Berea Forest Trail

Five overlooks with striking views of rolling central Kentucky farmland. Located in the town of the same name, Berea College is a highly rated liberal arts school that gives a tuition-free education to promising youngsters from Appalachia. In fact, inability to pay is a requirement for admission; students work, instead. In addition to the pleasant campus, the college owns some 8,000 acres of forestland, much of it donated in the early 1900s to give the college timber income and forestry demonstration sites. Included in these holdings is Indian Fort Mountain, a popular hiking area full of cliffs and overlooks. It’s a tradition that on one beautiful day each autumn, the college cancels classes and the students troop out to Indian Fort Mountain for hikes and fellowship. The area is open to the public, but camping is not allowed. This hike takes you to the most impressive of the observation points.