Visitors come to the Wilderness Road Heritage Scenic Byway for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the byway's most compelling feature is the bounty of historical sites along the way. From Native Americans to European pioneers to Civil War soldiers, many cultures have left their mark in the area. You'll have plenty of opportunity to explore the nation's past along this byway.
The Wilderness Road Heritage Highway begins at the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. Native inhabitants of Kentucky, pioneers, and modern day visitors have all taken advantage of the Cumberland Gap to cross the Appalachian mountain range. Native Americans crossed the Appalachians on what they called the Warriors Path, relying on this naturally occurring route to gain access to the country across the Appalachian Mountains. Prior to the Gap's later discovery by white explorers, early pioneers saw Kentucky as an inaccessible wilderness for over 150 years.
Visit the home of one of the most important pioneers to come through the Gap, Dr. Thomas Walker. The Dr. Thomas Walker State Historic Site celebrates the life of the first pioneer to discover the Cumberland Gap and then explore Kentucky. Exploration of the new Kentucky lands opened the area up for settlement and scores of pioneers followed in Dr. Walker's footsteps. At the Levi Jackson State Historic Park, the lives of these early Kentucky pioneers who settled in the area are depicted through historically accurate buildings and other artifacts.
Daniel Boone also explored much of the surrounding area, and his legacy is everywhere. You'll have a chance to retrace the steps of the intrepid Boone and the subsequent pioneers on the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail, part of which crosses the byway. Traversing the entire length of Daniel Boone National Forest, the Sheltowee is an epic journey through over 300 miles of scenic and historically rich terrain.
As America grew, debate turned to war in 1861-1865. The American Civil War was a defining moment in American history, and many of the battles were fought in Kentucky, an important border state during the war. The Cumberland Gap was a key transportation route, and was fought over throughout the war. The first battle of the Civil War was fought at Camp Wildcat, located along the Wilderness Road Heritage Highway. The re-enactment of this battle, held in the autumn, is always a popular event.
Wilderness Road Heritage Highway Overview