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EXPLORING
KENTUCKY - April 2005 by Katherine Tandy Brown Kentucky's Grand Canyon
Straddling the Kentucky-Virginia border, Breaks Interstate encompasses 4,600 acres of lush woodlands and spectacular mountain vistas. Bisecting the park, the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River drops to form the largest canyon east of the Mississippi. An impressive five miles long and 1,600 feet deep, 250-million-year-old Breaks Gorge is named for the cut, or break, it makes through the north end of Pine Mountain, a long ridge defining the state line. “When the weather’s clear,” says park interpreter Terry Owens, standing at 1,764-foot Stateline Overlook, “you can see forever from up here. The cliff overlooks are just beautiful, especially in the spring when the rhododendrons and mountain laurels are in full bloom.” So vibrant are those flowers that the park’s inn – surrounded by purple and pink blossoms – is called Rhododendron Lodge, a many-windowed facility right on the gorge rim in Breaks, Virginia. From a balcony rocking chair, the peace of nature – the sound of the river rushing below as a hawk hangs above on an updraft – is palpable. Visitors have sought that tranquility and the awe-inspiring scenery here for several centuries. Many modern day kayakers who have paddled Breaks Gorge in the fall share a passion for the gorge. In October, waters from Flannagan Dam are released, turning the Russell Fork into one of the top whitewater challenges in the Eastern U.S., with Class II through V-plus rapids. Add vertical walls of 500 to 600 feet and brilliant mixed hardwood foliage, often at its peak, and the appeal becomes obvious. Several outfitters can get novices on the river for a gentle float or a thrilling “fun ride.” Called the Breaks of the Sandy by Kentuckians and Breaks of the Cumberlands by Virginians, the gorge boasts a history nearly as colorful as its October leaves, with Civil War tales, moonshine stills and a railroad blasted through solid rock. In 1912, Clinchfield Railroad crews worked around the clock to extend a line from Dante, Virginia, through the gorge to connect with the Chesapeake & Ohio line at Elkhorn City, Kentucky. This engineering marvel required 20 bridges and even more tunnels; two bridges and four tunnels are in Breaks Canyon. During World War II, these structures were considered so important that guards were stationed at them to protect against possible German sabotage. Now CSX freight trains snake over those sturdy rail lines. A popular getaway spot for locals and coal mining families in the 1930s, Breaks Gorge became more accessible in 1951, when its primitive dirt road became two-lane, hard-surface Route 80 in both states. Local pressure eventually led to 1954 Kentucky and Virginia legislation that jointly established Breaks Interstate Park. Each state appropriated $50,000 for initial development and created a park commission, now consisting of four members from each state. To 100 acres of land bought by the commission, Clinchfield Coal Company added 794 acres, and Big Sandy Coal Company contributed 151 acres to create the first park grounds. In the mid-1990s, Breaks added a 6,000-sq.-ft. conference center, which, like the lodge, is open April through most of December. Cottages can be rented all year, while April through October, campers can stay within a short walking distance of an Olympic swimming pool, 15-acre Laurel Lake (we’re talking bass, bluegill and boating here), the Russell Fork River (trout for the fly fishermen), horseback riding stables, a three-mile challenging mountain biking trail and access to nearly 15 miles of hiking trails. Even the athletically challenged can spot birds, piddle away an afternoon in a paddle boat, or ogle amazing rock formations like The Towers, an imposing pyramid a half-mile long and one-third of a mile wide. Annual spectator events include an August Bluegrass Weekend with music, dancing and a gristmill demonstration; the Labor Day Gospel Sing; a molasses stir-off the first weekend in October; Homemaking in the Mountains with heritage demos mid-October; a Christmas Mountain Top Lights show; and several plays throughout the season in the park’s amphitheater. Find out more about these events and Breaks Interstate Park itself at (800) 982-5122 (reservations), (877) TOUR-SEKY (info) and at www.kystateparks.ky.gov.
Katherine Tandy
Brown is a staff writer for The Lane Report. |
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Copyright 1996-2005, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
is copyright 2005, Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
In 1984, on my first visit to Arizona, I’d planned to stop for a day at the Grand Canyon and then drive on to see the rest of the West. I remember walking up to its South Rim, looking over and gasping. Once I caught my breath, I stayed for four days. Last October, I had nearly the same experience 30 miles southeast of Pikeville at Breaks Interstate Park. 
Hillbilly Days