The Highest Point in Kentucky
N 36° 54.856 W 082° 53.641
17S E 331280 N 4087037
Black Mountain, at an elevation of 4,145 ft, is the highest natural point in the U.S. state of Kentucky.
Waymark Code: WMRM8C
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 07/07/2016
Views: 7
Black Mountain is the highest mountain peak in the state of Kentucky, with a summit elevation of 4,145 feet. The summit is located in Harlan County, Kentucky near the Virginia border, just above the towns of Lynch, Kentucky and Appalachia, Virginia. It is about 500 feet taller than any other mountain in Kentucky.
Route 160, east of Lynch, Kentucky and west of Appalachia, Virginia, crosses the mountain ridge near the summit. The summit is reached by a narrow road that turns off (to the right coming from Lynch, KY or to the left, if coming from Appalachia, VA) at the Kentucky-Virginia line (the gap that is the highest part of Route 160) and leads past an FAA radar dome. There is a one lane dirt road to the left not far past the radar dome that leads to the summit.
You can also park your vehicle at the large parking area on route 160 and hike the road to the summit. If you do this your hike will be approximately 3.5 miles round trip, and an ascent of approximately 500'.
The summit is marked with an abandoned metal fire lookout tower (the cab and wooden steps are missing from the tower). There are also multiple radio towers along with transmitter buildings around the summit and a National Geodetic Survey benchmark is located on a large rock over the hill to the left of the fire tower. This benchmark, indicating a height of 4,139', is 6 feet below the highest point; a second benchmark is directly under the old lookout tower, marking the latest survey of the highest natural point of 4,145'.
The mountain is located on private property. To visit the high point you need to sign and mail a waiver (http://highpointers.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ky-release.pdf)
State/Province/County/Territory etc.: Kentucky
Elevation: 4,145
Elevation Measurement: Feet
Access: Road
Fee: No
Related URL (If available): [Web Link]
If Yes How Much?: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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