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Kentucky Scenic
By-Way
KY 89 Mileposts
The section of KY 89 in Rockcastle and
Jackson County was designated a Kentucky Scenic Byway in 1996 by the
Kentucky Department of Transportation. The nomination was a joint effort
of the Jackson County Development Association, The Northern Jackson County
Committee, and The Kentucky Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
This 32 mile section of road spanning
two of Kentucky's major river watersheds, the Kentucky and the Cumberland,
has special sights to offer during every season of the year. The
wildflowers are especially abundant and spectacular and the streams that
parallel the road can take on magnificent hues of azure during the winter
and spring.
While most of the landowners along the
route take great pride in the condition of their land and farms, there are
also examples of poor agricultural and forestry practices that contribute
to the desecration of the land and water resources. Garbage dumps can be
found and some of the streams are polluted by the run-off of silt and
sewage, However, these are conditions that can and hopefully will change
through a heightened awareness of what our mountains can be if respected
and revered.
The Scenic Byway
begins at the Rockcastle County side of the KY 490 bridge into Laurel
County. Traveling northward, three miles of the byway is in Rockcastle
County
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and the 29 mile Jackson County segment
begins at the historic wooden bridge over the Horse Lick Creek, continues
through McKee and onto the Estill County line at Drip Rock. At that point,
one may continue onto Irvine in Estill County or turn left on the Hisel
Road and travel to US 421 at Sand Gap. At the southern end of the route,
one may cross the KY 490 bridge into Laurel County and travel to US 25 to
East Bernstadt or continue straight on KY 490 for about six miles to US 25
at Livingston.
Traffic is usually not heavy on the
road, but one should use caution as it is narrow and there are occasional
precipitous drops at the edge of the pavement, as well as hairpin curves
and steep grades.
Beginning point - KY 490 Bridge -
Livingston, KY -Rockcastle County.
The seven miles from the Livingston
bridge to where KY 89 actually starts are not an actual part of the Scenic
Byway, but offer some views of the Rockcastle River and nice scenery. The
waterway that the 490 bridge crosses in Livingston is Roundstone Creek, a
Rockcastle tributary, and 490 parallels Roundstone for .7 miles before it
empties into the Rockcastle. This part off 490 was the original US 25 for
many years before what we now know as US 25 was constructed.
Six miles along
this route is Gilliam's Store, the former Lamero Post Office. It is hard
to believe that water has been almost to the second story of this building
during Rockcastle River flooding. A great place to stop and sit by the
woodstove, drink a pop and catch up
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on what's new on the river. Native cane
grows on the river side of the road near Lamero. At on time, the buffalo
grazed in the river bottom canebrakes that covered hundreds of acres. A
mile or so past Lamero on the right is the Robinson cemetery. Immediately
past the cemetery, KY 490 goes to the right across the Rockcastle River
and on to East Bernstadt. If you take this route you will cross the
original Boone's Trace and pass near Hazel Patch, a 1770's settlement (see
historic sign on the right of 490 1/2 mile before Hazel Green School.)
KY 89 begins at the 490/89 junction and
continues toward McKee
Rockcastle
Mile Post
0 The Rockcastle River is on the
right. Further downstream, the Rockcastle is one of Kentucky's Wild and
Scenic Rivers.
1 Cruse Ferry, which was on the
Madison branch of the Wilderness Road (c. 1797), crosses the Rockcastle in
this area. Tens of thousands of settlers came across the ferry and up this
stretch of road on their way to central Kentucky.
2 Native wildflowers are present
for eight months of the year along most sections of the Byway. Spring
flowers might include trilliums, bluebells, foamflower, phlox, false rue
anemone and star chickweed. Queen's Lace, asters, butterfly weed, chicory
and goldenrod are among the many fall flowers, The frostweed aster can be
especially spectacular in October. Native cane is also present especially
on the river side of the road.
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3
The Byway is approaching the Jackson
County line. The Madison branch of the Wilderness Road turns up Horse Lick
Creek just before the wooden bridge.
Jackson
Mile Post
0 The Jackson-Rockcastle County
line is located at the historic wooden bridge over Horse Lick Creek. The
bridge was a WPA project built of native stone. Horse Lick, home of
several federally endangered species joins the Rockcastle River here.
1 The Byways parallels the
Rockcastle River, which joins the Cumberland River many miles downstream
to form Lake Cumberland.
2
The South Fork and the Middle Fork of the
Rockcastle River join to form the actual Rockcastle. The water quality on
these forks can differ markedly due to land use patterns. The stone bridge
crosses Peter Branch.
3 If you look closely, you will
be able to see hemlocks (evergreen tree) and rhododendrons (evergreen
shrub) reclaiming the rightful niche in an ecosystem that has been cleared
for farming in the past.
4 The rhododendrons and hemlock
become more prevalent, giving a glimpse of what this area might have
looked like hundreds of years ago.
5 At 5.4 miles, a gravel side
road leads to the left passing a cemetery where Civil War veterans were
buried. At 5.5 miles, Route 2002 turns to the right across Middle Fork,
eventually intersecting KY 30 at Peoples, Kentucky.
6 KY 89 crosses Panther Creek at
6.9 miles.
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7 Hand cut stone has been used
in rock retaining walls. The tall straight trees are tulip poplar,
Kentucky's state tree.
8 KY 89 parallels Middle Fork.
9 Laurel Fork joins Indian Creek
to form Middle Fork. Note the white and brown splotched sycamore trees
along the river and at 9.8, the walnut trees that have been planted on the
river side of the road.
10 M.A. Walker rock quarry.
11 Indian Creek parallels the
road and is joined by Tom's Branch from across creek.
12 A gravel road to the left
takes you to S-tree campground, a Daniel Boone National Forest Recreations
area. This was the site of an old fire tower until its removal about 1980.
More good stone work edges the road. Old Field Branch crosses under the
road at 12.8 and KY 89 crosses the concrete Indian Creek bridge at 12.9.
13 Hooten Branch is to the left
of the road at 13.1 and Hooten Hollow turns up to the left at 13.2 just
past the go-cart track and grocery.
14 Indian Creek parallels KY 89
on the left.
15 KY 89 crosses Indian Creek
and continues on to 15.7, where it crosses the bridge to 421. KY 89
continues on the US 421 roadbed through McKee. A left turn on 421 will
take you to Waneta, Sand Gap, Clover Bottom, Morrill, and eventually to
Berea and Richmond.
16 The town of McKee. Note the
old McKee High School on the hill on the right in the Italianate style and
the courthouse and jail in the square.
Sparks School, a
one room log school is located at the edge of the
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woods across Bill's Branch on the left at
mile 17.5.
18 The Turkey Foot road turns to
the right at the top of the hill. Turkey Foot is a Daniel Boone National
Forest Recreational Area.
19 This area is a "limited use
area" of the Daniel Boone National Forest, meaning that no cross country
vehicle traffic is allowed. Note the native grasses on the roadside. These
were the dominant grasses in open areas during presettlement times.
Examples are big and little bluestem.
20 The Sheltowee Trace, a
national recreational trail crosses KY 89.
21 Examples of the Appalachian
mixed mesophytic forest occur here.
22 Note the pink sandstone of
the Pennsylvanian strata.
23 The Sand Springs-Sand Lick
road goes left at 23.5.
24 Small hemlocks denote the
return of a more ancient and shaded type forest. Lower Dry Fork road goes
to the left at 24.9 and proceeds to Sand Gap.
25 Sand Springs Community, The
old Sand Springs School is restored as a private residence at 25.7.
26 Sand Springs Grocery at 26.4.
The Russell Flats area at 26.7.
27 A great view of the South
Fork of Station Camp valley at 27.7.
28 Hilltop Grocery at 28.4 on
the right and the old Pond School on the left. The descent to South Fork
begins at 28.5. USE CAUTION! BRAKES CAN OVERHEAT!
29 Enter
the limestone strata of rock at 29.2. Cross the South Fork of Station
Camp Creek at 29.7. South Fork is a tributary of the
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