Benberry Cemetery Road - FS 301

Trail Overview

Benberry Cemetery Road FS 301 is a gravel Forest Service road through the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The Benberry Cemetery Road (also known as Mount Pleasant Cemetery) features a generally easy ride over the ridge top and valley low of the northern horn of LBL. The trail features widespread lake views from its highest point at 36.98194, -88.19711, and mild grades and rutting in its track over a generally maintained gravel base. A unique feature of this trail is the layout: a loop that feeds back into itself at a round total of 1.1 miles. In the valley bottoms at 36.98033, -88.19739, there is a small offshoot leading to a gem of a campsite called "Yacht Club Camp." Due to the popularity of this cove with locals, the offshoot is a fun little addition, adding deeper ruts to the total equation of the trail. The main purpose of the trail is to access the Mount Pleasant Cemetery at 36.97702, -88.20121. It features the resting spot of Andrew Jackson Smith, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and once-slave who joined the Union Army 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. It's a fun and useful little trail to know about if you're rolling into the north side of LBL, needing a quick campsite, or seeking an easy-going thrill with touches of scenery and history.

Photos of Benberry Cemetery Road - FS 301

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Difficulty

Benberry Cemetery is a generally simple track, especially if it is dry. Most of this road is a 1/10, but the given rating is a low-demanding 2/10 for the mild (6 to 12-inch deep) erosion ruts along the mild-grade hills. The coarse gravel can fade to dirt in sections and potentially turn to surface mud in wet conditions. The difficulty can increase in wet conditions, inclement weather, and heavy use. The road could also be mended and yield a lower rating.

History

Mount Pleasant Cemetery features a prominent historical figure, Andrew Jackson Smith, a Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Corporal in the Union Army in the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on November 30, 1864, at Honey Hills, South Carolina. The medal was issued over 136 years later on January 16, 2000, by President William Clinton. His citation reads in part, "Forced into a narrow gorge crossing a swamp in the face of the enemy position, the 55th's Color-Sergeant was killed by an exploding shell, and Corporal Smith took the Regimental Colors from his hand and carried them through heavy grape and canister fire. Although half of the officers and a third of the enlisted men engaged in the fight were killed or wounded, Corporal Smith continued to expose himself to enemy fire by carrying the colors throughout the battle. Later he was promoted to color sergeant." Information sourced from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8762808/andrew-jackson-smith.

Technical Rating