Pine Mt trail: Pound Gap then north

Hike Name: Pine Mt trail: Pound Gap then north Location: east KY Length: ~25 miles Submitted by: e-doc Date Submitted: 1/13/08 Rating:	more Kentucky trail reviews Kentucky national parks Kentucky state parks
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Description
Dates: April 22-24, 2006

I knew there was a trail on Pine Mountain and have wanted to hike this trail for a few years. I picked up the guide from the District Ranger office in Wise, as well as the topo maps (Elkhorn City, Hellier, Jenkins East Ky; Clintwood Va). I planned to hike the trail with my son and another father/son from our cub pack. Both boys were 9 years old. The four of us met at Pound Gap/US 23 after the Ritterbuschs left a car at Elkhorn City. (Breaks Interstate Park is a nearby Virginia state park on a gorge cut by the Russell Fork river. This river is dam controlled by the Corps and is one of the premier SE whitewater paddles when released in the fall.

The trail begins behind the Apostolic Church, out to the tower, and then becomes a nice ridge trail. There were many small cliffs and outstanding views; High Knob, Big A, Clinch, and Mount Rogers to the east with the rolling hills of Kentucky to the west. At mile 5.6 the trail descends and crosses a stream at the Doubles. Unfortunately, the trail becomes a rather nasty ATV track with monster potholes, some of the trail passes through a logged area. The ATV track becomes slightly less nasty past the first power line crossing at Cantrell Gap, about mile 9.7. (The first night we camped in an overused site, with water, almost on the Dickenson/Wise county line, halfway to Osborne Gap.)

The next day we packed and hiked to the Forest Service road at Mulline Pond, then road walked to the tower on Birch Knob, mile 13. We rested climbed the 184 stairs to the platform, impressive views! After the ATV track we had been on, we really hoped the trail got better. It did. The trail was a nice double-track past the tower, continuing to follow the ridgeline to the northeast. Past Blowing Rock Gap were some tremendous cliffs on the KY side of the mountain. At about mile 16, we camped 100 yards down the Counts Cabin Trail. We traveled maybe 0.5 miles down Counts Cabin to get water in the Left Fork of Twin Br. Just past Counts Cabin tr is a trail about 0.5 mile to a natural arch, above the middle Fork of Upper Twin Br.

On our third day, we had about 9 miles miles to go and we were unsure of the boys ability to hike this. I had the topos and a few ideas about places to bail off the mountain. All along this section (and the entire trail) there were great views; the previously-mentioned mountains, active mountain top removal strip jobs, and large reclaimed areas. It was impressive. Below the gap east of Skeet Rock Knob showed a jeep trail leading down to KY 197. The entire Kentucky side of the ridge was cliffed out but we found a spot we could safely descend. We descended very steeply down an overgrown logging skid. It then leveled out and we came out on the access road to the quarry on Polecat Branch. Large dump trucks loaded with gravel rumbled down the road, empty ones flew up. By the time we reached Rough Branch, we stopped to soak our feet. After a good rest we began our 3 mile road walk to the Elkhorn City. Our ~22 mile trip ended and we drove to Pikeville to grab some lunch.

Interestingly the McDonald’s where we ate lunch was on reclaimed land from the Levisa River. In order to make more land for the growing eastern Kentucky town, the powers that be cut straight through the mountain, relocating the US 23 and river. The "Pikeville Cut" is not all the impressive a road cut (when compared to one like Beaucatcher Cut in Asheville) but I wondered at the strings that were pulled to relocate a river.

Overall a great weekend and great trail (except the previously mentioned section). A few notes follow. It appears much of the VA side of Pine Mountain between the Doubles and Big Lick Gap is privately owned, hence the very poor trail. The road walk from Mullins Pond to Birch Knob was hot and unpleasant for the boys.With all the road improvements, this area is easily accessed via US 23, from the north or south. The views were outstanding, there were arches, alcoves, cliffs and caves. Water was plentiful and we saw salamanders, wild turkey, deer, and coyote scat. I recommend the trail guide and USGS topos. I do not think the mileages in the trail guide are accurate. The guide lists the trail as 28 miles long, Allen deHarts Virginia Hiking guide list the length as 22 miles. I think its about 25 miles from Elkhorn City to Pound Gap. Also see the Trails Illustrated Clinch RD map but it has little detail.
The trail continues south of Pound Gap and will eventually reach the Cumberland Gap NHP.

Directions to Hike
Pound Gap is 1/2 hour east of Wise Va on US 23. Elkhorn City is between Pikeville Ky and Haysi Va

Contact Information
http://www.pinemountaintrail.com/

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