Bluegrass Trail Talk

The Sheltowee Trace Association is offering an Intro to Backpacking Weekend designed for people with little or no overnight camping experience in the wilderness. Set in the Daniel Boone National Forest, this course covers equipment selection, navigation, meal planning and cooking, and campsite selection.
Location: Sheltowee Trace Northern Terminus (Near Morehead, KY)
Dates: March 22 - 24
Length: 3-day/2 Night
Cost:$75, $50 for STA members
Difficulty Description: Beginner
Overview
This weekend course is designed for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts who have little or no overnight camping experience in a mountain or wilderness environment. By the end of the weekend, students will have acquired the skills to plan and carry out an enjoyable multi-day backpacking trip using established trails and campsites, and will have a foundation upon which to build more advanced wilderness skills.
For this hike we will meet at 2pm on March 22d at the Northern Terminus of the Sheltowee Trace and shuttle back to Holly Fork trail crossing, then hike 2.5 miles to our camp site for the night. On Saturday we will pack up and hike to the historic Hickory Flats Fire Tower (approximately 7 miles) where we will camp and you can climb to the top for a spectacular view. Sunday morning we will hike to the Northern Terminus, approximately 6 miles.
Skills covered at camp and during the hike in this course will include:
Equipment selection and packing
Fundamentals of navigation
Meal planning and cooking
Water treatment and approaches to hydration
Selection and safe operation of backpacking stoves
Food storage and caching strategies
Leave No Trace principles
Construction of a comfortable, low-impact campsite
How to go to the bathroom in the outdoors
And many, many other backcountry skills
Registration is required. Click the link below to register today. Space is limited.

lp.constantcontactpages.com

Due to a power outage, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area’s night sky program was canceled last Saturday 7/29. We are able to reschedule the program for Saturday, August 12th.

Big South Fork NRRA will be working with Dr. Mark Pitts, Senior Lecturer at the Eastern Kentucky University, to host a night sky program at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center Parking lot area on Saturday, August 12 at 10PM EST. Join us and enjoy the spectacular dark sky conditions in the park to view the Perseid meteor shower and other summer constellations.

Participants should meet at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center Parking lot. Please bring a red-light flashlight and a blanket or chair for comfortable seating. We encourage you to bring binoculars to have your own personal view of the night sky. All ages are welcome to attend this free event, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

This event is subject to favorable clear sky weather conditions. In the event of inclement weather or cloud cover, the event will be moved indoors to the Interpretation and Education building.

A young man from Stanton, Kentucky is now the youngest to complete a thru-hike of the Trace. Finn Dourson, hiking along with 3-time End to Ender Jordan Byrnes, completed the Trace in 23 days. Congratulations and a job well ldone to Finn and Jordan.

After entirely too much effort and an act of Congress, we finally have isobutane fuel in! With a universal fit and a 4 season mixture, it will certainly keep you warm and fed this camping season. Also in this order we have ultralight titanium camp-stoves and extended or folding spoons for digging around that bag of Peak Refuel food. Come visit us on Mill St in London or just send a message. Stay safe adventurers!

There is a new outdoor store opening this Saturday in London. L3 Adventures grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony is Saturday, June 18th. We are excited to see a new store open in London and to have Stephen Jones, the owner sign on a corporate partner and support the work of the STA. We look forward to working with Stephen and L3 Adventures in the days ahead. Local businesses along the Trace corridor are integral to the long term success of our trail town program and the support hikers need along the trail.

We hope to see you there this Saturday for the Grand Opening. First 50 that stop by and tell them your from the STA or say the read the news on the STA page will receive one of our new window diamond blaze stickers.

The business will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 to 6:00 and on Saturdays from 9:00 to 3:00.

It is located at 1022 N. Mill St. #4, London, KY, 40741.

We’re excited to announce the Sheltowee Trace Virtual Run! This challenges you to run/hike/walk 353 miles between April 1st and July 31st! Why 353 miles? That is the same length as the Sheltowee Trace! Why virtual? Because you can do this anywhere! Road, trail, treadmill, you name it. The goal is to get you moving and give you something to work towards this summer.  

With an entry you get a shirt, sticker pack, printable bib, mile log sheet, medal, info about the Sheltowee Trace, access to the Facebook group, and training plan to keep you on track to reach the 353 miles! The best part is that a portion of the entry fee goes to the to help protect, preserve, and promote the STNRT!

Signup now at the discounted rate! We’re excited for our runners/hikers to join in on the fun. We hope this leads you to someday hike the Sheltowee Trace, or for those Sheltowee lovers it gives a way to give back and support the STA!

More info at www.bluegrassmountaincup.com

Volunteers are needed to assist parks staff in housing displaced storm victims at Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Kenlake State Resort Park and KY Dam Village State Resort Park.
If you would like to help, please contact Parks Division Director Andy Kasitz at [email protected].

*Volunteers will need to provide their own travel accommodations.

Firefighters with the London Ranger District are conducting the Walker Branch North prescribed burn near KY-1193 in Whitley County today. This burn will reduce forest fuel levels, improve wildlife habitat, and recruit oak species on 324-acres.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Mary O’Malley, (859) 745-3107 , [email protected]



Wi******er, October 19, 2021 — The Daniel Boone National Forest has partnered with Virginia Tech, Penn State, and Kay-Linn Enterprises to conduct a holistic analysis of the Forest’s sprawling trail system. After months of on-the-ground assessment of more than 600-miles of trails, the Daniel Boone National Forest trail planning team is now seeking public input through a virtual public engagement hub. This input is vital to creating a guiding document that provides a vision for future management of the Forest’s trail system.

“We’ve known for a while that we need an overall master plan for the Forest trail system,” said Matt Able, Daniel Boone National Forest Trails and Dispersed Recreation Program Manager. “Our trails are busier than ever and the growth of private and local trail initiatives across the region presents new opportunities to support trail users all over eastern Kentucky.”

The Daniel Boone National Forest trail planning team has spent months hiking, biking, and riding the entire Forest system to document current conditions and assess the issues and opportunities present in the field. They have also met with trails staff and decision makers from each Ranger District to better understand the unique issues present in each area of the Forest. This painstaking documentation of the current system will form the basis of the public engagement process and the starting line of planning for the future.

“What we need now is to hear from all the folks who use our trails. Whether you join us at a meeting or simply respond to the survey, we want to hear your take on the Forest trails in your area,” said Able. “After all, our trails aren’t just a Forest product. They are a resource for a diverse group of users and are a part of a growing system of trail and transportation networks spread across eastern Kentucky.”

Get involved with the Daniel Boone National Forest trail planning project by visiting the virtual public engagement hub. From the virtual hub, Forest trail users can provide general feedback through an online survey, comment directly on an interactive map, and RSVP to Ranger District specific meetings. These resources will remain available through November 2022.

For more information on the Daniel Boone National Forest, visit their website at www.fs.usda.gov/dbnf, page at www.facebook.com/danielboonenf, or Twitter at www.twitter.com/DanielBooneNF

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Daniel Boone National Forest - Home Our office has moved to virtual work until further notice, and to protect the health and safety of our employees and customers, we are not selling maps or passes IN PERSON. However, we are available to help you! Please call 859-474-5093 for any inquiries and assistance.