Hiking Up to White Rocks

Hiking Up to White Rocks. . Westbound settlers on the Wilderness Road in the late 1700s welcomed their first sight of White Rocks. This bright sandstone beacon was a well-known signpost that Cumberland Gap was only another day's walk away. But few, if any, of those travelers actually took the time to scramble up to White Rocks., Unlike the pioneers of 200 years ago, hikers today enjoy the challenge of a three-mile, one-way hike that climbs some 2,000 feet from here to the views atop the wide sandstone cliffs. Sand Cave and Hensley Settlement are favorite hikes also reached from this trailhead., (captions) , The massive sandstone outcroppings at White Rocks tower 3,500 feet above sea level. Hikers can enjoy views of Virginia's Powell Valley to the south and Kentucky's rugged labyrinth of coves and ridges to the north., Sand Cave , An 8-mile round-trip hike brings you to a dramatic 75-foot-high sandstone overhang. A small waterfall flows near the cave entrance most of the year., Hensley Settlement , You can explore several mountaintop Appalachian farmsteads started by Sherman Hensley in 1903. More than 40 log cabins, barns, and outbuildings show how pioneers forged a new life with limited tools in tough backcountry conditions.