National Scenic Trails - Sheltowee Trace Trails

By Joan M. Johnson

Built by the government and volunteers, the trail was dedicated on June 23, 1979. The route begins in Pickett State Park, Tennessee and ends just past Morehead, Kentucky. All but the southernmost 10 miles are in Kentucky. From the southern terminus at Pickett State Park, the trail crosses into Kentucky, then passes through the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. While winding though the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Sheltowee passes by Cumberland Falls, Natural Bridge and the Red River Gorge. Ten miles from the northern terminus, the Dry Branch Connector permits hikers to follow the Jenny Wiley Trail north to Portsmouth, Ohio or south to Jenny Wiley State Park.

Large portions of the Sheltowee Trace are open to horses and mountain bikes. In the northern half, motorized vehicles are permitted on much of the trail. However, the only way to complete the entire trail is to do so on foot. In fact, by connecting with the Jenny Wiley Trail (open only to foot traffic), one can hike from Tennessee to Ohio!

Sections of the Sheltowee Morehead Ranger District Northern Terminus to Drybranch Road - 9.9 miles Dry Branch to Holly Fork Road - 2.3 miles Holly Fork Road to KY 799, Big Perry Road - 2.2 miles KY 1274 to U.S. Highway 460 - 5.4 miles Martin Branch Trail to KY 32 - 5.9 miles KY 799 to Martin Branch Trail, #119 - 6.1 miles KY 32 to U.S. Highway 60 - 6.8 miles U.S. Highway 60 to Big Limestone Trail, #109 - 1.7 miles Big Limestone Trail to KY 801 - 3.1 miles Clear Creek Lake Trailhead to KY 1274 - 9.2 miles KY 801 to Clear Creek Lake Trailhead - 9.6 miles London Ranger District Arvel (KY 587) to Turkey Foot Recreation Area - 8.7 miles Turkey Foot Recreation Area to KY 89 - 2.5 miles Holly Bay Campground to Laurel River Dam - 4.2 miles KY 89 to U.S. 421 - 5 miles Junction of KY 192 and 1193 to Forest Rd. 119 - 5.3 miles U.S. 421 to Racoon Creek Road (near S-Tree Recreation Area) - 7.6 miles Heildelberg (KY 399) to Arvel (KY 587) - 9.7 miles Cumberland Falls to Laurel Boat Ramp (Moonbow Trail) - 10.6 miles Raccoon Creek Road (Near S-Tree Recreation Area) to Lamero (KY 490) - 12.9 miles

There are numerous small stores along the Sheltowee Trace, but resupplying at most of these would be difficult. Using maildrops or asking employees at the parks to hold food packages is advisable.

Showers and Laundry
Showers are available at Cumberland Falls State Park and Natural Bridge State Park. During the summer, Holly Bay campground has showers. Also in the summer months, laundry facilities are available at Whittledown campground in Natural Bridge State Park.

Maildrops
Many post offices in Kentucky have been closed because of budget cuts. You should call ahead to verify that they are still open and their hours of operation. Do not depend on the current listing of post offices and zip codes! Some possible post offices for sending packages General Delivery are Waneta, McKee, and Heidelberg.

Oftentimes park and forest service district offices will hold packages for hikers. Call them, ask politely, and verify how the package will arrive (by mail or delivered in person) if you wish resupply at these points. Be sure to thank them when you're finished! Some suggested spots are Stearns Ranger Station, Cumberland Falls State Park, Holly Bay Marina, Natural Bridge State Park, and Morehead Ranger Station.

Restaurants and Country Stores
The Little South Fork Grocery at Yamacraw sells ice cream, pizza, sodas, chips, macaroni and cheese, canned tuna, and deli sandwiches. They also sell unleaded gas and will let you use their phone to make collect or calling card calls.

Tuckers Handy Mart, visible from the parking lot on US 27 sells milk, rice, macaroni and cheese, sandwiches, sodas, chips, and canned tuna. They have a soda machine outside for late night hikers, and sell unleaded gas. (A phone is available at the Stearns Ranger Office, a mile from here.)

Cumberland Falls State Park offers a snack bar outside soda machine and pay phone (on the trail) and a restaurant with an all you can eat salad bar (at the lodge). There is also a pay campground, ask for directions at the gift shop.

The Holly Bay Marina sells chips, sodas and unleaded gas. In the summer, they carry a variety of picnic supplies and have a deli.

The Kentucky Grub Diner at exit 49 of I-75 has lots of good grub! In addition, they sell sodas, chips, peanut butter, cookies, vienna sausages and, of course, unleaded gas. A pay phone is available. The gas station next door has similar fare, but no diner.

On the northern end of US 421 a car wash has a soda machine. Rumors of innumerable stores and restaurants abound in McKee, the county seat. It's a good walk down US 421 to get there, though.

Todds Grocery in Arvel has hours from 8 till 5:30 Monday through Saturday. On Sunday they are open from 11 till 5:30. I showed up after six, so what's inside is still a mystery for me!

In addition to having a post office right on the trail, Heildelberg has a store with sodas, chips, ramen noodles, cookies, ice cream, and peanut butter.

Our Daily Bread, located on US 52, has a pay phone and soda machine outside the store. Inside, there's a deli and a large selection of food. This store is good for short term resupply. The hours are 6:30-8 Monday through Friday, and 6:30 -6 on Saturday.

Natural Bridge State Park has a restaurant with an all you can eat salad bar in the lodge. A soda machine and pay phone can be found outside. Shampoo is available for sale at the desk (62 cents for 2 ounces, it doesn't come with a lodge room.) Rooms are about 63 dollars a night.

The Cra Market on KY 77 has a soda machine on the porch. They are open seven days a week and carry sodas, chips, cookies and unleaded gas.

Bryants Market on US 460 carries sodas, juice, milk, chips, cookies, ice cream, and meat. There is a phone inside which you might be able to use for collect or calling card calls

The second I-64 crossing has almost everything a hiker could want. Pay phones and soda machines are available outside. Lodging is available at the Holiday Inn or Days Inn. A full size Krogers is available for long term resupply. There's a clothing store and a Walmart. Restaurants range from Mexican and Chinese to steakhouses and fast food joints. Unleaded gas is available.

Daniel Boone NF
List of Ranger Stations

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
South Corbin, KY 40701

Natural Bridge State Resort Park
Slade, KY 40376

Pickett State Park
Rock Creek Route, Box 174
Jamestown, TN 38556

Big South Fork NRA
Route 3, Box 401
Oneida, TN 37841

Browse through the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore's database to find an extensive collection of books and maps on Kentucky.

The book Hiking the Big South Fork, second edition provides detailed information on the trail from the southern terminus to Cumberland Falls. It is written by Brenda D. Coleman and Jo Anna Smith and is published by the University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, TN 37996.