Sheltowee

[david54]

Any information on this trail in ky

[Martzy13]

No personal info here, but there seems to be some good info on the subject via Google. Wish I'd known about it when I was living in KY, might've given it a look. The Natural Bridge section, I'm betting, is a spectacular bit of trail, judging by what I've seen of the park. When are you looking at walking?

[Cookerhiker]

I lived in KY for 7 years and both hiked on and worked on the Sheltowee Trace. Briefly, it's 323 miles between the Big South Fork in NE Tennessee and a point about 20 miles short of the Ohio River. It goes through Big South Fork in TN and KY, then follows Daniel Boone National Forest. Nowhere near as mountainous as the AT - some climbs are steady with a few steep parts, but not as long as the Southern Appalachians. No single 1,000' ascents.

There are roadwalks in the middle, mainly between I-75 and Natural Bridge State Park. The most scenic parts are Natural Bridge and the Red river Gorge in the north and BSF and Cumberland Falls in the south. One of the best features is that the trail winds along the Cumberland River for more than 20 miles - this is rare if not non-existent on eastern trails.

The Sheltowee Trace Association website is here: http://www.sheltoweetrace.org/

I suggest you visit the "Other Trails" forum here on WB and launch a search with the single keyword Sheltowee. You'll find several threads.

[Cookerhiker]

...I suggest you visit the "Other Trails" forum here on WB and launch a search with the single keyword Sheltowee. You'll find several threads.

Here, I did it for you: https://whiteblaze.net/forum/search....rchid=12609818

[Gambit McCrae]

I have walked a good bit on the Sheltowee over the years, its on the to do list but not a big priority...Shuttles I have found to be difficult for the trail, and only 2 people I have found in the southern 100 miles. It is blazed well, but requires many river crossings.

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[Christoph]

I bet that's beautiful on a winter hike. I'm going to look in to this one very soon.

[Cookerhiker]

I bet that's beautiful on a winter hike. I'm going to look in to this one very soon.

It is beautiful in the winter. For one thing, you can see the rock cliffs and arches better in the absence of foliage. Also, the ice formations around the cliffs and waterfalls are stunning. Because of the overhang of the rockhouses, giant ice stalactites form.

However, be careful in winter because the ice can be hazardous. As I mentioned, there's not a lot of up and down, but the small descents can be icy as can the rock hops over streams.

[TNhiker]

i think (and im too lazy to google it right now) that johnny malloy has written a guidebook on it.....

or someone has at least......

[Cookerhiker]

i think (and im too lazy to google it right now) that johnny malloy has written a guidebook on it.....

or someone has at least......

For many years, Johnny Molloy's book was the only one and it still is good for hikes along the Trace and access to it in places. However, I don't believe it's been revised to reflect several relocations, especially the extension of the Sheltowee southward into the TN portion of Big South Fork. There's also a relocation near Morehead in the north.

Scot Ward aka TABA wrote a guide in 2012 with services and milepoints He was planning to update it but I don't know the status. I suggest visiting the STA website which I referenced in Post 3 above. The information there includes TABA's guide and the latest Sheltowee maps as well as a description of the STA's Challenge Hikes.

[Tennessee Viking]

Scot "Taba" Ward ST guide: http://www.thru-hiker.us/sheltowee-trace updated 2016

[Cookerhiker]

Scot "Taba" Ward ST guide: http://www.thru-hiker.us/sheltowee-trace updated 2016

Thanks for posting - that's good news. And the maps published by OutragGIS are new also.

[handlebar]

Hiked it some time ago. You might want to check my journal at trailjournals.com/handlebar. Very nice trail. I walked in early spring nobo. The head of the Sheltowee Trace Assoc set me up with a place to park at the north end, and Cookerhiker shuttled me to the southern terminus.

[blw2]

I have no experience, except having watch Evan's through series on youtube and living vicariously through it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SPz...FiUHBBgOm2YiMO

Looks like a good trial

[Ashepabst]

I've done a big chunk of the Tennessee end, through Big South Fork --awesome trail, very fun hiking.

[The Solemates]

We hike in big south fork a good bit at the southern end. It’s a nice section through there for sure.

[handlebar]

If you want a copy of my Hike/Resupply Plan and the Nobo Data Bookk I put together from Taba's guide, PM me.

[Pioneer Spirit]

We are currently engaged in an end to end hike that completes the trail by hiking one weekend per month from January to November. We started in the south in TN and are currently at Whitley City KY, roughly 80 miles+/-.

[Dogwood]

Liked it quite a bit...so much so did it twice...back to back yrs. It's yet another very good hike well documented that doesn't get the attention it deserves. IMO it is Kentucky's Tr like to CT is to CO, LT is to VT, and AT is to AZ. Did you get all that?

The coves, escarpments, caves, waterfalls, solitude, and water way walks are highlights. No crowds overall either. Best part...of the ST are the arches. There are larger more impressive in Arches NP but for sheer number with out the NP crowds go to the ST.

If ranking thrus I'd rate the ST over the BMT for overall scenic interest.

[Dogwood]

AZT is to AZ

[FreeGoldRush]

Anyone care to share a southbound thru hike itemerary or comments on this trail? I plan to hike it southbound this summer with my 12 year old son.

The first thing to notice is the guide shows only one water source from the northern terminus to Morehead; a well on private property. Also just one small tenting area. That section is about 24 miles. That does not sound like the southern AT that I am familiar with.