Thank you Eventyrsoren. I’m fortunate to live in such a beautiful place. There are literally hundreds of thousands of acres of protected public lands to prowl around in. I’ll never see it all. I’m sure trying to see as much as I possibly can. Take care!

Thank you John. Buffalo Arch is a special place for me. As I said in the video, my late father would take us there when we were children. A lot of the times were on cold, snowy or rainy days. He would build a big fire, roast potatoes while my brother and I played. When the potatoes were done we’d all cook hot dogs over the fire and eat… Precious times as I look back on them now as I get older. I wouldn’t change them for anything. My dad put the love of the outdoors in me for sure. Take care John.

Thanks Scott. What an awesome adventure it was! Rock Creek is stocked with trout in Kentucky all the way up to the Tennessee/Kentucky state line. Pickett Lake is also stocked with trout. You know there has to be some migration into the stretch between. Hardly anyone ever goes there except for hikers passing through. There should be some big trout in those deep blue waters, that is unless river otters have made their way up that far. They have plenty much wiped all the fish out of No Business Creek except for minnows. Those things are just eating machines.

Thank you so much Cindy. It was an outstanding day for sure. Dan planned this route out. I don’t see how it could have been any better. It was like we hiked through 4 or 5 different ecosystems on this hike. I can’t say which section I liked better.

That tunnel is easy to get to from Pickett State Park. It’s a flat hike with 3 creeks to cross. Mostly an old railroad bed straight downstream from the bridge. We should do it sometime and link it up with one of the other trails. There’s a trail junction right at the tunnel. That would be fun!

Thank you Willie, Big South Fork is beautiful, no doubt about that!

I’m absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed the video! Thank you so much. There’s plenty more where this one is posted. I really hope you’ll check some of those out too! 😊 Take care and be safe!

The top of the tunnel still looks pretty good. It seems to be a flat layer of rock that makes the ceiling. The first time I was there was in the early 1980s. We just stumbled across it. Didn’t have lights so we didn’t go through it. This was my first time. It was one of the many highlights of the hike. I didn’t realize how easy it was to get to from Pickett State Park!

Big South Fork is a wonderland for sure. You really should come back for a visit this fall when the leaves are turning. It’s beautiful everywhere then! I appreciate the comment, take care, stay safe and healthy my friend.

Cousin Sue - The land in the video around Rock Creek was part of thousands of acres owned by Armpstead Blevins. Prior to his death, he parceled it out to his sons Issac “Miller” Blevins and Diance “Dide” Blevins. He also transferred 125 acres (much of where Randy’s hike was in the video) to Granville and Annie Blevins Burke in 1889. By 1899, John “Hawk” Smith and his wife Polly Blevins Smith (Dide’s daughter) were living on that land on a lease or land contract to Granville and Annie. T. R. Lyons purchased it from all 4 of them for $225 when he was buying privately held tracts that were scattered within “The Big Survey” lands he purchased from Cumberland Coal & Coke. When Armpstead, his brother Henley, their father Jonathan and their families migrated from Wayne County, KY to Scott County, TN about 1860, this was the area they settled in, acquiring much property those first few years. At one point, Armpstead had about 5,000 acres in that section of the Park/county. His very large distillery was located on Rock Creek and it was destroyed by the feds just before he moved to Parch Corn. Huse Blevins said they took their salt making kettle when they moved, but did not take their whiskey making kettle. Hahaha. I just wanted to let you know you were seeing Armpstead’s, Granville’s and Annie’s land in this particular video. I knew Gran and Annie lived on No Business, but did not know about this land on Rock Creek until I started researching old land records. Randy did another fantastic job capturing the beautiful landscape, plants, and the creek. I so appreciate that we can see our ancestral lands on his videos. I told him this is one of my favorite hikes he has posted. A beautiful landscape tied to my family history. Love it!

Between the two of you I feel like the videos of my hikes are so much more than a walk in the woods. I’m so happy to bring back some of the history of the area, especially to you folks who had ancestors living there. Thank you all so much! Please take care, be safe and stay healthy!

Thanks Mike. I’d say you’re right about the stairs. It was probably replaced after a tree fell on it as mangled as it is and was replaced. It’s been there since I was a little boy. Take care Mike.

This was my first time here since before the trails were made. I was in my 20s then. I wonder too if it just kind of wasn’t up kept and fell or if a flood washed it out. I wouldn’t have wanted to have been there if it was a flood!

@@papawinthewoods You can also get to Buffalo Arch from Hwy 154, it's much closer and no uphills at all (iron gated old FS road). I've looped from Rock Creek Rd to Buffalo Arch, went up to 154, turned left, road walked for a bit, cut back the 2nd or 3rd road (gravel) to the left, follow that til the ends and there's an OLD trail sign (can't recall the name?) going downhill a buttslide back to Rock Creek. Fun hike because no one ever uses it! Keep on Keepin On!!