If your idea of a vacation involves disappearing into the wilderness, you'd have a hard time finding a better place than Daniel Boone National Forest in which to do it. Spanning more than 700,000 acres in eastern Kentucky, this forest is prime territory for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and simply enjoying the scenery. Daniel Boone National Forest has no shortage of hiking trails -- more than 600 miles of them -- but few offer more scenic beauty than the Bark Camp Trail.
Hiking the Bark Camp Trail
- Beginning at its trailhead on Forest Road 193, the Bark Camp Trail meanders westward 2.4 miles along the banks of Bark Camp Creek. The terrain is moderately difficult, and the entire hike typically takes about three hours, round-trip. At its endpoint, the Bark Camp Trail connects to the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail, and a three-sided Adirondack-style shelter marks the junction. From here, you can head back to the trailhead, or continue hiking to the north or south on the Sheltowee Trace Trail, which follows the course of Cumberland River.
Scenery and Nature
- The Bark Camp Trail leads hikers along steep bluffs, past groves of blooming wildflowers and through a pristine forest of birch, hemlock and rhododendron. The cascading waters of Bark Camp Creek frequently are visible from the trail, and the journey is accompanied by the sound of water rolling and gurgling over mossy rocks. Just before you reach the shelter at the trail's end, a short side trail leads to Bark Camp Creek Cascades, a series of tumbling waterfalls that precede the creek's confluence with the Cumberland River. The trail provides constant opportunities for nature photography, and the creek is stocked with rainbow trout, so with a current Kentucky fishing license, you can bring along a fishing rod and stop to fish at your leisure.
Stay Overnight
- The shelter at the end of the Bark Camp Trail is available for overnight use by hikers on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dispersed backcountry tent camping is permitted throughout the majority of Daniel Boone National Forest, except where posted signs indicate otherwise. If you plan to stay overnight, you must carry in all necessary supplies and remove all signs of your presence when you leave. Trail shelters are spaced periodically along the Sheltowee Trace Trail. Potable drinking water is not available along the trail, so bring plenty with you, and if you plan to hike for more than one day, you will need to filter or purify water from springs and streams.
Sheltowee Trace Trail
- If the 2.4 miles of the Bark Camp trail don't satisfy your hiking needs, you can take the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail and hike all the way to Tennessee, if you so choose. This trail stretches more than 250 miles from Kentucky State Route 377 southward to Pickett State Park in Tennessee, passing through Daniel Boone National Forest along the way. The Sheltowee Trace Trail also connects to most of the national forest's other hiking trails, providing the backbone of the park's trail system. Detailed maps, hiking guides and other information can be found on the official Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail website.
