Wanted to get back on the Sheltowee Trace this week and finish those remaining 9.5 miles of TN, but nope! The high clearance vehicle I requested was not available, and I could not switch out my rental car as planned. I will not risk taking this low-clearance auto on the narrow and rutted out backroads leading to those remaining trailheads. I will have to book a high clearance vehicle (from another company!) when I come back to do all the Kentucky miles. I’ll just pretend for now those last 9.5 TN miles really belong to KY.

I’ll use this week to get a jump on my overall Kentucky goals instead.

Photos/videos 1-8: Yesterday (11/12/26), I hiked Eagle Falls Trail, a 2-mile NRT near Cumberland Falls State Park in KY. Tons of stone and metal stairs, gorgeous views of both Eagle Falls and Cumberland River, and lots of ups and downs along a cliff and by massive boulders. Loved it.

Photos 9-11: Today (11/13/26), I got as close as I could to Rock Creek National Natural Landmark within KY’s Daniel Boone National Forest. This 86-acre area is home to gorges, sandstone cliffs, virgin hemlock-hardwood forests, and caves. There are no trails or roads, and the entire thing is a protected research area. One can get close to it via trails in nearby Bee Rock Campground. I hiked one such trail and took photos of the river and general terrain. I did not bushwhack into the NNL itself since I felt that would be unethical given that it’s protected habitat. My trampling feet wouldn’t help conserve vegetation.