Parking, Picnic Area and Visitor Center
● We have one wheelchair on site for public use.
● Parking: Several handicapped spaces are available along with a circle drop-off/pick-up in front of the visitor center.
● Routes: Paved from the parking area with a sidewalk to the visitor center; it is approximately 136 yards or 124 meters from the parking area to the visitor center.
● Visitor Center Entrance: Front and rear doors operate on a push-button door opener.
● Restrooms: The men's and women's restrooms are both wheelchair accessible.
● Benches: There are benches available throughout the visitor center and the outdoor area surrounding it.
● Picnic Area: Located next to the parking lot, the picnic area and has several wheelchair accessible picnic tables and charcoal grills.
Historic Area and Jack O’ Lantern Branch Trail (nature trail)
▬ Historic or Plantation Trail:
Paved trail from the visitor center to the historic area; from the back of the visitor center, the trail has a slight slope that levels out towards the slave/kitchen cabin; there is a 14% gradient on the section by the main barn and pig pens; it is approximately a quarter mile there and back and is mostly paved. The historic area contains reconstructed plantation buildings, such as the slave cabin where Booker lived until he was nine years old.
▬ Jack O’ Lantern Branch Trail, a.k.a. the “nature trail”:
The trail is approximately 1.25 miles or 2 km and is an extension off of the historic area trail. It is 36”-48” wide and is a mix of well-compacted dirt and gravel with a 17% grade on one section of the trail. The trail follows Gills Creek and switches back away from the creek through woods and a field back to the tobacco barn which is located close to the beginning of the nature trail.
