The term “backcountry” has become a generic term for a forest trail or getting into the woods. There’s trails within city limits that can put you out of eyesight or sometimes even earshot of civilization surrounding you. There’s a high probability that if you sit there long enough someone else is going to come by, though. If you were in trouble of some kind, someone can be at your aid in pretty short order.
I’m sure there’s an actual definition of ‘backcountry’ out there but to me it’s more of a feeling than a defined piece of terminology. The feeling of exposure, of no easy escape route, of a miniscule chance that you’ll see someone else until you reach the other side, that there’s no way to get timely assistance of something goes awry.
As soon as I discovered the sport of mountain biking I had my sights set on riding the Pine Mountain Trail. Growing up with the geological spine that is Pine Mountain in sight, it’s always been the mountain that’s captured my imagination and inspired a lot of my outdoor passion. To me, Pine Mountain seems like one of few, if not the only place in the state of Kentucky that is true backcountry.
If you’re not familiar with Pine Mountain, it creates the Kentucky-Virginia border for several miles before diverging slightly west and then onto the Tennessee line. All told, the ridge is about 120 miles long, spanning between Breaks Interstate Parks in Breaks, VA to [Jellico?], TN. If looking from the west, Pine Mountain is a wall overlooking the Cumberland Plateau.
Currently there is about 42 miles of trail along the ridge of the mountain, split into two sections. The Highland Section spans between US-119 and US-23 (roughly between Whitesburg and Jenkins, KY). Because this section is within a nature conservancy it is hiking only.
The other section, known as the Birch Knob Section, runs about 26 miles between Elkhorn City, KY (just outside of Breaks Interstate Park) and US-23 at Jenkins. The highest point in this section is at Birch Knob Observation Tower, at roughly the halfway point of this section.
You can find more detailed information about campsites and shelters, maps, and other guidelines at pinemountaintrail.com.