Greetings to all you Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee folks:

My work travel is now occasionally taking me up the Ohio River as far as Cincinnatti but they may extend upstream to Pittsburgh.

I'm trying to determine what routes I can plan on using if I have to Bug Out from anywhere along the Ohio River and head for home in South Central Louisiana. I would definitely want to initially head for Nashville, Tn to get on the Natchez Trace for hiking/backpacking or bicycling my way south to Natchez, Ms.

My question concerns routes from the Ohio River to any point along the Natchez Trace that would make use of mountain passes, low population areas, two lane highways, dirt roads, electrical or pipeline Right-of-Ways, forested areas, etc.

Suggestions should have a starting point from a town or city on the Ohio River and basically be straight lines from one town to another. Deviations required from that description can be worked out from the recommended routes that anybody suggests based on what would be encountered if such a situation should arise.

Based on what y'all can tell me, I can set up supply points along the way.

Thanks for any and all input.

I found USAPhotomaps located at http://jdmcox.com/ to be very useful in planning out my get home route...in fact, I think it was on this forum where I heard of the program.

I have plenty of maps of different types to cover the areas in question.

I'm looking for local recommendations based on local knowledge as to what mountain passes are best to use, what local areas might be best to avoid, or pass through.

Just wondering why you don't use a folding boat?? I'm sure there must be room on that tow boat for that.

wildman800:

I'm with big al on this one - get in touch with your inner Twain and use the rivers. It's a straight shot, it's faster, and you'll have less, um, problems, if you know what I mean. People nowadays look at rivers as obstacles, not opportunities for rapid transit.

If it really gets that bad up there, head down the Big Muddy and land at the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge. PM me and I'll come get you. I'm about 15 minutes away.

cliff
(like, who else?)

Greetings,

Actually, if below the locks on the Ohio River, then using the small boat would be the primary means to get home, making a landing at Vidalia, La (opposite side from Natchez, Ms); or opposite of Thomas Point, above Tiger Fleet.

For quite a few reasons, floating down the river may not be the best option for the entire journey, or for any of the journey.

I can find passes through mountain ranges easily enough by looking at road maps. Local info about "other problems" of a state, county, or local nature is what I am seeking above all; in the event I would have to make an overland trip.

Some of the type of info that I am seeking may be considered to be sensitive. If that's the case, I'd appreciate a PM with that info.

Living just south of Pittsburgh I will say once you get out of town it should not be too bad. There is wood lands of decent size once you get to the county line. It is getting out of the city that's hard. From the city center there are five level routes and two useable routes over Mount Washington. I would aim for the old Walbash tunnel or the trolly tunnel at the end of the Smithfield Street bridge. There are two major routes south one is the US 19, the other would be I-79, personaly if I was travaling on foot I would follow US 19 about 13 miles, that will get you to an aera with several good lay over points, you may want to look at the area around Mayview State Hospital, If you stay on on or around US 19 until just north of Washington PA you should be able to go around Washington and pick up I-79 south into West VA. Most of the useable routes around here have roads running along them. You may find some of the old Mass transet lines and rail lines from the coal mining days a good path for bicycle or walking. I think there is one running along the Ohio River but do not think it would be the safest route. Do not try to go through the West End. We have an office there and have to watch ourselves at night around there. The North Side (Across the Allgheny River from town) is another place I would not go near in a bad situation.

If I recall, haven't been back in Ohio for many years, but aren't most of the big rivers full of locks and such anymore?

yes, they certainly do have locks on the Ohio, Upper Mississippi, Arkansas, Tenn-Tom Waterway, and Red Rivers.

Locks create some unique problems for the plan to float down the river to your home. That's why I am seeking cross country info like what was posted about the Pittsburgh area.

I heard keys work good in locks