Pack It Up and Go! Make A Weekend Escape With A Local Backpack Trip
With the temperatures rising and all of us stewing in the daily stresses of a pandemic, social unrest and hornet’s nest of incivility on social media, it’s prime time to unplug, get away and pour our worried souls and troubled minds into the healing arms of Mother Nature. At least for a weekend.
Since a trip to the Southern Panhandle of West Virginia (Myrtle Beach) or any large city or typical popular summertime attraction might not be the smartest thing to dial up in the near future, one thing looking better all the time is an escape into the great outdoors.
A good option to really get away from it all for a weekend is by planning and carrying out a backpacking trip at a nearby state forest.
Lucky for us here in the Tri-State, the possibilities are many since Ohio, Kentucky and, particularly West Virginia – with its nearly million-acre Monongahela National Forest – are blessed with some must-trek backpack trails.
One of the closest and most scenic beginner backpack trips can be found in the backforty at Carter Caves State Resort Park, located 45 minutes west of Huntington, in Olive Hill, Ky., in Carter County, home to more than 200 known caves. While the 2,000-acre Carter Caves, home to 20 caves, is perhaps best known for its subterranean wonders, its above ground splendor – which includes four natural bridges – is hardly a well-kept secret.
For beginners, I highly recommend the Carter Caves Cross Country Trail (4Cs) whose 8.3 miles explores the park’s backcountry with two overnight camping options, the Johnson Backcountry Homeplace site near a rockhouse and with space for multiple tents, as well as the Eagle’s Nest, a Boy Scout-built shelter with a raised half-face shelter, two fire rings and space for two tents. The impressive wood shelter is just a short distance from Smoky Valley Lake. Both campsites need a permit (obtained for free at the park office).
You can park at the Welcome Center or the Lodge to get onto the 4Cs trail, which runs concurrently with the Three Bridges Trail between Raven Bridge and the Welcome Center – also passing by Fern Bridge. Along the 4C’s trail, which snakes through the park and the adjoining Tygart’s State Forest, there are highlights aplenty, including a hike down to and through Shangra La Arch, two swinging suspension bridges, an abundance of towering limestone and sandstone cliffs, rock houses, wide array of interesting flora and fauna, and scenic views from all sides of the 45-acre Smoky Valley Lake.
For folks wanting to tack on some extra mileage to the 4Cs, you can cherry pick adjoining loop trails such as the 2.5-mile Cave Branch Trail, the 8.6-mile Kiser Hollow Trail (also a popular horseback riding trail), and off of the KHT, an additional 3.6-mile Ridgetop Trail. Note that all of those backcountry trails are also open to hunting in season so backpackers should wear blaze orange in season.
Hiking at a very casual pace we did the backpack trail on a Saturday afternoon, spending the night and hiking out on Sunday morning. While we were gone less than 24 hours, the trip was of such beauty that it completely renewing our souls leaving us tired in body but washed anew in spirit. The blessing of swimming in the creek, soaking in some rays, stopping to admire wildflowers, and breathing in the awe-inspiring natural world was just what the doctor ordered and didn’t cost but the few dollars spent on gas, trail mix and a couple backpackable meals.
Go online at https://parks.ky.gov/olive-hill/parks/resort/carter-caves-state-resort-park to find out more about the more than 30 miles of trails at Carter Caves State Resort Park, which also has guided horseback riding, a swimming pool, a restaurant, mini-golf, a gem mine attraction, guided canoe and kayak trips, caves trips and much more.
Note that if you do not have backpacking gear it can be rented very economically from the Marshall University Recreation Center. Go online at https://www.marshall.edu/campusrec/programs/adventure/rentals/
Here’s a look at a few other backpack trails within an hour or two of Huntington.
Ohio
Shawnee State Forest. Explore more than 60 miles in the 64,000-acre Shawnee Forest, the largest state forest in Ohio. https://www.backpackohio.com/trails/shawnee-state-forest-backpack-trail/
Lake Vesuvius – Located just eight miles north of Ironton, Lake Vesuvius has a 16-mile backpack loop through the Wayne National Forest. Note that if you’ve ever hiked the 8-mile-loop around the scenic lake that is lined with rockcliffs, that you’ve done half of it. https://www.backpackohio.com/trails/vesuvius-backpack-trail/
Western West Virginia
The Kanawha Trace – A 32-mile trail for hiking, backpacking and mountain biking, the KT was started by BSA Troop 42 and Charlie Dundas and was opened in 1962. The trail starts in Barboursville and snakes its way through Cabell, Putnam and Mason Counties ending along the Kanawha River. http://kanawhatrace.org/
Eastern Kentucky
Michael Tygart Trail at Greenbo Lake – An 8.3-mile loop trail at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park near Greenup, Ky. Camping available at the Greenbo Lake Boy Scout Camp. Check out this map https://naturalatlas.com/trails/michael-tygart-loop-2159708 and more info here https://parks.ky.gov/greenup/trails/trails/michael-tygart-loop-trail
Red River Gorge – Located in southcentral Kentucky is the rock climbing and hiking mecca known as Red River Gorge. Explore loops on the 36-mile trail system inside the Daniel Boone National Forest at the Red River Gorge Geological Area known for the most arches (80) east of the Rocky Mountains. Go online at https://www.backpacker.com/stories/kentucky-s-red-river-gorge
