Hensley Settlement to Thomas Walker Civic Park

A couple of our hiking club members have hiked all the trails in Cumberland Gap National Park except for one section of Ridge trail between Hensley Settlement and Ewing Trail.  The section is too lengthy to do an out and back as we are day hikers.  So we scheduled a Hensley Settlement tour and took the shuttle up as a beginning point.  We had counted on no more than about 8 miles, but the mileages listed on signs and maps are notoriously inaccurate, and we ended up hiking 9.1 miles.  We began our hike at the western end of the settlement.  We then took Ridge trail for supposedly 3.2 miles but it was more like 3.8.  And finally we went down Ewing Trail.  We encountered several hikers and horseback riders on the trail.  It was a gorgeous day.  It has been very dry and the trail was dusty and full of loose dirt and rocks.  We were on the trail almost 6 hours, and we were tired, but it was a good tired.  Congrats to Bob and Mary for completing all the trails in Cumberland Gap National Park.

It is exactly one mile from one end to other of Hensley Settlement.  As you can see, it was beautiful.

 
The western end of the settlement at the beginning of Ridge Trail.

One of many views off the ridge.  Weather was great and color is hanging on.