Nickell Branch - FS 102

Trail Overview

Nickell Branch FS 102 is a gravel forestry road through the northwest corner of the Kentucky section, Lake Barkley side, of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The road is graceful and a perfect place to visit if coming into LBL from the northern entrance and seeking a quick and reliable location to set up camp. Source the needed permits to do so, online or at the North Visitor Center, which is 1.1 miles south of the Woodland Trace road. The road also features some of the notorious historical artifacts left in the forest at LBL. The Dodge Bus exists to the south of this road at 36.98194, -88.20767; please respect this artifact and leave it as found. The main attraction of the Nickel Branch is the designated campsite and boat ramp at the end of this route, providing well-structured camping spots and basic accommodations in a vault toilet, open activity grass field, and a dumpster for trash. It is a great spot to experience both beautiful sunsets and even more beautiful sunrises due to its placement on the western shore of Lake Barkley. Also, it's a great place to launch a boat due to the proximity to the canal that connects the two lakes.

Photos of Nickell Branch - FS 102

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Difficulty

Nickell Branch is a simple gravel road. Generally well maintained, it is given a base rating of 1/10, consisting of mild grades up and down the rolling hills of the area. Expect washboards, potholes, mounding of the gravel, spots where the gravel fades to dirt, and mild signs of erosion on the hills. The road could experience difficulty increases in times of heavy use, wet conditions, and inclement weather.

History

Before the 1967 Tennesse Valley Authority takeover of the land that would become LBL, and its later transfer to the U.S. Forestry Service in 1998, the Nickell Family resided in this area between the two rivers and called this land their farm and home. At age 10, David Nickell was forced from this farm as it was taken over by the TVA, which fueled a mission he created and now runs. That is Between the Rivers Inc., a group that works to maintain over 250 cemeteries in LBL, advocating for historical preservation and mapping to said cemeteries. In David's own words reflecting on the past, "It no longer belongs to us, but we still belong to it. Our identity is tied to it in ways that we do not understand. I ask you how many generations must a people live in one place before they become the native offspring of that place? It is not property to us. We belong to it more than it ever belonged to us." Info sourced from https://hoptownchronicle.org/former-resident-david-nickell-backs-lbl-legislation/

Technical Rating