#kentucky camping

[vintagecamping]

Family camping in General Butler State Park.

Kentucky

1979

[voodooya]

🖤.

[hammockadventures]

August 18, 2024. Nature is amazing! Our camp at The Slab Campground , the site is 05 Creek. Located in Fountain Run, KY.

[burlybrandon]

[pcttrailsidereader]

The Ghosts of Kentucky Camp

"Deep in the heart of the Santa Rita Mountains lies a ghost town called Kentucky Camp.  It was once a bustling mining town, abandoned after a freak accident that killed the lead mining engineer.  Some say the town is now haunted by the ghosts of the lead engineer and miners who lost their lives.  The locals say that on quiet nights you might hear the sound of pickaxes and shovels coming from the hills, but be warned, if you hear the sound of a lone miner's whistle, you certainly are not alone."

Dave Baugher, a regular contributor to this website, started his multi-year thru-hike of the Arizona Trail this year. Dave estimated that 30 percent of those on the Arizona Trail had either left the PCT or altered plans to walk the PCT because of the epic snowpack on the PCT. This story is based upon a stop early in his Arizona Trail walk.

Ever see a ghost fly?  No?  How about a man about to become a ghost as he "flew" off the third story of a newly constructed hotel in Tucson, AZ?  No?  Neither have I.  However, my buddy Ed and I spent some time in the old gold mining town of Kentucky Camp.  Let me tell you about the "Ghosts of Kentucky Camp."

Gold.  The yellow metal has driven men mad, sent conquistadores over the oceans, and even led to war between nations.  However, much of the gold on Earth is thought to have been incorporated into the planet since its very beginning, as orbiting debris formed the planet's mantle early in Earth's creation. 

About 55 million years ago, during earth movement and mountain building, hot solutions bearing gold and other minerals worked their way into the faults and fissures of folded and compressed rock.  Later, these mineral-laden veins eroded along with the host rock,  freeing the gold.  Long before any people arrived on the scene, water and gravity began the gold-milling process better than any human invention carrying and concentrating small particles of gold along the bottoms of streams and gulches.  These are placer deposits: water-laid sand and gravels that contain eroded and redeposited particles of valuable minerals.

Gold was discovered in the Santa Rita Mountains in 1874.  In the following years, up to 500 miners worked in what became known as the Greaterville Mining District.    Early on, the miners had to haul their pay dirt to the few running streams in the area or haul bladders of water to their claims on the backs of pack animals.  At first, this laborious effort was worthwhile, but by 1886 the easy pickings played out, and most miners moved on.

In 1902, a charismatic California mining engineer, James Stetson, had an idea to solve the water problem.  He believed collecting seasonal runoff into a nearby reservoir would be possible, thus creating a permanent water source and making placer mining again profitable.

Stetson sold his idea to investors and formed the Santa Rita Water & Mining Company.  Kentucky Camp in the Santa Rita Mountains was the Company's headquarters.  It was an attempt to get the land to give up its gold with placer mining.  That process, successful in California, uses water cannons to break up desert hillsides so gold can be washed out and recovered in sluices, a sort of industrial-sized gold panning.  Stetson believed the California process would work in Southern Arizona.  Californian George McAneny put up $150,000 to get things started in 1902 and was made president of the new Company, with Stetson as the manager.

Stetson designed a dam near three streams with over eight miles of pipe and ditches to get the water to the mining site at Kentucky Gulch.  A company office building, a house for Stetson, a barn, and two other buildings were constructed.  The 40 to 100 workers lived in a nearby tent camp, and the operation opened in 1904.

Unfortunately, it all washed out.  Only about $3,000 was repaid to McAneny, so a meeting was called in Tucson on May 22, 1905.  McAneny and several other stockholders were to meet at lawyer Samuel Kingan's office.  However, around 3 o'clock the afternoon before, a maid working on the 2nd floor directly below Mr. Stetson's room heard a thud on the windowsill of the room she was cleaning.  She went to investigate.  She leaned out her window and saw Mr. Stetson's dead body on the concrete sidewalk below.  Stetson mysteriously fell, jumped, or was thrown from a third-story window of the Santa Rita Hotel and died.  The truth of his death was never determined.

McAneny's health and finances fell apart after that day.  He got divorced and claimed that ghosts were ever after him.  He died in 1909.  The Santa Rita Water & Mining Company ended, and the land was used by ranchers.  Kentucky Camp was abandoned in the mid-1960s, and the U.S. Forest Service took it over in 1989.  

Renters around the ranch sometimes report ghostly noises, and a ghost-hunters group has spent time documenting the strange happenings in the cabins.  But seasoned visitors say it is mice in the place and skunks making a winter den under the house near the propane heater that account for the mysterious night sounds.  A resident jaguar living in Santa Ritas may also visit the area.

On the hot afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, Ed and I dropped our packs on the covered porch of Mr. Stetson's house.  There was water for us to fill our bottles, electricity to charge our electronics, and displays describing the past history of Kentucky Camp.  I'll be honest, we did not stay too long.  There were still miles of trail ahead before we could call it a day.  However, we enjoyed the shade, and several other visitors joined us on the deck to cool off from the sun. 

Ghosts?  We did not see or hear anything that afternoon.  Later, camped by a small lake, Ed and I talked about the place, and we both thought it might be exciting to return to in the future.  Calling it a night, we dove into our tents as the cold chilly wind ran down from the Santa Rita Mountains high above our camp.  Tired, I did hear things in the evening twilight.  Shovels and pickaxes?  No.  Whistles?  You could say that the cooing of doves in waning light or the soft chirps of quail in the brush might resemble a whistle as I drifted off to sleep thinking about the ghosts of Kentucky Camp.

[emeraldlabyrinth]

Nature Immersion Class by Craig Caudill

During spring time I attended the Nature Immersion Class by Craig Caudill. And was pleasantly delighted. The teachers were incredibly knowledgeable in their fields and were equally passionate about their work. You could tell they all respected each other's knowledge. They would even bring their own note books for when another teacher was teaching!

We walked down to a creek, learning a bit about awareness, plants, and trees. When we were at the creek we collected creatures, that were then identified by the teacher. (I will never walk barefoot in a creek again)

The type of trees, plants, and creatures living in an area. Can tell you so much about where you are and what is happening in the area. This was likely my favorite part of the trip. That and tree identification which we did the next day.

We did quite a few practices that simply brought you awareness of the earth around you. I though myself to be pretty observant. However, I discovered many things that I never had really thought of or noticed until that point.

They also let us feel and check out numerous animal pelts (gray fox, red fox, raccoon, squirrel, coyote, deer, rabbit, otter, black bear, bobcat, beaver, and more) and prints (raccoon, beaver, songbirds, water birds, eagles, owls, muskrats, deer, weasel, bobcat, fox, dog, wolf, and more). It was very interesting to feel and learn about each one.

There was an interesting type of journal sketching that was really cool, they showed us some great resource books, and so much more. If you are ever in the Kentucky area. And, enjoy wildlife and the outdoors. I would highly recommend checking out his classes. They are well worth the money.

The website https://naturereliance.org/

His X account https://x.com/NatureReliance

[bijoumikhawal]

Hurricane Helene Relief Funds

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue operates out of Asheville, which has been hit aggressively by storm and flood damage

The Asheville Survival Program is reaching out. They appear to actually be the ones who use the Cashapp $Streets1de, and they just got put with Appalachian Med for convenience.

Beloved Asheville is reaching out. www.PayPal.me/belovedasheville and venmo.com/beloved-asheville

Homeward Bound helps the homeless in the Asheville/Buncombe area

Theres a fund for smaller rural communities around Asheville. It's close to its goal, but I really wish they'd set it higher considering what people are gonna need. Someone make sure they surpass it!

Charlotte NC is reaching out. Charlotte Mutual Aid: Helene Disaster Relief. CashApp: MutualAid704. Venmo: MutualAid704. Open Collective: Helene.cltfnb.com

Olive Branch Ministry is reaching out from West NC

Josh Griffith is fundraising for his efforts to deliver food in WNC

Breathitt County in Kentucky is fundraising to help NC through the Rousseau Volunteer Fire Department, as well as asking for physical supply donations. Their paypal is jrousseauvfd, put "for NC flood". Jaxon Flower shop in Jackson KY will also take physical donations. They aren't looking for clothes, moreso cleaning supplies and other items.

North Durham Mutual Aid is reaching out.

Eastern Kentucky Mutual Aid is also reaching out for funds. There looks like there might be two orgs with similar names, but if so both are helping. There's PayPal.me/ekymutualaid, Venmo - @ekymutualaid, or Cashapp - $ekymutualaid. There's also a Facebook group where individuals are posting requests for aid.

There's a fund for relief in Erwin, Tennessee

Helbender Harm Reduction is collecting physical supplies in Knoxville alongside First Aid Collective Knoxille, whose Cashapp/Venmo is: $firstaidcollectknox. If you're nearby they're looking for clothes, blankets, shelf stable food, rain gear, flashlights, and batteries, which is what most other groups asking for supplies are looking at too.

The TriCities Mutual Aid group is mostly asking for volunteers and supplies in the Tennessee/Virginia area. However, they may shift to donations, and you can reach out to them to see if they would be welcome either way.

Food Not Bombs Tallahassee has a cashapp: $fnbtally2022. They and Mutual Aid Athens are also boosting any community calls for funds, labor, or supplies in various states on their Instagram pages

Taylor County FL is reaching out. Paypal: Mskatonic138@gmail.com and Venmo @Mskatonic138

The Footprint project's Florida team is asking for people to support their response by texting HELENE to 44-321

Since I don't know if the post I made late last night will get traction I'll reiterate that Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is a trusted org. You can send funds at the linked site, or via Paypal: MutualAidDisasterRelief@gmail.com Or Venmo: @MutualAidDisasterRelief

Appalachian Med is another trusted org I shared last night. They have Venmo: @AppMedSolid. Put Flood Support in the description

Animal Disaster Relief Coalition is helping people make sure their animals are fed.

A list of Mutual Aid groups can be found here

A friend of mine, Vyn, is asking for help since he'll be out of power for around a week in Southeast GA

Other physical supplies people will be looking for in flood impacted areas include:

bottled water, potentially water filters

personal hygiene items: wipes, camping showers, tampons/pads/other menstrual products, handsanitizer, mosquito spray, laundry detergent, washboards, toilet paper, diapers, and especially any products safe for sensitive skin

medications- ibuprofen, monistat and other meds for yeast infections, cold and cough meds, any diabetic meds that can be safely shared, etc

individually wrapped low or no prep food items, baby formula, and Gatorade

duffel bags, backpacks, heavy duty storage totes and trash bags, 5 gallon buckets, coolers

Fans, dehumidifiers, moisture sensors, generators, gas and gas cans, solar charging items and battery banks, first aid kits

chainsaws, crowbars, hammers, air filters, respirators, 2×4 planks, bleach, roofing nails, heavy duty gloves, and potentially waders.

and board games or other non electric activities for children

Double check if you can before you donate these items to make sure whatever local drive you're headed to wants them and can distribute the more specialized ones where they're needed

And please! Add any funds you know of, especially for South Carolina and North Georgia since I wasn't seeing many funds for those areas! I know South Carolina is in desperate need and there's definitely parts of North Georgia in need too. Atlanta saw some bad flooding so keep an eye for them too!

[vintagecamping]

Loaded up and ready to hit the trails of the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Kentucky

1990

[next-pres]

Blue Smoke Tales

[hutchford]

There are many parks near West Liberty, KY that are worth exploring. They’re perfect for a day trip or picnic, and they’re all accessible by car. These spots offer scenic views, hiking trails, fishing spots, swimming holes, campgrounds, and much more. Let’s take a look at some of the best spots near West Liberty you need to check out right now!

[ricefame]

Elite trainer Tony Sands brought his Sandsational Elite Football Combine & Camp to Radcliff, Kentucky in conjunction with the KY Football League's Radcliff Hurricanes. This inaugural event featured NFL legends and Pro Football Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp, who interacted with the athletes and left them with pearls of wisdom. The organizers promised that this would not be the last edition, and it drew close to 200 participants.

[d12ney]

Dad's Kentucky Home Fries

Golden-brown fried potatoes made with bacon drippings and sweet Vidalia onion. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a microwave breakfast on the go. For an East Coast twist, add diced green pepper.

[luxebeat]

Things to do in Patagonia, Arizona

A peachy neat artsy town 18 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Patagonia, though tiny, offers plenty to do. Nestled between the Santa Rita Mountains to the north and the Patagonia Mountains to the south, the incredible views envelop the area. Whether you drive from Phoenix, Tombstone, or Tubac, you will experience some of the prettiest roads in the country. Furthermore, with a population…

[autotrails]

American Auto Trail-New Orleans & Ohio Railroad (Mayfield to Fulton KY)

American Auto Trail-New Orleans & Ohio Railroad (Mayfield to Fulton KY) https://youtu.be/YovnGDxmXqI This American auto trail explores the route of U.S. Highway 45 in southwestern Kentucky, from Mayfield to Fulton on the Tennessee State Line.

This American auto trail explores the route of U.S. Highway 45 in southwestern Kentucky, from Mayfield to Fulton on the Tennessee State Line. The highway follows the route of the earlier New Orleans & Ohio Railroad. For more of our Auto Trails and Slow Travels guides, available in print or eBook format, use one of the links below: Amazon Lulu Press Smashwords Camera: Sony Active Camera…