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Kanaha Trail Present day RT.60

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Ken S.

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In Virginia, TODAY: Rt. 60 (aka Buffalo Trace/Trail Road), going WEST from Amherst, Va. along BUFFALO RIVER to Lexington, Va. At Fork of the Buffalo in Amherst County, Va. are "RUMORS" of treasures buried in the George Washington NATIONAL Forest... AND! Buffalo Springs "Resort" near-by was a "Resting Place" for "travelers" from the EAST (Richmond, Va., Tide-water, Va.). INTERESTING!
 

Most all of the old main Rt. had buffalo trails close by, either primary or secondary .
 

Kinda like US23 follows the Big Sandy. That was a like an Indian highway back in the day. From Pound Gap, there were many trails. Mainly following the water to Elkhorn City and following the river all the way to the Ohio. Another was to follow Shelby Creek to the river at Shelbania. From there they could also easily be on the headwaters of the Kentucky River.
 

swiftfan said:
Kinda like US23 follows the Big Sandy. That was a like an Indian highway back in the day. From Pound Gap, there were many trails. Mainly following the water to Elkhorn City and following the river all the way to the Ohio. Another was to follow Shelby Creek to the river at Shelbania. From there they could also easily be on the headwaters of the Kentucky River.
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WOW !!! I just had an eye opener !! The head waters of the Big Sandy was the First Ky. River that most settlers coming to Ky Seen/ heard of. If you're in Va. then Ky lies just beyond that Mtn. range And if you're on top of the Mtn . looking into the Valley , There's KY!!!
 

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From the Journals I've read, most of the earlier trips to Ky was by way of Ft. Pitt. Or at least the first exploration trip. Correct me if I'm wrong about that. Given the days traveled by horseback this could change things .
 

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Yes 23 was like the super highway north and south for the Indians . It runs all the way to the Carolinas. Doesn't one Fork of the Sandy run into Elkhorn City ??? I'm thinking that the Russel Fk. does. Traveling by canoe that would be a trip down the Big Sandy to the Ohio.
 

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Ken S. said:
Yes 23 was like the super highway north and south for the Indians . It runs all the way to the Carolinas. Doesn't one Fork of the Sandy run into Elkhorn City ??? I'm thinking that the Russel Fk. does. Traveling by canoe that would be a trip down the Big Sandy to the Ohio.
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Yeah there was a Big Sandy voyage in the 1750’s. It failed due to weather and lack of provisions. I think it was looking for an alternative to the Great Wagon road through the colonies.
 

Also, if you look at google earth at Pound Gap, as you come down the Kentucky side, the road goes east towards Payne Gap. This is the point where the Kentucky river and the Big Sandy head. The Kentucky river goes left, and the Big Sandy goes right. The Indians knew that. This is one reason they used that Gap, rather that some of the others.
 

Not real familiar with that area, been through it a few times but not enough I guess. yeah I see what you're saying about Pound. I was looking at Google Earth and just realized where the Yadkin is in N.C.. It is farther east and north than I was thinking. I was thinking more of Ashville. When in reality it isn't at all where I thought.
 

 

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Ken S. said:
another interesting link on trails through W.Va.

https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/837
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These rivers are mentioned in Swift Journals, the problem is the traces all run along the rivers...no mention of a trace heading West as described in some journals. I guess the only way to approximate their route would be to look for fords along these rivers and gaps they would have used. Drawing a basic straight line from Alexandria to Louisa and another from Alexandria to Pound and see which one is more likely...
 

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From Alexandria, Va. and going WEST, you would link with the GREAT WAGON ROAD (aka Indian Warriors Path) which is Rt. 11 in the Shenandoah Valley, TODAY. To get to Pound, Va. of the South West Virginia into Kentucky, "Wilderness Road" was used to get into Kentucky. MORE on these "old" Roads can be found by "googling" BUFFALO TRACE, listed by states.
 

Rebel - KGC said:
From Alexandria, Va. and going WEST, you would link with the GREAT WAGON ROAD (aka Indian Warriors Path) which is Rt. 11 in the Shenandoah Valley, TODAY. To get to Pound, Va. of the South West Virginia into Kentucky, "Wilderness Road" was used to get into Kentucky. MORE on these "old" Roads can be found by "googling" BUFFALO TRACE, listed by states.
Click to expand...

The Moccasin Gap and the Pound Gap and several others were used by travelers long before the Cumberland Gap or the "Wilderness Road" cut by the Bryon Family and Daniel Boone. The Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania to Old Salem, N.C. was cut by Rebecca Bryon's Family.
 

KY Hiker said:
These rivers are mentioned in Swift Journals, the problem is the traces all run along the rivers...no mention of a trace heading West as described in some journals. I guess the only way to approximate their route would be to look for fords along these rivers and gaps they would have used. Drawing a basic straight line from Alexandria to Louisa and another from Alexandria to Pound and see which one is more likely...
Click to expand...

The travel back in them days was a lot different to what it is today. they traveled along water ways just like the buffalo and wild game did because the paths was already cleared by the wild game. The wild game traveled the water way because of abundant food the river valleys offered and the water near by. Or they traveled ridges near by because it was high and much dryer through the rainy seasons. Just as I've posted before. This in turn would have an effect on the number of days traveled.
 

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The straight line from Alexandria wont be correct, because the exploration trip they first made they went by way of Ft. Pitt... And they returned by way of Ft. Pitt on other occasions.
 

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Rebel - KGC said:
HOW did they get to Ft. Pitt...?
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Follow the route General George Washington used when he built Fort Necessity. The same route General Braddock used in his defeat at Ft. Duquesne as it was called before Fort Pitt.
 

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