Blue Heron Loop Trail - Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

The abandoned coal mining communityr of Blue Heron is now the site of an outdoor museum of "ghost" structures in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. It is located at the western end of KY 742 near Stearns.

There are several trails in the area on both sides of the river. I hiked the 6.6 mile Blue Heron Loop Trail in early June 2016. Several trailheads are located along the loop. I chose to start at the south end of the Blue Heron parking lot near the concession building and hike the loop in a counterclockwise direction. This allowed me to walk upstream near the river before climbing about 500 feet to the top of the bluff for the return leg of the route. The trail then descends to the north end of Blue Heron and passes through the community before arriving back at the concession building.

The trail utilizes several short sections of planked boardwalk to cross low areas along the river. At 0.5 miles, a sign points toward a side trail that provides views of Devils Jump rapids on the Big South Fork. After switchback climbing through an open grassland, a dense forest, and climbing a ladder, the trail joins up with a horse trail along the route of the old mining railroad for a short distance. Just past an ephemeral waterfall at 1.0 miles, the trail diverts from the railroad bed by descending on a single-track path back to the river. A huge boulder that appears to nearly block the river is visible from the trail at 1.8 miles. From this point, the trail climbs back up to intersect the horse trail at 2.0 miles from the beginning of the trail. Turning right on the horse trail will lead to Laurel Branch in 350 muddy feet. Back at the trail intersection, the loop trail climbs a ladder and turns left before reaching another ladder and turning back to the right. After passing a huge, marble-shaped boulder, the trail continues to climb to the base of a sandstone bluff. After passing through a rockhouse, the trail climbs through a small gap in the rock wall to reach the top of the bluff.

There is a trail junction at 3.0 miles with the 0.6 mile spur trail to the Blue Heron campground. Shortly after, the trail approaches KY 742 and follows a path behind the guardrail to a set of stairs leading down and away from the road. At 4.5 miles, another trail junction provides a short spur path to the trailhead on Gorge Overlook Road. At 5.1 miles, arrive at the Devils Jump Overlook. While the overlook is technically not on the loop trail, it is such an iconic location that I've included the 500 foot round trip in my loop mileage. I did not include the side trails to the riverside at Devils Jump or to Laurel Branch as part of the loop hike distance.

After descending to the base of the bluff via a long staircase between rock outcrops at 5.8 miles, arrive at Crack-in-the-Rock at 5.9 miles. Here the trail enters a crack in the bluff, climbs over a boulder by way of two sets of wooden stairs and exits further along the bluff. Continue the steep descent to the north end of Blue Heron at 6.35 miles before following the upper paved path past the mine entrance and river bridge before arriving back at the concession building parking lot at 6.6 miles.

Various park service publications list the hike as moderate or moderate/difficult. With a little planning, most of the best features of the hike can be seen by taking two out-and-back hikes along the loop from Blue Heron. A 1.2 mile round trip hike up the river will lead to Devils Jump while a similar, but much steeper and more strenuous hike from the north end of Blue Heron will allow you to explore Crack-in-the-Rock. Finally, the Devils Jump Overlook can be accessed via a short stroll on a paved walkway from a parking area along Gorge Overlook Road. If you are looking for solitude, Blue Heron might be your place on days that the train doesn't run. Although I heard a few vehicles as the trail paralleled Gorge Overlook Road and there were 3 or 4 vehicles parked at Blue Heron, I didn't see another person on the entire loop hike.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

Heading into the woods from the parking area

The first boardwalk

The second, longer boardwalk

Crossing a drainage

Another crossing

First bridge

Big South Fork Cumberland River

A social side trail to a tight squeeze

Social trail to Devils Jump

Devils Jump rapids

A closer view of the rapids

Devils Jump from the signed trail

Bluff and rapids

Back on the trail

Entering a hillside clearing

Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia)

Follow the 4x4 posts

Leaving the clearing and re-entering the woods

Stairs are a common feature on this trail

Sharing the old tram road with equestrians

Following the base of the bluff

Ephemeral waterfall

Leaving the horses and the tramway, the trail turns right and down

Rock-lined trail

Open pine forest

The second bridge

The third bridge from the end of the second bridge

Zigzag Spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera)

Typical trail conditions

Iron stains the creekbed rocks

Huge boulder blocks about half the river

Climbing up from the river

Trail crosses tramway and climbs ladder

Laurel Branch on the tramway

Laurel Branch from the end of the tramway

A small waterfall on Laurel Branch

Stairs above the tramway

Trail above the tramway

Another set of stairs with a missing handrail at the top

Huge boulder

Passing through a rock house

Gap in the bluff wall

Sandstone surface

Steps carved in stone

Goat's Rue (Tephrosia virginiana)

A lost compass hanging beside the trail

Soft trail surface

Approaching Gorge Overlook Road

Roadside trail

Descending into the forest

Easy walking!

Trailhead junction

Approaching the road again

Joining the paved walkway to the overlook

Approaching the overlook

Amazing view

Devils Jump Overlook

Looking downstream toward Devils Jump

The view upstream

Devils Jump from above

The trail heads left to bypass the parking lot

The far end of the parking lot

Twin trees seemingly growing out of solid rock

The trail follows the base of the bluff

A very long set of stairs

Log steps below the stairs

Approaching Crack-in-the-Rock

The trail enters the crack...

...and climbs over a boulder

Looking back at the boulder

Approaching the exit crack

Log bridge

A second log bridge

Approaching Blue Heron, the trail take the upper path back to the concession building

Entry to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is free.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/biso/index.htm.