Overview. Of all the day hikes on Pine Mountain, this is a fast favorite! Starting at the base of the mountain on the Virginia side of the border, this ascends to the ridge providing truly spectacular views of Kentucky. Along the way, enjoy a relatively rare sight at Pine Mountain Natural Bridge - a conglomerate sandstone arch. And, take the spur to a deep rock house that is believed to have been the source of seven different sulfur springs on the mountain. This is a great hike!

Route Type | Out and Back
Total Distance | 4.84 miles
Elevation Gain | 1,311 feet
Overall Difficulty | Moderate to Strenuous

GPS Waypoints
Count’s Cabin (201C) Trailhead | 37.233750, -82.416556
Count’s Cabin Rock Shelter | 37.235478, -82.415408
Lollipop Fork | 37.238242, -82.415528
Turn to Sulphur Spring ‘Cave’ | 37.244667, -82.420356
Sulphur Spring ‘Cave’ | 37.244311, -82.420925
Count’s Cabin-PMSST Junction | 37.248533, -82.422719
Pine Mountain Natural Bridge | 37.248747, -82.424896
Big Toe Rock | 37.247338, -82.429254
U.S. Forest Service Interactive Visitor Map Link
Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail - Birch Knob Section Map

Parking. Ample parking is available at the trailhead in a gravel parking lot. This trail shares use between hikers and horses, so you may on rare occasion see a horse trailer here.

Trail Navigation. Locate the gate at the west end of the parking lot and begin walking the double track trail downhill until reaching a small stream. Begin ascending from there, passing Count’s Cabin Rock Shelter on your left and eventually reaching the fork in the trail. Take a left (northwest) toward ‘Blowing Rock, Rock House’ and continue uphill. This section of trail has eroded down to the bedrock, so take care to plant your footsteps on the low side to avoid a slip and fall. Continue until reaching the turn to the Rock House and descend to find a large, deep recess in a beautiful patch of sandstone. This rock house and the rock shelter below are party spots for younger folks, so feel free to clean up after them if you are so inclined. There are several sandstone windows inside and outside of the rock house, so take your time spotting them. After you’ve had your fill, retrace your steps to return to the main trail and continue uphill until reaching the intersection with Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail. Turn left (west) to enjoy views as the come from the ledges along the way. Be sure to have the GPS waypoint for Pine Mountain Natural Bridge saved to your map because it’s easily missed. There are three paths at the arch. The highest goes over the top of the arch. The middle goes to the opening in the rock. The low path misses it altogether. You’ll feel a breeze on the middle path - which was nice on a warm day with loads of sun. After taking in the sights, continue along PMSST until reaching Big Toe Rock. This is another spot that is easily missed, so again, have this spot saved. It’s only maybe ten steps off the main trail. To get on top of the rock, it’s right foot to the first hold, left foot to the foothold on the left side, then up the rock with your right, and you’ll be on top to enjoy the clifftop view and massive 180-degree vista. On a sun and clouds day, there aren’t many views in Kentucky that can compete with this one in terms of size or beauty. Once you’ve cooled off and have taken it all in, retrace your steps back to the parking lot - right at Count’s Cabin Trail junction, then all the way down. Also, be mindful to keep your center of gravity low by bending the knees and hips while traveling on the sloped bedrock.

HIKER NOTE - Camping. This is National Forest land, so feel free to camp wherever you can find a flat spot. There are impacted camping areas near the rock shelters. Be sure to hang a bear bag away from camp, as there are plenty of black bears in the area (I scared one off with some bad singing on my way up the mountain). In addition, do not camp or have a fire within 100 feet of the rock shelters - even though this has clearly been common practice here.

HIKER NOTE - Sunset, Sunrise. This would be a fantastic sunset hike if you don’t mind hiking down in the dark. I am certain I’ll do a sunset hike here at some point in the future. As for sunrise, this is probably a good one in the weeks surrounding the Summer Solstice when the sun reaches its most northerly line.

HIKER NOTE - Lollipop Option. You can backtrack from the overlooks and continue until reaching the descent near Turnip Gap. I don’t see any overlooks on satellite or land manager maps, and hiker reports don’t seem to contain any motivating spots either, so I still like this as an out and back instead of the lollipop. Ifn’s you come across something awesome on that lollipop, let me know.

CAUTION - Sloped Bedrock. There are many stretches of sloped bedrock where the topsoil has completed washed away. These spots are great falling hazards - especially on the downhill. Use hiking poles to provide additional stability, maintain a low center of gravity by bending ankles, knees, and hips, and pitch forward ever so slightly when on the downhill to stay balanced. AND, plant your feet on the downhill part of the slope where it meets soil. This will help you maintain traction.

CAUTION - Do NOT Hike This in the Rain. This would be a pretty miserable hike in the rain because much of the trail has become a drainage channel for water. The bedrock will become slick and is already sloped, so adding rain and running water over the top would be bad bad;-)

CAUTION - Deadly Drops. Long falls from high places are the #1 non-health related cause of death for hikers in Kentucky. Keep your distance from the edges of cliffs to avoid a deadly fall. Young children should be kept close.

CAUTION - Poisonous Snakes. Copperheads and timber rattlesnakes can be found in the area. Should you encounter one, stop and slowly back away. Always give venomous snakes a wide berth. Know Before You Go => University of Kentucky Venomous Snake Guide

CAUTION - Black Bears. Ursus Americanus - a.k.a. the American black bear is growing in population throughout much of Kentucky. Know Before You Go => US Forest Service Black Bear Safety Tips