Sue is the support person, giving rides and fixing dinner. She's had a lot of practice at this- she did the most months of anyone on the North County Trail hike. Doug S. is hiking with me. We look the same size because he's standing in a ditch!
This was too funny. It was just break time, and what did we find in the woods but two empty folding chairs! Of course we used them.
We saw Beech Drops today. They are a parasitic plant that is usually found under beech trees. And there was one beech nearby.
As usual, there were lots of amazing rock walls. One was a large shelf cave that the trail went through.
But the most significant natural feature was that we joined the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. We were seeing it through the trees a lot, but you can't really get good pictures. Finally, we were closer with a break in the greenery.
From the Yamacraw road bridge there was a good view.
We wanted to reduce the miles for the next hiking day a little bit, so we went on to the Kentucky & Tennessee Yamacraw Railroad Bridge. This is a high bridge of concrete arches, no longer in use. It was built in 1906 to carry coal trains. When it was built it was the largest concrete bridge in existence.
It's really high too. Doug took this picture of me down on the trail from the bridge deck.
The trail surface was pretty good most of the day, but there were an awful lot of fallen trees to go over, under or around.
This is the longest walking day I've done since the big North Country Trail hike. It didn't kill me, but it doesn't feel good. We are taking tomorrow off. We'd like to wait a couple more days, but there may be serious rain tomorrow and all the rest of the days look like nice weather.
Miles walked in 2026: 565.8
Sheltowee Trace miles walked: 234.8
Sheltowee Trace, Kentucky. Wiborg Trailhead to K&T Railroad Bridge. 13.9 miles.
 | See Sheltowee Trace- Laurel River |
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