Certain areas of the country simply seem more “untouched” by time and “unviolated” by man than other places. The area now known as Breaks Interstate Park is just such a place. Breaks Interstate Park was virtually undiscovered by the traveling public until after World War II, when two-lane roads were built into the coal-rich mountains.
In an article in Scribner’s Magazine, John Fox, Jr. (author of the classic Appalachian literature The Trail of the Lonesome Pine) called this area “the most isolated spot this side of the Rockies.”
Fascinating Kentuckian: John Fox was an American journalist, short story writer and novelist. He was born in Kentucky, educated at Harvard, and became a journalist in New York. A Mountain Europa was his first novel serialized in Century Magazine. The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is set in the mountains of Kentucky where a young girl falls in love with an engineer from the north. The romance is complicated by a typical Kentucky family feud and an industrial boom
Daniel Boone is credited with discovering The Breaks in 1767. If you’re one of the many people who wonder why the term “breaks” is used, here’s the simple answer: Passes through these beautiful, yet rugged, mountains were called “breaks” by early settlers.
The Breaks Interstate Park is one of only two interstate parks in America and encompasses 4,500 acres of gorgeous woodland. The scenery is the kind that’s so breathtaking you find yourself just staring, trying to take it all in.
While the view is gorgeous any time of the year, autumn and summer are especially memorable.
From Breaks Interstate Park.com:
The Breaks, home of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, also rises to lofty heights where golden eagles make their home. The Towers and other rock formations, caves, flora and wildlife make the Breaks Park a unique tourist destination. History, legend and lore combine with the scenic beauty of the Park which was the reported destination of several trips by Daniel Boone. It is the home of Pow Wow Cave, used by the Shawnee Indians and those who love mystery and adventure can search for the buried silver treasure of John Swift. For active visitors, the park also offers hiking, bike and driving trails, picnic and recreation areas, a lake with pedal boats, a swimming pool, horseback riding and an amphitheater. A rustic lodge, cottages and a large campground are available for extended visits. The Breaks Park also has a modern conference center, restaurant, gift shop and visitor’s center. The folks in Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia welcome you to the Breaks Interstate Park! Come explore and enjoy our “Grand Canyon.” – Breaks Interstate Park
Also See: Kentucky State Parks
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