Hematite Lake - FS 176

Trail Overview

The Hematite Lake FS 176 is a gravel forestry road and picnic area through the center-east Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The FS 176 is a diverse spot to be at LBL, resting in between Hematite and Honker Lakes. The area is rich in history and activity, including a picnic area, a decent-sized parking lot, bathrooms, pavilions, historic sites, and lastly a hiking trail, only restricting camping in the area. If looking for a great place to start, end, or break during your offroad outing, look no further; it is a perfect place to stage, stretch, and enjoy the scenery. This area includes the old settlement of Hematite and the Center/Hematite Furnace that gave purpose to that settlement, employing the people who once lived here. Resting right on the Lyon and Trigg County lines, the old Pig Iron Center Furnace is one of two still standing in all of LBL. The others were either destroyed out of sheer use with the heat they produced or when the rivers were dammed, the water levels of the lake slowly claimed the ones based on the rivers. In this case, Hematite was built inland enough that the water never touched it, but it shows obvious signs of wear when compared to the Great Western Furnace. The Furnace can be found at 36.89980, -88.03865 and has a small gravel parking area in front of it with an informational kiosk. The Hematite Lake Road to the picnic, parking, and hiking trail area begins nearby at 36.89935, -88.03823 and ends at 36.89824, -88.04199, next to the Hematite Lake Dam, where the parking lot, trash cans, bathrooms, and hiking trail entrance can be found. A good alternate pavilion and bathroom area can be found at 36.90125, -88.03892. This is another must-see and must-explore area for the history buff offroaders out there.

Photos of Hematite Lake - FS 176

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Difficulty

Hematite Lake is a simple gravel road. Generally well maintained, it is given a base rating of 1/10, consisting of a flat gravel road. Expect washboards, potholes, mounding of the gravel, and spots where the gravel fades to dirt in between gradings. Only in extreme scenarios would this road ever experience a difficulty increase. The nearby Long Creek is the only factor this road has against it.

History

"The largest of all the iron furnaces in Land Between the Lakes - or Land Between the Rivers, as it was then called - Center Furnace, owned by Daniel Hillman, was built in 1852. It stood 35 feet high and was 10 feet wide, and for that reason was called the "Granddaddy of them all." It was also the longest-running furnace in the area - running until 1912 - and was one of only a few that operated during the Civil War. Dr. Thomas Watson was a business partner to Hillman for this furnace, and was an early investor; his grave can be found on this site. The ruins of this iron furnace have degraded, but there is a nearby trail that can point you to historical artifacts that played a role in iron ore production at Center Furnace, including blue hematite rocks." Sourced from Clark, Franklin. "Center Furnace, Land Between The Lakes." Clio: Your Guide to History. June 2, 2020. https://theclio.com/entry/105594

Technical Rating