The Knobstone Hiking Trail is a 160-mile trail along the landmark Knobstone escarpment in one of the most rugged and scenic areas of the South Central Midwest, on the high bluffs of the forested corridor between Indianapolis, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. The KHT consists of four sections, Knobstone (south, 45 miles), Pioneer (South middle, 37.9), Hoosier National Forest (North middle, 28.4), and Tecumseh (north, 42.7-miles). The Knobstone has continuous trail from start to finish. The Tecumseh and Hoosier Nation Forest has minor county road walks. The Pioneer has 5 miles of existing trails with approximately 9 more miles in various stages of development. The extended road walks are nearly all on remote gravel and black top roads with great scenery. There is 2.5 miles of road walk along Hwy 135 with a wide grass strip at the edge. There is good access and parking at 10-20-mile intervals, ideal for day hikes and backpack camping. No fees, reservations, or permits are required.
The Knobstone Hiking Trail Association (KHTA) was formed in 2013 to become the steward of this great trail. The KHTA is a non-profit organization dedicated to completion, preservation, and promotion of the KHT. We depend on Association members and volunteers for its very existence. Only a part of it is on public land maintained by government agencies. Trail conditions are dependent on hiker reports and volunteer action in response to them. The KHTA is the only source for maps and information about the entire trail. Won’t you join us?
Help Realize The Vision – Support The KHTA Join /Donate/Volunteer
Find us on Facebook and Meetup.com!
Check Out A Guide To The Knobstone Trail: Indiana’s Longest Footpath
Take Note of the reroute between miles 26 & 28 (N of the Leota TrHd), the closure of Indian Hill Road mile 145, and the repair of the bridge at mile 79.3!
Check Trail Conditions & Updates
View The Late Fall-Early Winter 2021 letter – Newsletter
Pictures From 2021 Section Hikes, Thru Hikes, & 2nd Sat Work Days
Second Saturday Workdays
January 15 & Feb 12 – Join Us For The 2nd Saturday Workday – 9:30 am-3:30 pm
Would you to spend a day in some beautiful woods with a delightful group of people building a connecting section of Indiana’s premier long distance hiking trail? Come join us as we work on an easement near Martinsville. We meet at near the Martinsville Conservation Club. Please bring a lunch and water. We will have large hand tools, but please bring any small tools you have such as clippers or a pruning saw. And a backpack is handy to carry everything in. Instructions will be provided for those who need them. We finish about 3:30. Click Here for more info and to sign up on Meetup.
Join us on our website at http://www.knobstonehikingtrail.org/ and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Knobstone-Hiking-Trail-
2022 Organized Hikes – Scott Beam – Mark Your Calendars!
In 2022 we will begin to provide an opportunity to section hike the whole 160 mile KHT.
Click Here for more info and to signup on Meetup for any of these hikes.
Saturday, January 1, 2022 – 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM – Section Hike #1
Tecumseh/Low Gap trailhead MMSF – Section 2 of the KHT
This will be section hike number 1 of the entire 165 mile Knobstone Hiking Trail, with the main hike being approximately 14 miles. I plan on hiking the Low Gap and following the Tecumseh to Bear Lake, and returning back across Orcutt Road. There are other shorter options as well, from just over 3, 6 and 10 miles using either the Rock Shelter or Low Gap loop trails. If anyone wants to park at Bear Lake a hour early and just do the 10 miles out, I could possibly shuttle a few to the start but parking is limited.
Saturday, February 05, 2022 – 9:15 AM to 2:15 PM – Section Hike #2
Tecumseh/Low Gap trailhead MMSF – Section 1 of the KHT
This will be the second section hike along the Knobstone Hiking Trail, this time starting at the northern terminus. We’ll be hiking from just outside Martinsville to the Orcutt Road Low Gap Trailhead, which is about 12 miles of mostly off-trail hiking. I plan on hiking it out and back, which will be about 22 miles as the return hike is shorter. …
Saturday, March 05, 2022 – 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM – Section Hike #3
Bear Lake Dam – Section 3 of the KHT
We’ll be continuing along the Tecumseh Trail part of the KHT, picking up at Bear Lake and heading south.
Saturday, April 02, 2022 – 9:00 AM to 8:00 AM – Section Hike #4
4371 Indian Hill Rd – Section 4 of the KHT
This could either be a 20 mile hike from Indian Hill to the parking area on Crooked Creek Road, finishing the Tecumseh section of the route. It could also be a backpacking trip, with staying in YellowwoodSF overnight. We’ll see how the weather and other hikes play out.
We’ll be hiking from High King Hill in YellowwoodSF to the northern end of the Nebo Ridge Trail, approximately 16 miles. We’ll again meet at the finish and shuttle about 40 minutes north to the start. We’ll meet at 9am, and take off about 9:15 and hopefully be hiking by 10am. We’ll be stopping about halfway along the route for a lunch break, bring plenty of water, food or snacks and whatever else you’ll need.
Saturday, June 4, – 9:00 AM to 5:00 pm – Section Hike #6
Hickory Ridge Trail 18 parking area
We’ll be hiking 13 miles from the north end of Nebo Ridge to halfway along the HoosierNF Hickory Ridge trail 18. We’ll meet at the parking area at 9am, and at 9:15 we’ll drive the 45 minutes north to the start. This is a fairly easy section of trail, with 2 hills and about 2 miles of road walking between Nebo and Hickory Ridge trail 20.
Saturday, July 2, – 9:00 AM to 6 PM – Section Hike #7
Hickory Ridge Trail 18 parking area
We’ll be meeting at the spot pinned on the map. A HHC owned property that’s used for parking and camping along the KHT. We’ll again meet at 9 am, leaving at 9:15 and drive the 25 minutes north to the starting location. This will be a 16 mile hike, with a few miles of road walking. Be prepared for direct sun and heat, bring lots of water and protection from the sun.
Saturday, August 6, – 7:00 AM to 3 PM – Section Hike #8
Hemlock Bluff Nature Preserve
We’ll be continuing down the KHT, hiking from the HHC property south to Sparksville Park, with the option of hiking the mile loop at the nature preserve. This will be a 13 mile mostly road walking section.
This will be a rough one in the August heat. It might be moved to a September hike as well, if it’s going to be over 85 degrees it will be postponed. This is a road section as well, so bright colors are recommended. Bring many liters of water, and be prepared for gravel and pavement hiking. There is water at Sparksville park as well as a privy.
Friday, Oct. 21, 7:30 AM Thru Sunday – Section Hike #10
3rd annual KT Fall Foliage Backpacking Trip
Section hike #10 will be a 3 day backpacking trip along the 45 mile Knobstone Trail. We’ll meet at the trailhead inside of Deam Lake and drive north, caching as a group in 2 places before we start at Spurgeon Hollow.
Day one is the easiest, as we hike just over 13 miles to Elk Creek Lake. Day 2 is the long one, hiking 19 miles and camping at Bowen Run. This leaves 14 miles on the final day, getting about a mile warmup before conquering Mt OneSixty… then off to Round Knob and finally Deam Lake.
Saturday, Nov. 5, – 8 AM to 5 PM – Section Hike #11
Hemlock Bluff Nature Preserve
This will be the final section, hiking from Sparksville Park to Spurgeon Hollow. We’ll meet at Spurgeon Hollow (7695 N Delaney Park Rd., Scottsburg), shuttling north to Sparksville Park where we’ll begin the hike. This will be another section that is primarily road walking, starting with mostly gravel roads that are closed or not highly used. Once we get off of the short trail section onto Haleysburg Road, we’ll be on pavement for about 9 miles to the finish.
This will be around a 20 mile hike, with most of it consisting of road walking. There is a nearly 2 mile road walk along 135 in this section, and this will be one of the more dangerous sections to walk. Be prepared to get off the road and hustle in this as I’ll be going as fast as possible to complete this 2 mile stretch. Bright clothes are recommended.
Click Here for more info and to signup on Meetup for any of these hikes.
Pictures From The Hikes
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All KHT sections on state land are now open for hiking and overnight backpack camping!
For The Latest Info On The DNR’s Covoid 19 Response Go To: DNR Covoid 19 Response
For The Latest Info On The HNF’s Covoid 19 Response Go To: HNF Covoid 19 Response
Volunteer To Build The KHT
Trail builders find it one of the most rewarding things they’ve ever done. Make your mark on this forever trail! Details about the next work date (no experience needed; work for all ages and abilities available):
Activities Update
Sponsors
