apple blossom festival 2010

• APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • MAY 2010

• APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • MAY 2010 MAY 2010 • APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • PAGE 23

SPECIAL TO THE

NEWS-EXPRESS

Pine Mountain is an ecologicaltreasure in southeastern Kentuckythat offers outstanding hiking oppor-tunities. The Pine Mountain Trail iscurrently under construction and willultimately connect Breaks InterstatePark with Cumberland Gap NationalHistorical Park. Currently 44 miles ofpristine hiking trails are open. ThePine Mountain Trail Council inviteseveryone to head out for a hike andhope they will consider making adonation or getting involved with theproject.

The Pine Mountain Trail is openwith contiguous trail from BreaksInterstate Park to US 119. It is desig-nated in two sections. The sectionfrom Breaks to US 23 is the BirchKnob section and totals 28 miles. TheUS 23 - US 119 is named theHighland section and totals 16 milesfor a total of 44 miles.

The trail is not yet constructedbeyond US 119. However, if hikerswish to do so, they can hike on theLittle Shepherd Trail (LST) foranother 38 miles from US 119 to US421. The LST is a narrow, 1 1/2 laneblacktop road that is open to vehicu-lar traffic, albeit it is lightly traveled.There are no shelters or designatedareas for camping along most of theLST. From US 119 to Kingdom ComeState Park is 14 miles where primi-tive camping and water is available.

There are different ways a volun-teer can contribute to the traildepending on how much free timeyou have. The Pine Mountain TrailConference has created two differentprograms for volunteers:

Volunteer Vacations: Longer tripsthat have been put together by theAmerican Hiking Society (AHS) inconjunction with the Pine MountainTrail Conference. On an AHS

Volunteer Vacation, you visit stun-ning backcountry locations to con-struct or rebuild footpaths, cabinsand shelters. In the process, youmeet new people, explore canyons,peaks and valleys, enjoy quietevenings around a fire and comehome refreshed and rejuvenated.Volunteer Vacations are more funthan work!

Weekend Getaways: Designed forthose who work a full time job.Volunteers arrive at a campsite pre-pared by conference members onFriday night. Saturday the volunteersproceed to a work-site on the trail fora full day of trailmaintenance, andreturn home onSunday.

You may visit ourwebsite at:www.pinemountain-t ra i l .com/eventsfor a full list ofupcoming opportu-nities.

Donations need-ed

The PineMountain Trail con-tinues its success-ful journey acrossthe top of PineMountain throughthe hard work ofvolunteers fromaround the stateand the country,but it can't continuewithout the finan-cial support of it'smembers as well asothers in the com-munity. By joiningand/or donating tothe Pine MountainTrail Conference

you are helping to secure the futureof a trail that will be known asKentucky's Premier Long Trail.

Membership options range fromvolunteer to foundation donations.Download the membership form andsend it to Pine Mountain TrailConference, c/o Letcher CountyCooperative Extension Service, P.O.Box 784, Whitesburg, KY 41858.Membership includes a PineMountain Trail embroidered patchalong with a year subscription to theHighland Sojourner.

Volunteer Class...$0 (requires at

least one day of trail constructionwork)

Individual Class...$25-$49Trailblazer Class...$50-$99Highlander Class...$100-$499Pinnacle Class...$500-$999Legacy Class...$1,000-$4,999Foundation Class...$5,000+To make a donation, send checks

to Pine Mountain Trail Conference,c/o Letcher County CooperativeExtension Service, P.O. Box 784,Whitesburg, KY 41858 or donateonline.

PAGE 22 • APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • MAY 2010 MAY 2010 • APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • PAGE 3

Elkhorn City: Gateway toPine Mountain Trail as well


BY RUSS CASSADYSTAFF WRITER

Visitors to Elkhorn City who are intown for the 33rd Apple BlossomFestival may find much of their timeoccupied by the festival’s events.

But those looking for an additionaladventure need look no further thanBreaks Interstate Park, located lessthan 10 miles from Elkhorn City.

Park Superintendent MatthewO’Quinn said the park tries not toschedule events which would interferewith the festivals and other events heldin nearby towns.

Instead, he said, the park tries to

complement those events by being partof the package cities have to offer visi-tors.

And, for visitors to Elkhorn City, thatoffering is closer than they may think.

“A trip of seven and a half miles, andthey can come and have the run of 4,600acres,” O’Quinn said.

The Breaks Interstate Park, a part-nership between the governments ofKentucky and Virginia, is a preservedwilderness area offering camping, hik-ing and numerous outdoor recreationopportunities.

The park’s main attraction is theRussell Fork gorge, the largest canyonEast of the Mississippi River, which was

formed over millions of years, followingthe recession of a vast inland sea.

The park features more than 25 milesof hiking trails and 12 miles of bikingtrails.

Also this year, the park is offering ageocaching opportunity. Those interest-ed in participating can either pick up aGPS device at the park’s visitors’ centeror pick up their own.

Participants can then use the globalpositioning points to find more than 60hidden “treasures” throughout the park.

Those who would rather have fun onwater can take advantage of the RussellFork River’s whitewater opportunities,or rent a pedal boat, canoe or johnboat

at Laurel Lake, inside the park forexploring or fishing.

O’Quinn said the park also offers sev-eral lodging opportunities for visitors,from camping sites and areas for RVs toa lodge, cottages and luxury cabins.

According to O’Quinn, the parkrecently began offering an opportunityfor visitors to use quiet, battery-operat-ed golf carts to get around the park,which he said offers a chance to see thepark in a new light.

“If you haven’t ridden a golf cart inthe park, you haven’t ridden one,” hesaid.

For more information on the park orits offerings visit, www.breakspark.com

Breaks Interstate Park offers unique getaway for Apple Blossom visitors



Visitors to Elkhorn City can returnin a few weeks for a chance to travelback in time.

The 4th Annual Bushwhacking onthe Russell Fork, a Civil War reenact-ment, will be held May 28-30 inElkhorn City.

While there was no single largeCivil War battle in Pike County, theBushwhacking commemorates thebattles which did occur in the area,small-scale skirmishes betweenConfederates and Union forces travel-ing through the region.

Each year, the event brings morethan 1,000 visitors to town, some ofwhom dress in period clothing andreenact the battles, with

This year’s event will see a newsponsor come on board: Pike County,as the Pike Fiscal Court recentlyvoted to contribute $3,000 to theevent.

There will be few changes this yearto the event, according to TimBelcher, with the Elkhorn CityHeritage Council.

On Friday, May 28, the reeanctorswill get into town and set up theircamps, along the Russell Fork River.

The event will really get under wayon Saturday, May 29, with the parade

and opening ceremony beginning at 9a.m.

At 11 a.m., there will be a ladies’ teaat the mess hall on Russell Street.Period dress will be required at theevent.

At 1 p.m., Dennis Boggs, portrayingAbraham Lincoln, will give a presiden-tial address at the caboose at the cor-ner of Patty Loveless Blvd. and RussellStreet.

The first battle reenactment willtake place at 2 p.m., just off RussellStreet.

At 7:30 p.m., the grand military ballwill be held at the mess hall. Perioddress is required for the event. Thenight firing of the cannons will followat 10:30 p.m., and a ghost walk event,where reenactors will portray variousCivil War-era personalities, will beoffered.

Sunday’s events will begin early,with a memorial service at noon.

At 2 p.m., a second battle reenact-ment will take place.

Throughout the event, the campsand “sutlers,” or period era vendors,will be open to the public.

Belcher said the Bushwhacking is agreat family event, which has inspiredmore than one child to further investi-gate the past.

“It can spur them to do more in thearea of history,” he said.

Bushwhacking on theRussell Fork set for

Memorial Day weekend


The 33nd Annual Apple Blossom Festival will get under way this week, just asit has in the past, but a change this year has organizers excited about the possi-bilities.

According to Chester Adkins, with the White Water Shrine Club, which over-sees the Apple Blossom Festival, this year’s event will be held not in the city’sstreets, but at the city park.

“I think there’s more room up there,” Adkins said. “It’s going to be better.”As always, Adkins said, the festival will feature several food and crafts vendors,

rides and inflatables for children, and music.The festival will begin Friday and run through Saturday night.Just like its larger neighbor, Hillbilly Days, the Apple Blossom Festival serves

a greater purpose.The money collected from the festival goes into the coffers of the White Water

Shrine Club, which transports children from the area to the Shriners Hospitals forChildren in Lexington and Cincinnatti.

“What proceeds we make goes to the transportation fund,” he said. “We trans-port out of three different counties.”

If the families wish to go on their own, the White Water Shrine Club gives thefamilies who are transporting their children to the hospital money to defray thecosts of their travel.

Adkins said that transportation keeps the club busy. Speaking just weeksbefore the festival, he said the club had six children from the area who needed togo before Apple Blossom.

33rd AppleBlossom festival

ready to getunder way



While the Apple BlossomFestival and theBushwhacking on the RussellFork are two of Elkhorn City’stourist offerings, there are sev-eral other options for visitorsyear-round.

One of the city’s maintourist offerings is the white-water boating available on theRussell Fork River.

According to Steve Ruth,Elkhorn City tourism and

development liaison, whileOctober is the main month forwhitewater activities, thespring and summer also offersome options.

“May is a water-filledmonth,” he said. “There’s near-ly always something to pad-dle.”

Ruth said whitewater initia-tives are under way in the city,and include inflatable kayaks,called “duckies,” which wereacquired last year. The duckiesoffer visitors a chance to pad-dle on less rough parts of the

river without having their ownequipment.

Whitewater enthusiastsflock to Elkhorn City throughthe year, but particularly dur-ing October, when waterreleases from the FlanaganDam in Virginia, done eachweekend that month, raisewater on the river and increaseflow in some areas to levelsonly passable by expert pad-dlers.

The city also offers opportu-nities on dry land as well. Thecity serves as the trailhead for

the Pine Mountain Trail, a 44-mile hiking trail, which runsfrom Elkhorn City to U.S. 119in Letcher County.

The trail is also a part of theGreat Eastern Trail, an initia-tive under development toestablish a long-distance trail,like the 2,175-mile AppalachianTrial, which runs from Maineto Georgia.

Elkhorn City is also an ATV-friendly town, Ruth said, withthe vehicles allowed to legallyoperate on city streets, and insome surrounding areas.

Outdoors enthusiasts whoprefer a quieter way to connectwith nature can consider fish-ing, as well.

Ruth said the Russell Forkand other surrounding water-ways are constantly stockedwith fish, especially trout, mak-ing the city an increasing desti-nation for fishermen.

For more information onevents and tourism opportuni-ties in Elkhorn City, visit theElkhorn City HeritageCouncil’s Web site at,www.elkhorncity.org.

EC offers tourism opportunities year-round



Visitors to Elkhorn City can returnin a few weeks for a chance to travelback in time.

The 4th Annual Bushwhacking onthe Russell Fork, a Civil War reenact-ment, will be held May 28-30 inElkhorn City.

While there was no single largeCivil War battle in Pike County, theBushwhacking commemorates thebattles which did occur in the area,small-scale skirmishes betweenConfederates and Union forces travel-ing through the region.

Each year, the event brings morethan 1,000 visitors to town, some ofwhom dress in period clothing andreenact the battles, with

This year’s event will see a newsponsor come on board: Pike County,as the Pike Fiscal Court recentlyvoted to contribute $3,000 to theevent.

There will be few changes this yearto the event, according to TimBelcher, with the Elkhorn CityHeritage Council.

On Friday, May 28, the reeanctorswill get into town and set up theircamps, along the Russell Fork River.

The event will really get under wayon Saturday, May 29, with the parade

and opening ceremony beginning at 9a.m.

At 11 a.m., there will be a ladies’ teaat the mess hall on Russell Street.Period dress will be required at theevent.

At 1 p.m., Dennis Boggs, portrayingAbraham Lincoln, will give a presiden-tial address at the caboose at the cor-ner of Patty Loveless Blvd. and RussellStreet.

The first battle reenactment willtake place at 2 p.m., just off RussellStreet.

At 7:30 p.m., the grand military ballwill be held at the mess hall. Perioddress is required for the event. Thenight firing of the cannons will followat 10:30 p.m., and a ghost walk event,where reenactors will portray variousCivil War-era personalities, will beoffered.

Sunday’s events will begin early,with a memorial service at noon.

At 2 p.m., a second battle reenact-ment will take place.

Throughout the event, the campsand “sutlers,” or period era vendors,will be open to the public.

Belcher said the Bushwhacking is agreat family event, which has inspiredmore than one child to further investi-gate the past.

“It can spur them to do more in thearea of history,” he said.

Bushwhacking on theRussell Fork set for

Memorial Day weekend


The 33nd Annual Apple Blossom Festival will get under way this week, just asit has in the past, but a change this year has organizers excited about the possi-bilities.

According to Chester Adkins, with the White Water Shrine Club, which over-sees the Apple Blossom Festival, this year’s event will be held not in the city’sstreets, but at the city park.

“I think there’s more room up there,” Adkins said. “It’s going to be better.”As always, Adkins said, the festival will feature several food and crafts vendors,

rides and inflatables for children, and music.The festival will begin Friday and run through Saturday night.Just like its larger neighbor, Hillbilly Days, the Apple Blossom Festival serves

a greater purpose.The money collected from the festival goes into the coffers of the White Water

Shrine Club, which transports children from the area to the Shriners Hospitals forChildren in Lexington and Cincinnatti.

“What proceeds we make goes to the transportation fund,” he said. “We trans-port out of three different counties.”

If the families wish to go on their own, the White Water Shrine Club gives thefamilies who are transporting their children to the hospital money to defray thecosts of their travel.

Adkins said that transportation keeps the club busy. Speaking just weeksbefore the festival, he said the club had six children from the area who needed togo before Apple Blossom.

33rd AppleBlossom festival

ready to getunder way



Visitors to Elkhorn City who are intown for the 33rd Apple BlossomFestival may find much of their timeoccupied by the festival’s events.

But those looking for an additionaladventure need look no further thanBreaks Interstate Park, located lessthan 10 miles from Elkhorn City.

Park Superintendent MatthewO’Quinn said the park tries not toschedule events which would interferewith the festivals and other events heldin nearby towns.

Instead, he said, the park tries to

complement those events by being partof the package cities have to offer visi-tors.

And, for visitors to Elkhorn City, thatoffering is closer than they may think.

“A trip of seven and a half miles, andthey can come and have the run of 4,600acres,” O’Quinn said.

The Breaks Interstate Park, a part-nership between the governments ofKentucky and Virginia, is a preservedwilderness area offering camping, hik-ing and numerous outdoor recreationopportunities.

The park’s main attraction is theRussell Fork gorge, the largest canyonEast of the Mississippi River, which was

formed over millions of years, followingthe recession of a vast inland sea.

The park features more than 25 milesof hiking trails and 12 miles of bikingtrails.

Also this year, the park is offering ageocaching opportunity. Those interest-ed in participating can either pick up aGPS device at the park’s visitors’ centeror pick up their own.

Participants can then use the globalpositioning points to find more than 60hidden “treasures” throughout the park.

Those who would rather have fun onwater can take advantage of the RussellFork River’s whitewater opportunities,or rent a pedal boat, canoe or johnboat

at Laurel Lake, inside the park forexploring or fishing.

O’Quinn said the park also offers sev-eral lodging opportunities for visitors,from camping sites and areas for RVs toa lodge, cottages and luxury cabins.

According to O’Quinn, the parkrecently began offering an opportunityfor visitors to use quiet, battery-operat-ed golf carts to get around the park,which he said offers a chance to see thepark in a new light.

“If you haven’t ridden a golf cart inthe park, you haven’t ridden one,” hesaid.

For more information on the park orits offerings visit, www.breakspark.com

Breaks Interstate Park offers unique getaway for Apple Blossom visitors

SPECIAL TO THE

NEWS-EXPRESS

Pine Mountain is an ecologicaltreasure in southeastern Kentuckythat offers outstanding hiking oppor-tunities. The Pine Mountain Trail iscurrently under construction and willultimately connect Breaks InterstatePark with Cumberland Gap NationalHistorical Park. Currently 44 miles ofpristine hiking trails are open. ThePine Mountain Trail Council inviteseveryone to head out for a hike andhope they will consider making adonation or getting involved with theproject.

The Pine Mountain Trail is openwith contiguous trail from BreaksInterstate Park to US 119. It is desig-nated in two sections. The sectionfrom Breaks to US 23 is the BirchKnob section and totals 28 miles. TheUS 23 - US 119 is named theHighland section and totals 16 milesfor a total of 44 miles.

The trail is not yet constructedbeyond US 119. However, if hikerswish to do so, they can hike on theLittle Shepherd Trail (LST) foranother 38 miles from US 119 to US421. The LST is a narrow, 1 1/2 laneblacktop road that is open to vehicu-lar traffic, albeit it is lightly traveled.There are no shelters or designatedareas for camping along most of theLST. From US 119 to Kingdom ComeState Park is 14 miles where primi-tive camping and water is available.

There are different ways a volun-teer can contribute to the traildepending on how much free timeyou have. The Pine Mountain TrailConference has created two differentprograms for volunteers:

Volunteer Vacations: Longer tripsthat have been put together by theAmerican Hiking Society (AHS) inconjunction with the Pine MountainTrail Conference. On an AHS

Volunteer Vacation, you visit stun-ning backcountry locations to con-struct or rebuild footpaths, cabinsand shelters. In the process, youmeet new people, explore canyons,peaks and valleys, enjoy quietevenings around a fire and comehome refreshed and rejuvenated.Volunteer Vacations are more funthan work!

Weekend Getaways: Designed forthose who work a full time job.Volunteers arrive at a campsite pre-pared by conference members onFriday night. Saturday the volunteersproceed to a work-site on the trail fora full day of trailmaintenance, andreturn home onSunday.

You may visit ourwebsite at:www.pinemountain-t ra i l .com/eventsfor a full list ofupcoming opportu-nities.

Donations need-ed

The PineMountain Trail con-tinues its success-ful journey acrossthe top of PineMountain throughthe hard work ofvolunteers fromaround the stateand the country,but it can't continuewithout the finan-cial support of it'smembers as well asothers in the com-munity. By joiningand/or donating tothe Pine MountainTrail Conference

you are helping to secure the futureof a trail that will be known asKentucky's Premier Long Trail.

Membership options range fromvolunteer to foundation donations.Download the membership form andsend it to Pine Mountain TrailConference, c/o Letcher CountyCooperative Extension Service, P.O.Box 784, Whitesburg, KY 41858.Membership includes a PineMountain Trail embroidered patchalong with a year subscription to theHighland Sojourner.

Volunteer Class...$0 (requires at

least one day of trail constructionwork)

Individual Class...$25-$49Trailblazer Class...$50-$99Highlander Class...$100-$499Pinnacle Class...$500-$999Legacy Class...$1,000-$4,999Foundation Class...$5,000+To make a donation, send checks

to Pine Mountain Trail Conference,c/o Letcher County CooperativeExtension Service, P.O. Box 784,Whitesburg, KY 41858 or donateonline.

PAGE 22 • APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • MAY 2010 MAY 2010 • APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • PAGE 3

Elkhorn City: Gateway toPine Mountain Trail as well

• APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL • MAY 2010

apple blossom festival 2010

Documents

trail fora

edthe pinemountain trail

day of trail construction

openwith contiguous

pine mountain trailconference

askentuckys premier

constructedbeyond us

apple blossom festival