BY GRAHAM AVERILL FOR REI
Breaks Interstate Park isn’t like other parks. Encompassing a wild parcel that runs along eastern Kentucky and western Virginia, it’s among a handful of interstate parks in the United States. And the terrain is unique: The Russell Fork Gorge, a 1,600-foot chasm carved by the Russell Fork River, sits within Breaks’ 4,600 rugged acres, making it a prime destination for whitewater rafting, climbing and hiking. Some, inspired by the drama of the sandstone fissure, have even nicknamed it the “Grand Canyon of the East.”
Now land managers are hoping a proposed feature will give visitors another reason to stand up and take notice. In December 2019, leaders announced plans to begin construction on the country’s longest swinging pedestrian bridge within park bounds (Gatlinburg, Tennessee, holds the current title with its 680-foot-long Skylift)…
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