Went and acled like tourists

[jltrent]

Yes to Hensley and Sand Cave. Water on that trail is not really plentiful so the Hensley Settlement is a must to get water.

And let me correct something I said earlier, the trail we normally hike is the Mischa Mokwa, not Ridge.

I have been on that trail several times as all the way from the Pinnacle overlook to Ewing is a pretty good hike. I live bout 15 miles southeast from there .

It is a strenuous hike and I am not sure I would do it today without getting in better shape. That is why I did not go to White Rocks, that additional mile on the spur makes a big difference to an old fat guy. (You are really close to the TN line then).

My bucket list hike was the Grand Canyon about 6 years ago. When you are doing it, you realize just how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things.

Two rock throws from the Powell River and TN line.

 

[kenny thomas]

Wilderness Road state Park, Natural Tunnel State Park, Comberland Gap National Park. Southwest Muesum State Park. All of those are within a half hour drive

Thanks, we have been to two of them and in fact did the two-day hike on the Ridge Trail at Cumberland Gap. I will try to see the other two. I thought you might have been referring to the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Did you go to the Sand Cave, White Rocks overlook and Hensley Settlement? I have been several times and would like to go back again. My grandpa Morgan Hensley was born and raised at Hensley Settlement before the National park took all their land. He was born in 1907 there and left the mountain at age 19. He could tell some good stories how they survived on the mountaintop.


http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/hike-o ... 4831.html/

http://outpostusa.org/Hensley%20Settlement.html

Lots of their survival was the corn. And it wasn't for eating either. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park has vans during thge season to haul you to the settlement.

 

[kenny thomas]

Southwest Virginia Museum, Big Stone Gap, VA
http://www.swvamuseum.org

 

[kenny thomas]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... 4icVJv4ACc

 

[jltrent]

Thanks, we have been to two of them and in fact did the two-day hike on the Ridge Trail at Cumberland Gap. I will try to see the other two. I thought you might have been referring to the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Did you go to the Sand Cave, White Rocks overlook and Hensley Settlement? I have been several times and would like to go back again. My grandpa Morgan Hensley was born and raised at Hensley Settlement before the National park took all their land. He was born in 1907 there and left the mountain at age 19. He could tell some good stories how they survived on the mountaintop.


http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/hike-o ... 4831.html/

http://outpostusa.org/Hensley%20Settlement.html

Lots of their survival was the corn. And it wasn't for eating either. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park has vans during thge season to haul you to the settlement.

We took my Grandpa up there several times even in his 80's as he lived to 93yo. He showed us the desk he sat in at the school, he grew up in the first house on the trail and he said it looked the same now as then even thou it had been rebuilt, knew most that were dead in the grave yard, he was like a kid when we took him back up there. He said when he lived up there a lot more was cleaned off than now. Probably what led to their demise as much as anything was the death of the chestnut trees. He said that was what their hogs ate and food was short after their demise.

 

[sstterry]

Wilderness Road state Park, Natural Tunnel State Park, Comberland Gap National Park. Southwest Muesum State Park. All of those are within a half hour drive

Thanks, we have been to two of them and in fact did the two-day hike on the Ridge Trail at Cumberland Gap. I will try to see the other two. I thought you might have been referring to the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Did you go to the Sand Cave, White Rocks overlook and Hensley Settlement? I have been several times and would like to go back again. My grandpa Morgan Hensley was born and raised at Hensley Settlement before the National park took all their land. He was born in 1907 there and left the mountain at age 19. He could tell some good stories how they survived on the mountaintop.


http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/hike-o ... 4831.html/

http://outpostusa.org/Hensley%20Settlement.html

I must have missed the last part of your post (my bad). I know the history of which you speak. My family came to our farm in the mid-1800's from Claiborne by way of Hancock County (Mulberry Ridge- but not Melungeon). I have in-law relatives that are still bitter over the Smokey Mountains National park and the taking of their land! Family history is a wonderful thing!

 

[jltrent]

Thanks, we have been to two of them and in fact did the two-day hike on the Ridge Trail at Cumberland Gap. I will try to see the other two. I thought you might have been referring to the Virginia Creeper Trail.

Did you go to the Sand Cave, White Rocks overlook and Hensley Settlement? I have been several times and would like to go back again. My grandpa Morgan Hensley was born and raised at Hensley Settlement before the National park took all their land. He was born in 1907 there and left the mountain at age 19. He could tell some good stories how they survived on the mountaintop.


http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/hike-o ... 4831.html/

http://outpostusa.org/Hensley%20Settlement.html

I must have missed the last part of your post (my bad). I know the history of which you speak. My family came to our farm in the mid-1800's from Claiborne by way of Hancock County (Mulberry Ridge- but not Melungeon). I have in-law relatives that are still bitter over the Smokey Mountains National park and the taking of their land! Family history is a wonderful thing!

Wife is from Hancock and Mulberry is just over the ridge from me. When the park took the land of Hensley Settlement back then there was very little compensation. It sure would be a different story today.