequently marked, travels through a busy section of Morehead, and meets much deadfall from there north. I think the forest service actually has the section north of Triplett closed.

__________________________

The miles are from the online map at: http://www.sheltoweetrace.com/maps/map.html and "turn on" the Print Topo button and overlapping sheets will pop up on the map that link to topo quad .pdf files.

For a thru hiking journal, which a gives a good feel for the hike, visit Jim's journal at: http://www.sheltoweetrace.com/thruhikers/jim and his superb photo journal

Weather? well it's kentucky so expect June days to be mid 80s and nights to be mid 60s. Expect sun, rain, and an occassional thunderstorm... and mybe even in the same day. Big South Fork and Red River Gorge valleys with be cool, ridges dry, and enjoy the blooming rhododendrons and mountain laurels.

[benlei]

When are you leaving for your thru hike? We are leaving from the Northern Terminus around the 28th of June.

[JoeBrady]

Boyd,

I've got a similar question, I took a break from my hike and left off at S-Tree Campground. I've got 5 days over this weekend to log some more miles. I'd like to cover as much of the actual trail as possible. I was thinking of either starting at S-Tree again, or maybe at Hwy. 421. I found that 10 to 12 miles a day is comfortable for me. Any suggestions on where I might leave a vehicle?

[Boyd]

You could park at S-Tree, mile 135, which should be pretty full of camping families (and safer I'd assume).

Have you been north...is that your direction?

If it helps: here's what I would probably do after that...camp the first night just west of Turkey Foot, mile 120 or so. The hike would be mostly ridge and atv trail and probably busy. I could go a little further and bet on that nice camp around mile 117 near Resurgence Cave.

The next day is a nice stretch here to Arvel. You pass a country store which might be open in afternoon, mile 110. You could camp the second night on the ridge near mile 107.

The next day would be a tough one in my opinion....17 miles to KY-52 and camp near Big Sinking Creek. A big Road walk too, but walk throuh a small town, a gas station, and a country diner/grocery. There's a nice camp near mile 89 in a grove of hemlocks. Then about 12 miles to KY-11 and Natural Bridge.

If you do this weekend...tell us about!

Cheers and good mileage!

[JoeBrady]

Yea, I'm hiking north.
Thanks for the info, pretty much what I was thinking too. I read that there is a small patch of forest land just north of Heidelburg just after leaving the road to the right along Contrary Creek. This was my original camp in this area. The interactive map shows a split of the trail near this point, but doesn't continue to 52. Is there a suitable campsite there? And does the trail connect?

[Boyd]

The ST follows the road. The spur was the old ST until a land owner dispute moved the trail to the road.