Appalachian History Series
A mountain camp that belongs to Harlan County
Tucked against Pine Mountain near the head of Watts Creek, Camp Blanton began life in 1933 and 1934 when Grover and Oxie Blanton, with relatives, set aside about 13 wooded acres for a Boy Scout camp and a public playground for Harlan Countians. In the New Deal summer that followed, Civilian Conservation Corps crews cut a lake, set a small bridge, and raised the first rustic buildings that fixed the site’s log and stone character.
Beginnings, 1933 to 1934
Local Scouters moved quickly to formalize the gift. On August 13, 1933, the Blanton family conveyed the land to trustees for the Harlan County Boy Scouts for use as a Scout camp. Within a year boys were sleeping under the hemlocks and learning woodcraft beside the new pond. Early facilities followed the park rustic idiom of peeled logs, native sandstone, and hand-tooled joinery that CCC crews favored across the Appalachians. Surviving camp structures, along with the dammed pond and footbridge, reflect that period craftsmanship.
A half-century of Scouting
From the 1930s through the 1980s, Camp Blanton served generations of youth. Harlan’s Scouting tradition dated to 1912, when Will Ward Duffield organized one of Kentucky’s early troops, and that heritage shaped camp culture for decades. Summer programs grew to include aquatics on the small lake, archery, and back-country skills, while countywide camporees filled the mess hall and parade field. Alumni recall weeks marked by flag ceremonies at the dam, hikes up Pine Mountain, and swim checks at first light.
The community steps in
Membership dips and aging facilities eventually forced a change. In 1988 local volunteers created the Camp Blanton Trust, a nonprofit that still manages the site so it remains open to families and community groups. In recent years the Trust has raised funds for maintenance and small upgrades, a steady effort that keeps cabins rentable and the grounds usable for reunions, church retreats, and school programs.
Blanton Forest and the conservation story
Camp Blanton sits at the gateway to Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve, Kentucky’s largest old-growth forest. The state dedicated the first 1,075 acres on September 15, 1995, and staff announced in 2001 that the remaining large old-growth tract had been secured for the preserve. That same year the agency prepared the site for public access with a marked trail system. Today Blanton Forest protects about 3,509 acres of old-growth and second-growth woodland on Pine Mountain. The preserve is part of a larger conservation mosaic supported by the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, and it shelters mixed-mesophytic forest communities, hemlock groves, and rare mountaintop wetlands known as acid seeps.
Why Camp Blanton matters
Camp Blanton embodies three Appalachian through-lines. First, it preserves New Deal craftsmanship that put people to work improving parks and forests. Second, it carries a local tradition of Scouting and outdoor education that introduced mountain skills to thousands of boys and leaders. Third, it anchors public access to a singular remnant of the ancient Appalachian canopy. The result is a place where community, history, and conservation meet on the same patch of ground.
Planning a visit
Camp Blanton is open for day use and overnight rentals by arrangement through the Trust. Trailheads for Blanton Forest lie just up the road, and the preserve now maintains about 4.5 miles of footpaths. A moderate loop climbs to Knobby Rock for a sweeping view, while a more strenuous loop reaches Sand Cave and the Maze on the south face of Pine Mountain. Facilities at the camp include rustic cabins, a mess hall suitable for events, and a pond and pool that support seasonal programs. Reservations and pricing are posted by the Trust, and area tourism pages offer directions and a quick overview for first-time visitors.
Sources and further reading
Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. “Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve.” Dedication history and current acreage. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
Naturally Kentucky newsletter, Fall 2001. Announcement that Blanton Forest opened to the public on October 21, 2001. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
Naturally Kentucky newsletter, Spring 2001. Background on preparing the trail system prior to public opening. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
Kentucky Historical Society. “Scouting in Harlan County” historical marker entry, noting the county’s first troop in 1912 under Will Ward Duffield. history.ky.gov
Camp Blanton, “About,” historical overview with notes on the CCC era and founding intent. Camp Blanton
Camp Blanton, “Prices & Reservations,” current facilities and rental information. Camp Blanton
U.S. Scouting Service Project camp registry, noting the August 13, 1933 conveyance to Scout trustees. usscouts.org
WYMT, “Camp Blanton Trust seeking community support,” background on the Trust and present-day uses. https://www.wymt.com
Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, “Blanton Forest.” Conservation history and old-growth description. KNLT
Harlan County Trails, “Blanton Forest.” Trail and ecological overview for visitors.