Scenic USA - Kentucky

Each day Scenic USA presents a new and interesting photo feature from somewhere in the United States. Chosen from a wide variety
of historic sites, city scenes, backcountry byways, points of interest and America's best parklands, this site offers the viewer hundreds
of unique vacation destinations and photographic subjects. Each feature is coupled with a brief explanation. For further detailed
information, links to other sites are provided, but are never to be considered an endorsement.

Daniel Boone National Forest

Photos by Ben Prepelka

     A popular retreat for urban dwellers, Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest is characterized by the rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau. Among its steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and deep ravines, outdoor enthusiasts come to camp, hike, fish and relax in this scenic wilderness. Spread across 21 counties, the 700,000 acre forest was named for Kentucky's ever popular frontiersman and explorer Daniel Boone.
     First established in 1937, the Forest Service has added large isolated tracts of land over time. Bearing the formal name of Cumberland National Forest soon after its inception, protests of the name resulted immediately. Descendents still living in eastern Kentucky found the name Cumberland offensive. Because place names with a British connotation fell out of favor, the forest service reopened discussions on the naming process. By the 1960s, a Senate resolution lead to renaming the forest as well as setting aside an area for pioneer weapons. The park remains a unique hunting area, allowing primitive muzzle loading firearms, longbows and crossbows.
     This view from the Dry Creek Overlook, punctuated with a sandstone ridgeline, offers a great example of this rugged territory. Found along Route 927 about 25 miles from Whitley City, sightseers will also enjoy a cluster of nearby attractions, including the Natural Arch Scenic Area (inset), Yahoo Falls, the Big South Fork Railroad and the Niagara of the South, Kentucky's Cumberland Falls.

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