Things get messy on the Kentucky Adventure Tour
47-minute YouTube Video by Ozark Overland Adventures

Matt begins reporting “from a field somewhere in southern Kentucky.” Not far from Williamsburg.
The group consists of 12 rigs on a on a four day trip with Brad from Goxplorusa.

The Kentucky Adventure Tour, or ‘KAT’ is a 1,000 mile trip around eastern Kentucky. “Absolutely beautiful” – Matt describes it as “a mixture of trails, technical trails, Forest Service roads, county roads, as little highway as possible… it takes you through some breathtaking scenery.” The one challenge is finding disbursed camping. (‘Disbursed camping’ means little to no services.) “For a group our size, we need to reserve space.”
Their plan for this day will include gorgeous water crossings. Matt’s looking forward to it.

First stop: CUMBERLAND FALLS
He highly recommends a visit. “It is a state park and it is GORGEOUS, absolutely beautiful.
It’s free to get in and not far from the KAT.”

ROCK CREEK CAMPGROUND
This is their last night, they’re at a private campground.
Matt’s frustrated by the lack of primitive camping but likes the location. “Everybody just piled in here, there’s lots of room. It’s nice and flat with hammocks back here in the trees.”
After a delicious dinner, they hang out and get to know each other better. They say rain will be moving in.
Matt’s trying out a new portable air conditioner as they settle in for the night. “It’s a little bit cheaper than Zero Breeze and it has a slightly bigger battery.”
The following morning, they’re happy to say “It worked really good.”
Brad’s group leaves camp. They will continue for at least half a day.

“THIS LOOKS DANGEROUS.”
Matt’s intrigued by a section of trail marked “hard.” Eight groups join him in finding out why.
“But he’s going to give it a go I guess.”
No problem with the water challenge. Then the terrain begins to change.
The KAT begins changing back and forth from trail to rural.

THEN COMES THE HARD SECTION
“Crazy gorgeous. Some goopy stuff” – and subsequent rinse during a water crossing.
There is risk of slipping and getting stuck in the muck.
At 27 the F150 gets stuck. Some pulling with a kinetic rope. Some crunching.
There’s a gash in a tree where Matt’s awning struck.
Some slipping and sliding on foot.
Gauging the clearance under a tree and navigating deep ruts.

WINCHING
Matt’s vehicle gets sucked into the muck and has to be winched out. “Man, that’s some nasty stuff.”
The F150 nearly drifts into a tree; but makes it through.
A mudhole isn’t as bad as it looks.
At 36:02 another questionable mudhole appears. “Pretty sketch.” But it has a hard rock bottom.
At 36:40 they’re on the edge of a drop to water; then a boulder makes it “super sketch. This section is SKETCH-Y!”
At the top, the trail narrows, and trees make it “quite sketchy for us long wheelbase people.”

WAS IT HARD?
“Believe ‘em.”
Matt says the description nailed it. They plan to do 7 out of 14 miles before heading back. It’s a long way home.
More goop. Then a shelf road.
He notes there are no places to camp.
Matt wants to come back sometime, finish the trail and “hit more hard spots!”

SURPRISE – ‘A HAPPY PLACE’!
Thanks to Troy and Carol – it features a grill, a firepit, swings, a nice outhouse – “This is the coolest thing ever!”
The overlanders say their goodbyes and split off to various destinations.