Tourism Trends and Scenic Byways

There's a new report out about tourism in eastern Kentucky, and I'll work my up to sharing some information in that report that I found interesting.  But, first in this story, I'm going to take the "long way round."  

Lee County, Virginia is located at the borders of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.  Bell County, Kentucky and Harlan County, Kentucky are adjacent to Lee County, Virginia.  In other words, Bell and Harlan Counties in Kentucky are among Lee County, Virginia’s “next-door neighbors.”  Bell and Harlan Counties are in southeast Kentucky, which is part of eastern Kentucky.  Lee County is in southwest Virginia, which is not part of southern West Virginia.  It confuses “folks not from around here” at times.  Anyway, it’s all in the central Appalachian Mountains, and the land here is beautiful and rugged.  The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains on planet Earth.  The Mountain Institute, at http://www.mountain.org/who-we-are, explains, “Founded in 1972 on the slopes of Spruce Knob, West Virginia’s highest mountain, The Mountain Institute is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington D.C., with offices in West Virginia, Nepal, and Peru. Our regional locations are no accident, as they are in the world’s oldest, highest and longest mountain ranges — the Appalachians, Himalayas, and Andes.” 

I live deep in the heart of the oldest mountains on Earth.  Furthermore, I live in one of the “Last Great Places” on Earth, according to the planet’s leading conservation organization. The Nature Conservancy’s website explains who they are at http://www.nature.org/about-us/index.htm, reporting, “The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.  We address the most pressing conservation threats at the largest scale.  Thanks to the support of our more than 1 million members, we’ve built a tremendous record of success since our founding in 1951.  We've protected more than 119 million acres of land and thousands of miles of rivers worldwide — and we operate more than 100 marine conservation projects globally.  We work in all 50 states and more than 35 countries — protecting habitats from grasslands to coral reefs, from Australia to Alaska to Zambia.”  

The Nature Conservancy’s website also explains why they have distinguished where I live in southwest Virginia as one of the “Last Great Places” on Earth in a handy and beautiful 2-page brochure available at http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/virginia/va-clinchbro-new.pdf.  We have biodiversity here in the heart of the oldest mountains on Earth.  We have “an unparalleled array of life,” as they explained in the brochure. 

When you’re planning a trip to Lee County, Virginia, you can tell folks that you are heading deep into the heart of the oldest mountains on Earth to One of the Last Great Places on Earth, for a relaxing retreat with friends or family amidst stunning scenery and friendly, small town folks and local happenings at the borders of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.  well, you'll want to shorten that into a few sentences, but maybe you get my drift.  “Happy memories begin with authentic Appalachian adventures in Lee County, Virginia.”  How many happy memories did I help to create with family and friends during “30 Stops in 30 Days - October 2013 in Lee County, Virginia?”  Can you measure quality of life through laughter?  For example, Pat and I laughed and laughed because we felt like we were off on some “exotic vacation” while fishing on Martins Creek in our own backyards. 

Let’s see, so I was trying to explain that Lee County, Virginia is located next door to Bell and Harlan Counties in eastern Kentucky, because an interesting tourism report was published last month about eastern Kentucky.  An October 8, 2013 report titled, “Potential for Tourism Development in Eastern Kentucky,” was prepared for the Kentucky Chamber Foundation by “AECOM.”  The 113-page document is available at http://kychamber.com/sites/default/files/EasternKyTourism2013.pdf. 

The 133-page document includes a review of national tourism trends and Kentucky tourism trends.  In some instances, the document also provides information on travel trends in “Daniel Boone Country,” a tourism region in eastern Kentucky which includes Bell and Harlan Counties.  The document not only presents travel trends, but also emphasizes WHY people travel. 

What motivates people to travel?  Most travelers (69%) came to “Daniel Boone Country” (the Kentucky tourism region that includes Bell and Harlan Counties) for vacations or short pleasure trips.  One-fourth of them (25%) were visiting friends or family.  What did they do while they were visiting in “Daniel Boone Country?”  Over half of the visitors (59%) went sightseeing/driving for pleasure.  Nearly half of them (45%) went driving on designated scenic byways. 

The report explained, “Similar to travelers everywhere, visitors to Eastern Kentucky engaged in multiple activities while in the region.”  The report further explained, “In a region with spectacular state and national parks, it is no surprise to learn that visitors to the region were almost twice as likely as all Kentucky visitors to visit such a facility (54% compared to a state average of 28%).  Hiking, wildlife viewing, fishing and bird watching were similarly high compared to all state visitors.”

What do they hope to gain?  Why do they go to all of the trouble to create the time and money required, make plans and arrangements, get packed up with a picnic or whatever they’ll want to bring with them for the day or overnight stay, lock the door on the way out, get in the car, and go on a trip?  WHY do people travel?  The report explained, “Though what visitors did while they were traveling or what motivated them differed, what they had in common was the desire to relieve stress (85%) and maintain or improve relationships (69%).”

There is lots of information in the 133-page document, and one of the things that caught my eye were the references to “designated scenic byways.” I already knew that we have at least one of those “designated scenic byways” in Lee County.  I had read about it on the website for the Virginia Coal Heritage Trail at http://www.virginiacoaltrail.com/, which includes State Route 606 from Keokee to Stone Creek and then goes to St. Charles and then comes back out on U.S. Highway 421 and goes to the Kentucky border.  The Virginia Coal Heritage Trail is an official Virginia Scenic Byway.  Then I got to wondering if Lee County includes more designated Virginia Scenic Byway routes.  So, of course, I looked it up on the Internet, and sure enough, I found an official map at http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/prog-byways-map-printable.asp. 

Turns out, except for U.S. Highway 421 between Dot and Pennington Gap, all of the main routes in Lee County have at some point achieved official Virginia Byway designation.  Except for about five miles on the western end, all of U.S. Highway 58 in Lee County is a Virginia Byway.  For those five miles, from Rose Hill and to the other side of Ewing, the Virginia Byway veers off U.S. Highway 58 onto parallel U.S. Highway 58 Business (the old 58).  In addition, State Route 70, from Jonesville to Blackwater is a Virginia Scenic Byway.  

The map also concurs with my description of the Virginia Coal Heritage Trail, showing State Route 606 from Keokee to Stone Creek, State Route 352 to St. Charles, and U.S. Highway 421 from Pennington Gap to the Kentucky line, all as Virginia Byways.  In addition, Alternate U.S. Highway 58 from Jonesville to Pennington Gap to Dryden and on to the Wise County line near Big Stone Gap is a Virginia Scenic Byway.  Even that short stretch of U.S. Highway 23 that barely passes through the far eastern corner of Lee County is part of a Virginia Scenic Byway.  Designated scenic byways? Yes, we have those in Lee County!  We have LOTS of them. 

Additional information is available at http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/faq-byways.asp, where they explain, “Adventure beckons on the roads and highways designated as Virginia Byways. More than mere pavement between points A and B, a Virginia Byway offers travelers a side of the Commonwealth that is uncommon and enlightening. Each byway leads to scenes of natural beauty and places of historical and social significance.”  The same website reports, “What’s the purpose of the Virginia Byway program?  The program identifies road corridors containing aesthetic or cultural value near areas of historical, natural or recreational significance. By designating certain roads as Virginia Byways, widely distributing "A Map of Scenic Roads in Virginia," and promoting the Virginia Scenic Roads Website, the program encourages travel to interesting destinations and away from high-traffic corridors.  Byways also stimulate local economies by attracting visitors to lesser-known destinations.” In addition, the same website further explains, “What makes a Virginia Byway different from other roads?  People like to explore. The 2000 Virginia Outdoors Survey, conducted by Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), finds that driving for pleasure is the second most popular outdoor activity, with more than 62% of the population participating.  By following the highlighted byways on the state transportation map, the scenic roads map and the scenic roads Web site, visitors are directed to places where they can tour wineries, explore Civil War battle sites and historical attractions, view beautiful scenery and enjoy recreational resources.  Once designated, a byway becomes part of the coordinated promotional strategy for Virginia tourism.”

Now, if you really want to get into the nitty-gritty of what these Virginia Byways are all about, the same website also explains, “What are other important considerations regarding Virginia Byway status?  Virginia Byway designation gives localities the opportunity to participate in the National Scenic Byway Program.  It might limit placement of outdoor advertising signs.  It does not affect land use controls.  It does not limit road improvements.”  In addition to the references to “considerations,” the same website explains the program’s criteria, stating, ““What are the criteria?  To be considered, a segment of road must substantially meet the following criteria:  The route provides important scenic values and experiences.  There is a diversity of experiences, as in transition from one landscape scene to another.  The route links together or provides access to scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, natural and archeological elements.  The route bypasses major roads or provides opportunities to leave high-speed routes for variety and leisure in motoring. Landscape control or management along the route is feasible.  The route allows for additional features that will enhance the motorist’s experience and improve safety.  Local government(s) has/have initiated zoning or other land-use controls, so as to reasonably protect the aesthetic and cultural value of the highway.”

Do those two statements above sound somewhat contradictory?  Statement # 1:  “It does not affect land use controls.”  Statement # 2: “Local government(s) has/have initiated zoning or other land-use controls, so as to reasonably protect the aesthetic and cultural value of the highway.”  How do you “reasonably protect the aesthetic and cultural value of the highway?”  I’m not sure.  What happens if a designated byway is not “reasonably protected?”  I don’t know.  A document at this website, http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational_planning/documents/vopchapt07e.pdf, part of the 2007 Virginia Outdoors Plan reported, “Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) district offices are responsible for conducting annual evaluations of all designated Virginia Byways.”  Can you “flunk” an “annual evaluation,” and if you do, does anything happen? I don’t know.  But, yes, for the most part, the roads with “designated scenic byway” status in Lee County, Virginia are beautiful drives through historically-significant routes and places in one of the “Last Great Places” on Earth.  And in addition, I also learned at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational_planning/sr-ivb.shtml, that “driving for pleasure” has been a popular activity for decades.  The website explains, “Driving for pleasure has been ranked as one of the top five outdoor recreation activities for the past 40 years. The appeal of scenic roads is the intrinsic quality of Virginia's diverse landscapes and the ease of connecting with nature from the automobile. Traveling scenic byways provides an opportunity to have a relaxing, comfortable outdoor experience that nourishes the need for a connection with nature.” 

Yes, we have designated scenic byways in Lee County.  For example, traveling west to east on U.S. Highway 58, Virginia begins in Lee County on a Virginia Scenic Byway in the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.  This Virginia Scenic Byway includes an 8-mile drive, and a parallel 8-mile hiking/biking/equestrian trail, connecting the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park to the Wilderness Road State Park and then continues east to the stunning White Rocks scenery.  Welcome to Virginia!