Pine Mountain Trail

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Pine Mountain Trail

Yellow trail blaze (24 miles) Difficult

The Pine Mountain Trail, can be accessed from several different points. This challenging trail follows the Kentucky/Virginia border, with many elevation changes. Some areas the trail is as steep as 30º. I will be describing only section that I have hiked.

You can gain access to the beginning of the Pine Mountain Trail from its north end at Elkhorn City, by parking at the Police Station (on the right) just before the bridge, or at a pull off just past the rail yard that you pass after crossing the Russell Fork River leaving Elkhorn City. This discription starts at the railroad bridge. You will see the pull off after making a sharp left hand turn. The pull off is right above the railroad bridge at Potter Flats. A sign that says "River access picnic area .25 miles" is just past this pull off, so if you see that you have missed the pull off.

0.0 Begin by entering the trail at the end of the guard rail and descending down the hill to the railroad bridge.

0.26 Cross the railroad bridge and continue down the tracks.

Valley Overlook 0.76 Trail head on the right. The entrance to the trail is hard to spot so be looking for an old logging road with brayers growing over the entrance. If you come to the #3 mile marker on the tracks, you have gone to far.

0.8 Trail merge. Concrete foundation of old building is on your left. Continue to the left, a metal fence runs along your right.

0.89 Trail merge. Follow yellow trail marker to the right 100' to another trail merge, continue left.

0.95 Trail levels out.

1.03 Trail begins to ascend again.

1.05 To your right you can see the railroad bridge at potters flats, trail makes a sharp left turn following the contour of the mountain.

1.12 Trail merge, elevation 1,383', continue to the left.

1.18 Trail merge. Trail to the left leads to Chimney Rock. Continue to the right, you will eventually see a large boulder on the right and later an old rusted out car on the left

1.32 Trail levels out, on your right is a lookout that gives you an awesome view of the Russell Fork River and the bridge to Elkhorn City.

Sunset 1.36 Trail merge. Continue to the right.

1.62 Trail begins to descend for a short time.

1.75 Trail crosses Power lines.

1.88 Trail turns left and begins to level off.

2.05 Trail descends past large rock through a grove of rhododendrons. A rock house is up to the left, large enough for one tent. At this point the trail can be easily lost. Look for the yellow blaze leading to your left.

2,15 After passing through the rhododendrons the trail switches back and forth a few times and then begins to ascend.

2.25 Trail merge. Trail to the left takes you down the mountain along and interesting set of rocks and merges with a logging road that if you turn left leads to some gas wells and to the right leads to Skeggs Gap. To the right above the Pine Mountain trail is a road that leads you to a great campsite with overlooks of Skeggs Gap and Pinnacle Rock.

2.28 Trail leaves logging road to the right and begins to descend at a steep angle.

2.37 Trail merge. Continue left.

2.70 Skeggs gap and Potter/Hall Cemetery. You can find water from a spring if you find the trail that leads to the left. This same trail merges with the spur trail from trail merge 2.25.

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