White Rocks and Sand Cave Hike at Cumberland Gap Park
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- This is perhaps the best hike at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. It is a challenging climb up Cumberland Mountain, but once you reach the cliffs you forget all about the elevation gain.
The hike begins at the Thomas Walker Civic Park (sometimes called Ewing Park) near Ewing, Virginia, in the eastern end of the National Park. I hiked the Ewing Trail up the south slope of the mountain until connecting with the White Rocks Foot Trail to make the final assent up to the ridge line. Once on the ridge, it was a short hike on over to the stunning views from the top of the cliffs.
After enjoying the cliffs, I continued down the north side of the mountain towards Sand Cave. The Sand Cave is a massive sandstone rock that has been weathered out, creating a massive overhang filled with very fine sand. The waterfall next to the cave only adds to the magic of this place.
It is roughly 11 miles round trip and well over 2000 feet of elevation gain to make the hike as I did it here in the video. Thanks for watching!
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The sand cave and the sound of water makes me feel comfortable 😊
It's a good hike up to sand cave. Went there first at around 12, then went back again at 25. Beautiful area, and an amazing sight when you finally set eyes on the cave. Hope to get back there one more time.
Thanks for sharing.. Watching and Supporting.. Full View and Like 53..
As always thank you so much!!!
Great video. Been there many times as a kid and teenager. Great place to camp and hike.
It is a fantastic place no doubt about it. I hope to make another visit in the future. Thanks so much for checking out my video!
Outstanding hike. The views were fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Man this was one of the best hikes I've done in a really long time. The views were great from White Rocks and Sand Cave was simply unlike anything I've seen. You gotta go up there some time, you won't be disappointed. Thanks for watching, my friend!
Sand cave looked amazing. The visuals you captured from this trip astound me. Well done Sir!
It really is an awesome place, my friend. Just know that the video didn't even come close to capturing the scale and depth, never does it justice. I really appreciate your kind feedback. Glad you have enjoyed my vids from that trip.
That was a real nice into Sand Cave and the waterfall next to it was worth the hike in just on it's own The sand did look very powdery indeed and I can understand how you felt it so hard to say goodbye too, looked fantastic, cheers Alan
Indeed its one of those truly magical places. Of course the video never does them justice but you are right it would have been worth the hike all on its own. In fact I almost skipped the cliff overlooks because of the hazy weather. Ultimately glad I went to the cliffs too but Sand Cave was outstanding on its own. Thanks so much for watching!
steep hike! /ok i hear you say late april, i thought it looked very early spring on the trees ... wow now this cave is an Estate!! even has running water hahah / excellent video thanks for taking us along
Yes this was day 5 of a week long trip. I put together 11 videos from that week plus another 3 or 4 potentials that I just shelved because I don't think there is enough interest and now its June I gotta to make some new vids LOL! Man, this hike was one of the best ones I have done in a long time. Challenging climb up the mountain but spectacular views from those cliffs then down the other side of the slope to the overhang. The cave is a really unique spot, one of the coolest things I have ever seen. The video doesn't do it justice at all. Glad you enjoyed it though, thanks so much for checking it out!
@@SmellNRoses glad this one made the cut, very cool stuff
The sand cave was beautiful. It looks like no one else was around. Cheers Rashid.
Thanks for watching, Nathan. As always I really appreciate it. Yes Sand Cave was an amazing place. Its a fairly popular spot despite the challenge in getting up there but I planned my visit for a weekday to have some solitude.
Awesome cave! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for checking it out!
Awesome cave... and the hike to it was worth it I am sure. Seems we always need to climb to get to the good stuff... 👍😎
It was an awesome place and worth every step up that mountain. Indeed we do seem to have to climb a lot to see places like this, but once you get there you easily forget all about the difficulty. Thanks for watching, my friend!
Definitely worth the hard hike. Going to put it on my to do list. Thanks for sharing.
Indeed this one was worth every step. It's an amazing place and one of the best hikes I've done in a long time. Not just this trail, but the entire park is really extraordinary. If you make a trip out there, you won't be disappointed. Thanks so much for watching!
Very awesome video my friend ! Love Nature and the outdoors. Big like # 48 👍
New friend here, subscriber # 3,062 💜🌷
Thank you so much for watching and liking my video. I'm glad you enjoyed it. This was an awesome hike and the video did not do it justice. Thanks also for subscribing, it really means a lot and I appreciate it. I'm already subscribed to your channel. Your videos are normally so very interesting.
That cave looks like an amazing spot for an all-weekend party
Oh yeah it would be a blast. The place has good acoustics and everything LOL! Thanks for watching, my friend. If you ever get out that way keep it in mind, this hike doesn't disappoint.
I used to hike that mountain to the sand cave throughout my childhood. It wasn’t grueling as a kid 😂 oh I miss that place with all my heart!
Excellent video hike. I so enjoyed this. The views were awesome. The waterfall and the cave are just amazing. How odd to find all that sand up on a mountain like that. Thanks for this!
Thank you so much for watching! Indeed this was an awesome hike, one of the best I've done in a long time. The views were great but the highlight of course was that cave. It's a big sandstone rock so I guess all that sand has just weathered away from the rock over time, but yes it did feel a bit strange. I'm used to seeing "sandy" conditions around rock formations like this or along river bottoms, for example, but I was blown away at how fine and powdery this sand was, and the shear volume of it too. Amazing place. Thanks again for watching, I really appreciate it!
Great footage of the sand cave! Reminds me of some of the formations in Red River Gorge.
This area shares a lot of geology in common with the RRG. The Cumberland Plateau, sandstone and coal. The "Badlands" of Appalachia. Thanks for watching, my friend!
What an amazing looking place my friend. Thanks for sharing that. Great views from the cliffs and the bonus waterfall and cave....awesome my friend!
Those cliffs were impressive with some awesome views. I should have explored them a little further, but the hazy skies didn't motivate me. My primary objective was the cave. Indeed it was amazing. The video didn't do it justice as you can imagine. The waterfall was definitely a bonus. One of the best hikes I've done in a very long time. Thanks for watching, my friend!
Thank you for sharing this spectacular hike for most of us will never make the trek in person for various reasons. My reason is physical. I reckon that sand cave would be a really cool respite in hot weather or even in mild weather considering the strenuous trail. There are certainly some artifacts that could be found that were left by dwellers and campers in the past eons but I assume it has been thoroughly explored over the decades. Those white cliffs are spectacular also keep exploring for us!
Thanks so much for watching and for your great comment, my friend. Indeed this was a really awesome hike, one of the best I've done in a while. But it is on the challenging side and not for everyone. I have no doubt that the cave does, or at least once did, contain some outstanding human artifacts. No doubt many, if not all, have been discovered and removed. The mountain often keeps some of her secrets though and despite centuries of looking, there may well be some undiscovered treasures up there somewhere. The White Rocks cliffs did offer some fantastic views. I read on the kiosk that these cliffs, which are easily visible from the valley below, were an important landmark for the settlers traveling the Wilderness Road. Once they could see White Rocks, then they knew they were only a day's walk from Cumberland Gap.
Very fascinating cave. Nice video. I have subscribed
Thanks so much for checking out my video and for your kind remarks. Indeed it is an awesome place, the video didn't do it justice. Thanks also for subscribing, I really appreciate it and I hope you'll enjoy some of my other videos when you have a chance.
I been there years ago awesome place' It's a hard hike going back soon great video 👍✌
It was challenging but definitely an awesome place and worth the effort. Thanks so much for checking out my video, I really appreciate it!
Added this one to my list. Great video my friend stay safe.
Man this is one of the best hikes I have done in a pretty long time. I can't recommend it enough. You won't be disappointed if you make a trip out to Cumberland Gap. The whole park is amazing. Thanks for watching, my friend!
Beautiful spot brother👍 Looks like you had it to yourself. Gonna have to add this one to the list!!!
This was an awesome place, my friend. Tough getting up there but hands down one of the best hikes I've done in a pretty long time. I can't recommend this park enough, not just this trail but the whole park. I spent three full days there and barely scratched the surface. It's loaded with natural scenery but if you also enjoy history, this area is overwhelming. I hope you check it out some day.
We’ll have to check it out for sure. Thanks!!!
That was awesome.
One of the best hikes I've done in a long time, my friend. The video just didn't capture how big that cave was. One of the coolest things I've ever seen. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Curious, which did you like better the Cave or the overlook? I personally liked the cave better.
Thanks so much for watching, my friend! Indeed both spots are very awesome, but I have to say that the cave is the most interesting. White Rocks is a great overlook, but let's face it, there are no shortage of equally good overlooks all over the place. Sand Cave, on the other hand, is a very unique place. I saw some massive overhangs similar to this on my trips out to Big South Fork in Tennessee, some equally as large as Sand Cave, but none had THAT MUCH sand in them. It is a special place.
Amazing!
It really is an amazing place. The video did not do it justice. Thanks so much for watching!
Such a spectacular place! Can you camp in the cave?
Thanks so much for watching! Indeed it was an amazing place and one of the best hikes I've done in a while. You should make a trip out there sometime, you won't be disappointed. You cannot actually camp in or around the cave. Since its a national park you have to stay in designated camp sites unfortunately. There is camping located less than a mile from the cave though. I had actually intended to spend a night up there myself and then continue the next day to another part of the mountain but some changes in my schedule forced me to just make this as a day hike and I had to leave the other planned section for a future visit.
Wow beautiful I would love to make that hike and bet there's plenty of nice rocks an minerals I could collect lol I'm a rockhound love nature and all its wonders! I'm in pulaski co an need different places to hike an hunt for specimens if you know of any places close to our area's that would be awesome to get some info on 😊 thanks for sharing your beautiful video's 💜
Thanks for checking out my video, I really appreciate it! Sand Cave is spectacular for sure and I highly recommend it. If you ever get down there, you won't be disappointed. I'm very familiar with the New River Valley, having spent a lot of time in that area. If you can send me a direct message through one of my other social media sites (links in this video's description box) I can probably suggest some spots near you that you may want to look into. There is also a "New River Valley" playlist on my channel where I have all my videos from that area concentrated in one list. Thanks for taking a look.
@@SmellNRoses awesome thanks I sure will I'm on Facebook an can look you there raven is a Nick name when I message you it will be Christy Gravely
This film brings back great memories of my youth. Thanks for sharing. My boy scout troop hiked to Sand Cave back in the early 70's and I haven't seen footage of it since. Must go back!
Are you familiar with a trail in the vicinity that sounds something like "Misha-mauka" trail??
Thanks so much for watching. Glad you enjoyed the video and it brought back some old memories from your trip. I’m not familiar with the other trail you mentioned.
Nice video
Thanks for checking it out. I appreciate it!
Didn't make it far though someone got hurt and side by sides were going up the hill. I hope they were okay
Thanks for watching my vid. Wow I hope the injured person was ok. Too bad you didn’t make it all the way. Definitely should try to go back another day and check it out.
@@SmellNRoses sure will
TY
Thank you!
Is it handicap accessible
Hi there. Sorry but no this trail is challenging and not accessible.
Have you heard the story of Floyd Collins?
Yes. The Sand Cave in this video is completely unrelated and not connected with Floyd Collins. The cave he died in is located farther west in another part of Kentucky.
@@SmellNRoses Oh