And how 'bout them trails? In a word: superb! The two-way trails are marked well and offer three levels of fun: green for novices (family trails), blue means moderate difficulty and red translates to challenging (even gut-check-time difficult). I turned around on one of the rock crawler sections, which was marked red. Everything from mud bogs to awesome hillclimbs are available, and the scenery is breathtaking. Although mostly dirt, the trails do offer some cool rock obstacles and loose shale hills. There are plenty of fast sections, with jumps thrown into the mix. We had a couple of sport quads riding with us and they stayed entertained. The ridge-top trails offer up views of the surrounding towns of Evarts and Putney, as well as the ample mountainous beauty of this area.
Our limited time on the trails was enough to get a great impression of this place-Black Mountain is well on its way to becoming a destination for trail riders of all kinds. The combination of superb riding, friendly locals and an enthusiastic Chamber of Commerce add up to what could become one of the top three Eastern ride spots. See you there!
Information
Place visited: Black Mountain OHV area, Harlan County, Kentucky
Riding season: Year-round
Maps recommended: Yes, 200 miles of trails is plenty to get lost on. Buy one atthe trailhead; you can get maps for 4x4 trucks or ATV/dirt bike
Area information: Harlan Tourism, 606/573-4156; www.harlancountytrails.com
Permits/licenses required: None required, none issued
Critters: Harlan county is the No. 1 blackbear region, elk, deer, bobcat, coyote,someclaim wolves and mountain lions, too
While you are there: Pine Mountain Settlement School, Kingdom Come StatePark, Kentucky Coal Mine Museum, Portal 31 Underground Tour, Martins For Lake and hiking in the Blanton Forest
Road-trip CDs: Fall Out Boy; Panic! At The Disco; Johnny Cash's "The Legend ofJohnny Cash"; plus a custom-burnt CD
Best local beer: This is Kentucky, it's all about sour-mash bourbon whiskey! Just kidding. Harlan is a dry county, andunless you are willing to drive to Cumberland,the only wet town in the county(eight miles from Putney), bring your own
Digs: Harlan County Campground &RV Park: 606/573-9009; www.harlancountycampgrounds.com.The town of Evarts has some camping and RV hookups and rental houses.
Local ATV club: Harlan County Ridge Runners; www.kyoutdoors.com/hcrr.They're greatguys and offer free guided tours of the park.
Good eats: Apple Shop of the Benham Inn, Charlotte's Hoagie Shop inCumberland, Dairy Hut in Evarts
Useful links: www.kymc.org; www.harlancountytrails.com
| Quality of riding | 8.9 | Scenery | 9.3 | Food | 8.0 | Lodging | 9.2 | culture | 7.5 | overall Rating | 9.0 |
| Something for everyone, well maintained | Ridge-top views, waterfalls and wildlife | Local diners to chain restaurants | Awesome cabins, nice motels, rental houses and RV hookups | Americana! Southern hospitality and numerous attractions | From family riding to freak-you-out fun, Black Mountain rates as a top three in our book! |