On Wednesday March 6, 2019, with the sun shining brightly in the sky after many days of rain and gloom, Maximus and I decided to ride over to the Pet Friendly Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and take a walk. Despite temperatures in the 20’s we were excited to be out and about. I bundled up with base layer, fleece and jacket, Max wore his usual grey coat.
We arrived at the Visitor Center around 11:30 and I went inside in search of a map. I was met by a super nice and very informative Ranger who took a map and showed me where to park and what trails I might want to take to reach our goal. She showed me where I might want to add distance to our short adventure and she was very enthusiastic about her charge. I left admiring this lady’s obvious love for this Park.
We drove the short distance from the visitor center to the Thomas Walker Parking Area. Our Jeep was the only vehicle in the lot. Disembarking and gathering our gear, my lightly packed back pack and Max’s leash, we headed up the Wilderness Road Trail towards the Historic Gap. The trail at this juncture is a pleasant walk with a slight grade. The path is wide and graveled. The trees are still bear and the grasses are just hinting at Spring; we enjoyed the walk. The Gap itself is marked by a sign. At the Gap one leaves the Wilderness Road Trail, which is closed past this point for now due to rockslides caused by the recent rains.
We made a right onto the Cumberland Trail and began a slightly steeper ascent towards the Tri State Peak.
We checked out the historical markers set in place and took the short side trail to Fort Foote. Cumberland Gap played its part in the Civil War and there are remnants of old Union or Confederate Forts along the trails. The views off the mountain were not blocked by foliage so we gazed down into Middlesboro or towards Tennessee depending on from which side of the ridge we looked. Maximus marked our path as we climbed. I do not know how a 14 lb dog’s kidneys manage to produce the amount of urine needed to claim a mountain but he did.
On the way back down we took a left at Indian Rock and checked out the 1.2 miles of the Wilderness Road Trail we bypassed on the way up. It made a nice loop and extended our hike for a total distance of around 3.75 miles with the side trip to Fort Foote. It was a short but sweet hike. The chill was mitigated by my layers and by the exercise. Maximus and I will be venturing back to the dog friendly trails at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park soon!
What a blessing it is to live where there are so many trails to choose from. The benefits of spending a day in the woods exploring keep me returning. I hope to venture out and about more often as I settle into my new routine around my new job. My body is adjusting to the new demands I am putting on it. I need the mental cleansing and the physical challenge a good hike offers.
MrsSmithsLifeUnexpected 