In keeping up with the mid-winter updates of American Byways, I present some late-fall photographs of Berea College Forest just east of Berea, Kentucky. Encompassing nearly 7,800 acres in the Knobs and consisting of a chain of rounded, forested hills that make up an 80-mile fringe along the Appalachian Mountains, there are 12 miles of rather strenuous hiking trails that will provide a challenge to any who attempt it. But the efforts are well worth it, as a variety of pinnacles provide expanse views both to the west and east. I've added numerous photographs, along with trail and general guide information.

 

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Only minutes from Berea, the Battle of Richmond was at the forefront between the Confederate south and the Union north, Kentucky played a large role during these battles, waging person against person in the hopes that there would be a victor and that one's ideas would succeed over the other's. The Battle of Richmond is one that is very unique, in that it was the most complete victory for the Confederacy, capturing many Yankees and paving the way for Confederate troops to march up through central Kentucky and head northeastward. I have added numerous battle re-enactment photographs from 2007. (I wish I had my 80-210mm lens!)

 

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In relation, the Battle of Richmond Civil War Heritage Byway contains over ten interpretative markers that describe events leading up to, the battle and the aftermath of the conflict.

 

7 A bonus: a photograph of the author overlooking the east pinnacle at Berea College Forest. :)

 

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Enjoy these two unique treasures from the state of Kentucky!

Ive hiked that forest with a former dorm-mate who ended up getting his undergrad degree at Berea.

 

They have a pretty nice little folk fair in the spring in that forest (lower part), but yes the view is qite impressive.  I think one of the hills or knobs is called Indian Fort Mountain, as there is some mound builder remains up there

 

Numbers 2 and 8 remind me of the corner of the Knobs I used to live in, over in SW Jefferson County and into Bullet a bit.  Similar landscape, where you see outrider knobs and ridges extending out into the Bluegrass.

 

Howeve, unlike up in Berea, there isnt the Cumberland Plateau behind them (in number1,  3 & 7), just the lower escarpment of Muldraughs Hill.  I like that pine or cedar in # 1.  That really does bring back memories of some of this hill country, which had little piney groves up on the knobs (you see that in the Red River Gorge too, I think).

 

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For Ohio posters, this Knobs country is the same geological feature that you'd know as "The Edge of Appalachia", places like Buzzards Roost Rock, Fort Hill, and the Great Seal state park over in Chillicothe.

 

 

Did you get any of Pilot Knob or Big Hill, I think it might be visible from up there?

Yeah, there are little piney groves all over Red River, although their numbers are vastly down from a few years ago due to the spread of fungi and blight that's causing some nasty remarks.

 

Berea College Forest contains Indian Fort Mountain, along with at least four other overlooks that I have found on the cleared trails. There are some paths that haven't been maintained in years that might have led to others though.

 

I've been to Pilot Knob before, covered here. I need more photos that aren't taken in direct sunlight -- it washes everything out.

Wonderful photos and breathtaking scenery.

 

Something more than 30 years ago at Thanksgiving I went to Natural Bridge with Mom and Dad and one of my brothers. We stayed at the lodge and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room; that was Dad's main reason for wanting to go.

 

The next morning when the rest of the family took off to go someplace in a car, I set out early to explore some of the trails. The morning was chilly and misty and everything was wet, giving a special ambience to the experience. Most of the hardwoods had already lost their leaves, but what color remained was saturated.

 

By the time I reached the natural bridge, the mist had given way to hazy sun. It was a memorable morning hike.

Looks like gorgeous scenery, but I find the civil war reenactments/reenactors a little weird.

Yeah, I was shooting with only a 28-80mm (42-120mm on my D70) for the re-enactment, which didn't allow me to get any closeups. And I had a really slow 6 GB Hitachi drive, which was really slow in writing RAW, so I had to switch to JPEG and lost some image quality :(

Oh, no the pictures are great! I find the actual re-enactments/actors a little creepy/odd

Nice!