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Photo Courtesy Kentucky Tourism.
The Kentucky Artisan Center
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea hosts the work of more than 650 Kentucky artisans.
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Photo Courtesy Kentucky Tourism.
The McKenzie Cabin at Mountain HomePlace
The McKenzie Cabin at Mountain HomePlace is an original double pen cabin built in the late 19th century.
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Photo Courtesy Kentucky Tourism.
The Kentucky Artisan Center
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea hosts the work of more than 650 Kentucky artisans.
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Photo Courtesy Kentucky Tourism.
Breaks Interstate Park
Breaks Interstate Park contains the gorge known as “the Grand Canyon of the South.” The Breaks is the only break in the Pine Mountain ridge that stretches 125 miles.
It will take longer than a weekend to explore all the hills and hollers of eastern Kentucky, where steep ridges and thick forests have long hidden its natural wonders and inspired its rich art and music heritage.
The solution: Follow one of three suggested loops below to meander through the backwoods and highlands of East Kentucky to experience the region’s breathtaking natural wonders, hear the toe-tapping music of the stars born along the Country Music Highway and soak in a bit of history as told by the native coal miners and railroaders you are sure to bump into along the way.
South-central Loop
Begin by entering Kentucky as its natives and earliest pioneers once did – by passing through the Cumberland Gap. Then drive the modern Wilderness Road, U.S. 25, to Pine Mountain State Resort Park to take in sweeping vistas of the Cumberland highlands.
Follow the Wilderness Road to the City of Corbin, home to Harland Sanders Café and Museum, where the Colonel’s secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken was first perfected.
Enter the Daniel Boone National Forest en route to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, to see Kentucky’s iconic Cumberland Falls. Known as the “Niagara of the South,” the Cumberland River plummets 65 feet in a 125-foot curtain here to the bolder-strewn valley below. Cumberland Falls is the only place in the western hemisphere to spot an elusive lunar rainbow or moonbow, which occurs when moonlight shines through the mist created by the tumbling water. It can only be seen on clear nights around a full moon.
“The scene of the waterfall is probably one of the iconic pictures representing our state,” says Kentucky State Parks Commissioner Gerry Van Der Meer, who describes the park as a “premier” destination.
Next, head south through the DBNF to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Catch a ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway to the Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp. Then follow the winding Cumberland River northwest toward Somerset before turning east and crossing the rolling Cumberland Plateau. Drive past historic Kentucky farms dotted with old tobacco barns to the towns of Mt. Vernon and Renfro Valley, Kentucky’s County Music Capital.
The Renfro Valley Entertainment Center is the home of the world-famous Renfro Valley Barn Dance. The old-fashioned variety show combines classic country, bluegrass, comedy and dance. It takes place in the same historic theater where it began in 1939, when legendary songwriter, manager and producer John Lair brought the radio show to his hometown. Plan to attend the special 72nd anniversary show on Nov. 5 or catch the performance of an old favorite like Crystal Gale or George Jones, during the annual Headliner Concert Series now under way.
Along with the historic Renfro Valley Barn Dance theater, facilities include another recently refurbished indoor theater and an outdoor stage.
“May through October we will be having shows seven days a week here at Renfro Valley. From Monday night all the way through Sunday morning,” says spokesman Craig Barnett. As part of the renaissance taking place in Renfro valley, tickets can now be purchased online and a slew of new shops and a new restaurant will also open this summer, he says.
Christmas in the Valley, which is the only show that includes all the Renfro Valley performers, begins in late November and runs through mid December.
While in Renfro Valley be sure to visit the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame to explore Kentucky’s musical heritage before heading north to the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea. The center, free to visitors and open daily, features the work of more than 650 Kentucky artisans. Consider spending the night at the historic Boone Tavern, owned and operated by Berea College.
Complete this loop by following U.S. 25 back to the Cumberland Gap. Stop at Camp Wildcat Civil War Battlefield along the way; it was the site of the Union’s first victory of the Civil War in October 1861. A special three-day event will be held this year from Oct. 14 to Oct. 16 to mark the 150th anniversary of the battle. Reenactments will occur Saturday and Sunday. For a longer trip, head north to the Red River Gorge, a winding drive on two-lane roads through Estill County, “where the bluegrass meets the mountains,” connecting into the Northeastern or Southeastern loops.
Northeastern Loop
Interstate 64 makes an easy entry point into the Ohio River city of Ashland. Known as the place “where coal meets iron,” it is an important industrial hub as well as a center of regional culture and history.
Take in a show or just tour the magnificently restored Paramount Arts Center, one of a handful of surviving theaters built by the Paramount Publix Corporation in the ‘30s, with all the period’s signature opulent details. Peruse the shelves of the nearby Jesse Stuart Foundation for new and old Kentucky and Appalachian literature before crossing the street to take in an exhibit at the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center.
Leave Ashland on U.S. 60, following it through the towns of Grayson and Olive Hill to Carter Caves State Resort Park before heading on to Morehead’s Kentucky Folk Art Center or the pristine waters of Cave Run Lake. The 8,270-acre lake inside the DBNF is a popular destination for sport fishers and all types of recreational boaters.
Then head south to explore the 70-million-year-old Red River Gorge Geological Area, also in the DBNF, via the Red River Gorge Scenic Byway. Stop along the way in Natural Bridge State Park to hike or ride the Skylift to the top of the 900-ton sandstone arch. Take the scenic Bert T. Mountain Parkway to Prestonsburg to catch Billy Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry at the Mountain Arts Center at the intersection of The Country Music Highway, U.S. 23.
Stretching through Kentucky from South Shore on the Ohio River to Jenkins, U.S. 23 earned its official designation because more country music stars hail from along it than any other roadway in the country.
On the way back to Ashland, head to Butcher Hollow, Loretta Lynn’s home place in Van Lear, or explore the Mountain HomePlace at Paintsville Lake. The annual Heritage Days festival at Mountain HomePlace is set for Sept. 8-10 and includes blacksmithing, soap-making and weaving demonstrations by costumed interpreters. Paintsville’s beloved Apple Festival will take place Sept. 30 to Oct. 1; visitors can taste a cornucopia of homemade treats from traditional apple pies and apple butter to candied apples. Events range from live country and bluegrass shows to a parade. The Country Music Highway Museum located in Paintsville hosts live bluegrass at 6 p.m. on Thursday nights.
Stop in the town of Louisa to visit the Painted Cow Art Gallery, where works by local artists include handmade banjos and mountain dulcimers. Before heading home, cross under the railroad tracks into Catlettsburg to see its mural-adorned floodwalls that include portraits of writer Billy C. Clark and the giant catfish, Scrap Iron Jack, a character in local folklore.
Southeastern Loop
Enter into Kentucky from Virginia at another historical entry point known as The Breaks, the backbone of Kentucky’s highlands. Breaks Interstate Parks straddles Breaks Canyon known as the “Grand Canyon of the South” and is accessible via U.S. 460. Breaks Canyon was carved over millions of years by the Russell Fork River, which drops more than 800 feet in five miles at The Breaks.
Then visit the Elkhorn City Railroad Museum before traveling to Pikeville, home to one of the largest civil engineering projects in the western hemisphere. The Pikeville Cut-through removed 18 million cubic feet of rock from Peach Orchard Mountain and changed the course of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. From Pikeville, follow U.S. 119 to the restored 1900s coal town of Seco.
Stay a night at the Highlands Winery Bed and Breakfast, in the beautifully restored Seco Company General Store. Take in a bluegrass show or take an ATV tour of the 400-acre property.
From Seco, head to internationally recognized Appalshop in Whitesburg, known for being the leading producer of Appalachian films, music, print and mixed media. Catch a community theater production or a show by a visiting recording artist in its intimate 150-seat theatre.
Or, time your trip to Whitesburg to attend Appalshop’s signature festival, Seedtime on the Cumberland, which occurs each June. “It’s really unique and focuses specifically on art and culture,” says Derek Mullins, Appalshop marketing director.
The festival features films, both from Appalshop’s archives and those currently in the works, old-time bluegrass music and artisan crafts. Musicians and artists flock to the festival’s relaxed atmosphere, says Mullins.
Next, visit the side-by-side coal towns of Benham and Lynch. Descend deep into Black Mountain the Portal 31, Kentucky’s only exhibition coal mine, dressed in traditional mining gear before visiting the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum in Benham.Backtrack a few miles to the 38-mile-long newly paved Little Shepherd Trail. The narrow, winding road traverses the spine of Pine Mountain from Kingdom Come State Park to Harlan. It’s a slow drive but is exceptionally scenic; look out for wildlife including the region’s plentiful black bear.
Return to the DBNF following U.S. 421, to the Daniel Boone Parkway, which leads east to Hazard and Hindman, home of the Appalachian Artisan Center.
From Hindman follow Ky. 80 east to Prestonsburg before looping south back to Pikeville.
Heading east on the Daniel Boone Parkway leads to London, where a right turn leads to Renfro Valley and a left to Corbin and Cumberland Falls.
21 Wonders of Eastern Kentucky: The List
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. View the Cumberland River as it passes through a scenic gorge or the waterfalls and abundant sandstone arches. 800-462-5664, bsfsry.com
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, inside the Daniel Boone National Forest the Cumberland Falls, is known as the “Niagara of the South.” 800-325-0063, parks.ky.gov
Harland Sanders Café and Museum in Corbin. Visit the original café where Colonel Sanders developed his secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken. 606-528-2163, corbinkentucky.us/sanderscafe.htm
Renfro Valley’s Kentucky Music Hall of Fame is where you
learn about Kentucky’s rich musical heritage and the individuals. 877-356-3256.
kentuckymusicmuseum.com Also, Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, home of the world-famous Renfro Valley Barn Dance. 800-765-7464. renfrovalley.com
Berea’s Kentucky Artisan Center, houses the work of more than 650 Kentucky artisans. 859-985-5448, kyartisancenter.ky.gov
Red River Gorge Scenic Byway runs through the stunning geological area inside the Daniel Boone National Forest known as Kentucky’s Rockies. fs.fed.us/r8/boone/districts/cumberland/redriver_gorge.shtml
Natural Bridge State Park. Hike or ride the Skylift to the top of the famous sandstone arch that stretches 78 feet. 800-325-1710, parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/nb
Morehead. Cave Run Lake is a popular destination for recreational boats and anglers. 606-783-7001. lrl.usace.army.mil/crl. The Kentucky Folk Art Center at Morehead State University houses the works of more than 1,300 contemporary Appalachian folk artists. 606-783-2204. moreheadstate.edu/kfac/
Carter Caves State Resort Park Tour has 30 twisting caves; see an underground waterfall or view its numerous sandstone arches by foot or horseback. 800-325-0059, parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/cc
Ashland. This Ohio River city “where coal meets iron” is home to artist studios at the Pendleton Arts Center. 606-920-9863. pendletonartcenter.com. Take in a show or tour the restored 1930s art deco Paramount Arts Center. 606-324-3175, paramountartscenter.com. Or learn about regional history at the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. 606-329-8888. highlandsmuseum.com; or peruse for new and out-of-print works by Kentucky and Appalachian authors at the Jesse Stuart Foundation 1-800-504-0209, jsfbooks.com
Paintsville. Loretta Lynn’s Homeplace at Butcher Hollow is the birthplace and family home of the world’s most famous Coal Miner’s daughter. Stop at Webb’s General Store owned by Herman Webb, Lynn’s brother, to get a personal tour. 606-789-3397.
The Mountain HomePlace at Paintsville Lake State Park offers original cabins, one-room school house, Baptist Church and working blacksmith shop. 606-297-1850, mountainhomeplace.org
Prestonsburg’s Mountain Arts Center presents Billie Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry combining bluegrass, country and gospel music. 1-888-MAC-ARTS.,macarts.com.
Pikeville is part of the driving tour of Hatfield-McCoy Feud sites, or take in the Pikeville cut-through, one of the western hemisphere’s largest earthmoving projects. 800- 844-7453, tourpikecounty.com.
Breaks Interstate Park’s Gorge, known as the “Grand Canyon of the South,”offers scenic views, world-class whitewater on a guided trip. 276-865-4413, breakspark.com.
Elkhorn City Railroad Museum boasts rail artifacts, photos and an authentic 1920s caboose; retired railroaders who spin stories rich in the region’s history are the true treasures. 606-754-8300, elkhorncityrrm.tripod.com.
Seco The Highlands Winery Bed and Breakfast at the restored Seco Company Store offers wine tastings, ATV rentals, tours, live music. 606-855-7968.
Whitesburg’s Appalshop creates a wide range of original works to document the Appalachian experience, while seeking to empower and engage others across the world. 606-633-0108, appalshop.org.
Hindman’s Appalachian Artisan Center contains the work of 200 juried artists and craftsmen, a number of workings studios including those of its master artists-in-residence. 606-785-9855, artisancenter.net.
Little Shepherd Trail is a scenic paved road extending 38 miles from Whitesburg to Harlan and crossing Kingdom Come State Park near the summit of Pine Mountain. 606-589-2479, parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/kc.
Lynch and Benham. These side-by-side coal towns in Harlan County offer an in-depth look at the history and life of coal and miners in eastern Kentucky’s coal fields. Portal #31 underground mine takes you inside Black Mountain by rail car wearing traditional mining gear. Open seasonally. 606-848-1530, portal31.org.
Kentucky Coal Mining Museum covers all aspects of coal mining. 606-848-1530, benhamky.org/Museum.
Wilderness Heritage Highway to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park teaches of the first “Gateway to the West.” Be sure to visit The Pinnacle Rock Overlook. 606- 248-2817, nps.gov/cuga/index.htm.