The name “Pinnacles” should have been a clue, because one only gets to a pinnacle by climbing up a mountainside.

We were in south central Kentucky to hike a nearby Nature Conservancy property and were looking to get some more trail time. A friend had hiked some trails in the 9000 acre Berea College Forest and had recommended them to me. He did not recommend hiking them on a ninety degree day however.

The story of the Berea College Forest is a fascinating one. It was started in 1897 by Silas Mason, the college’s first professor of Horticulture and Forestry, who thought that with good stewardship, the forest surrounding the city and college could provide water for the community, building lumber, and funds for the college. With the financial support of Sarah Fay, a benefactor from Boston, he acquired large sections of land that had been cleared, over-farmed, and indiscriminately timbered, and set forth a plan for sustainable forestry practices that allowed the forest to recover. Those same practices continue to this day, a hundred and thirty years later, with an emphasis on harvesting damaged and diseased trees first, allowing healthy ones to continue to grow, and logging with draft horses and mules, thereby minimizing damage to the environment. The forest is considered one of the oldest continually managed forests in the country. The history of the forest is presented in the lobby of the Forestry Outreach Center at the trailhead parking area.

The trail starts with an asphalt path through an exhibition area where craft shows and other public activities are held.

It transitions to a wide gravel climb through a beautifully forested mountainside.

To the left is the steeply sloped hillside leading down to a creek.

Eventually the gravel ended and the path was bare dirt.

Here the trail was bordered by Wild Hydrangea that was nearing the end of its flowering season.

Eventually we came upon a trail intersection. It is marked with a pink arrow on the map below.

The previous section of the trail had some challenges, perhaps prepping us for the last 0.3 miles of the climb, where the grade got steeper, and there were more exposed roots and rocks .

Given the heat of the day, we made sure to stop along the way to rest, hydrate, and catch our breath. The breaks also gave us a chance to take in the plants in the forest, including the “Doll’s Eyes” berries of White Baneberry, which Caroline noted on the hillside about twenty feet below the trail.

At the ridgetop there is another well marked intersection. Of note, Indian Fort Lookout is now called Bluegrass Lookout.

Soon we were rewarded with some partial vistas through the trees,

until we got to the true lookout,

with outstanding views as noted in the title photo and below. We were looking northwest, into the Bluegrass region of Kentucky – hence the lookout’s new name. It is said that on a clear day you can see the Fifth-Third Bank Tower in downtown Lexington, which lies forty miles away. Unfortunately we did not have a clear day.

We left the Lookout and headed toward the Devil’s Kitchen, not truly aware of what we would see there. It was the closest other landmark to our location and we needed to head down before thunderstorms hit the area. Along the way we retraced our steps along a bluff that stood atop a ravine.

It turns out that the Devil’s Kitchen is the collection of geologic features at the base of these same bluffs, and the Rock House, noted on the earlier map, is part of the Devil’s Kitchen

After a somewhat steep descent, one could appreciate the exposed and eroded limestone, and the plant life that the habitat supports.

As we walked along we noted that we were beneath arching American Bladdernuts, whose two-inch seeds pods reminds one of Japanese lanterns.

Also noted were Yellow Fairy Bells, which we had seen for the first time this spring. Now we were seeing it with formed fruit. It is similar to Solomon’s Seal and False Solomon Seal in general appearance, but both its flower (larger and yellow) and fruit (a large red-orange berry) are quite different. It is considered rare throughout much of its range.

This Hairy Alumroot also interested me. It only grows on rock outcroppings and boulders, and is considered endangered in parts of its native range. It is a cousin of the garden plant known as Coral Bells.

Finally, this New York Fern caught my attention. Its native range is from northernmost Georgia and Alabama up into Canada. Its extensive base, as noted in the third photo, suggests that it has lived a long life. They are deciduous and will lose their leaves in the fall. The round sori on the underside of the leafs contain the plants spores, and is an identifying feature.

After our visit to the Devil’s Kitchen we began our descent. And while it was not as physically demanding as the ascent, the descent presents its own challenges, making sure that your footing is solid.

Odds and Ends:

All along the trail we saw these small, orange mushrooms which I believe are Orange Pinwheel Mushrooms. The cap was about the size of a pencil eraser.

Seeing this Rockcap Polypody fern growing on the base of an oak was one of the highlights of the day for me. The leaves are somewhat rigid and evergreen. They are a small fern, ranging from 6 to 12 inches, and commonly grow atop sandstone bluffs.

The prominent yellow-orange sori on the underside of the leaf are quite unique.

It is not often that I get to see a tree species that is new to me when I am hiking in Kentucky, but on this outing I identified Shortleaf Pine for the first time. I suspect that I have seen it before as it is not rare, but mistakenly thought that it was its look alike, Virginia Pine. Shortleaf Pines have needles in fascicles of two, but occasionally three, while Virginia Pine will have them in groups of two. Shortleaf Pines’ needles are less twisted then those of Virginia Pine. Shortleaf Pine is a member of the Yellow Southern Pine grouping, along with Longleaf Pine, Loblolly Pine, and Slash Pine, and like its cohorts, is an important timber tree. It is relatively rapid growing and can reach heights of 100 feet and trunk diameters of 3 feet. When mature it is a much larger tree than the Virginia Pine.

Striped Wintergreen is another plant that was new to us. While it has a broad distribution in Eastern North America, it is considered threatened or endangered in much of its range. Native Americans believed it would help breakdown gallstones and kidney stones.

Lastly this specimen of Goldenrod got my attention due to its rounded leaves, which is unusual for the family. While I have told myself not to get too involved with the rabbit hole that Goldenrod identification can be, I believe that this is Forest Goldenrod. Seems appropriate given where we found it.

Where Art Meets Nature – one unique feature on the Pinnacle Trails are the presence of elaborate tree identification plaques. They are the work of local artist bugz fraugg, the lower case name is apparently a trademark, who carved species information into slabs of wood by hand.

In summary, our outing to the Berea College Forest and the Pinnacles Trail System was a great hike. Yes, it was physically demanding, but we were rewarded with outstanding vistas, interesting geology, and several plants that were new to us. This would be an excellent place for a fall color hike when the temperatures would be less taxing. I would recommend a visit to the Forestry Outreach Center before hitting the trail as I think the provided information will add historical and philosophical context to your hike. Since returning home I have learned about the Brushy Fork Nature Trails, which appear to be a less physically demanding way to enjoy the Berea College Forest.

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Photo credits to Caroline Burns Grizzle.

Overview

Parking – Asphalt and gravel lot for over 100 cars at the Forestry Outreach Center.

Facilities – Yes, at the Forestry Outreach Center. There is exterior access for use during hours when the center is closed.

Trail Conditions – the majority of the trail is gravel and bare dirt. There is an abundance of exposed stone and roots on the trail.

Print Map – https://forestryoutreach.berea.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trails-at-the-Pinnacles-Map-110824.pdf

Benches – Yes, conveniently placed above steeper trail sections.

Kids – Kids 10 and over would probably do ok as long as they have some hiking experience.

Dogs – Welcomed on a leash.

Suggested Paired Hikes – The Brushy Fork Trails look to offer gentler grade changes than those of the Pinnacle Trail System.

Links:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b43eeef68e144d728863bbad06bfd387