The North-South Trail
A thru-hikers dream
WITH SUCH A DIVERSE LANDSCAPE across the state, Kentucky hikers have many great trails to choose from. Kentucky’s trails will take you through hardwood ridges, along rivers and creeks, offering easy to difficult hikes, and several longer hikes as well. Thru-hiking takes intrepid hikers end-to-end on a longer trail—usually backpacking along the way. One thru-hike that has stood out to me for many years is the 58-mile-long North-South Trail at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
I have hiked portions of the North-South Trail over the years, and I have always wanted to thru-hike it. This trail is the perfect overnight thru-hike for backpackers, and it is also a popular run for those so inclined. The northern portion of the trail traverses through Kentucky, while the southern portion takes you through Tennessee. The maps offered online by Land Between the Lakes make planning your trip a breeze. You will find all the trail rules here as well as points of interest along the way.
The North-South Trail is marked with white tree blazes to keep you on course. Yellow blazes represent spur trails that lead to the lake or other points of interest like springs and shelters. The trail offers shelters for camping, but you can camp anywhere along the way, as long as you are 50 feet off the marked trail. A camping permit is required—$50 for an annual permit or $10 for a three-day permit. Choose one of the many great camping spots along the trail, or pick a spur trail to find a spot off the main path and enjoy a secluded camp.
The trail begins at the North Welcome Station near Grand Rivers and runs the entire length of Land Between the Lakes. If you prefer shorter hikes, the north section of the trail is approximately 31 miles. A tornado cleanup project detours part of the trail, so check landbetweenthelakes.us for progress on the cleanup. The welcome center offers brochures and trail maps, so be sure to check those out to learn more about what’s along the trail. One side trip I can recommend is the Golden Pond Planetarium, offering splendid nighttime views of our cosmos, professionally narrated. It’s a great side trip for the whole family.
Land Between the Lakes is located on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Offering 170,000 acres of outdoor adventures, it’s one of the largest blocks of undeveloped forest, and according to the U.S. Forest Service, one of the largest contiguous blocks of public land in the southeastern United States. Consider checking it out this winter and enjoying the great outdoors.
