Into the Wilderness

The Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Association in conjunction with Scott County’s VA250 Committee and Natural Tunnel State Park will help participants prepare for the arduous journey “Into the Wilderness” on April 26, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Scheduled demonstrations include soap making, spinning linen, making lead shot, garden preparation, making salt, and more. Visitors will be able to gather their own survival supplies for their trip “Into the Wilderness.” Gather at the Wilderness Road Blockhouse, located within Natural Tunnel State Park, with Daniel Boone to prepare for your journey “Into the Wilderness” on April 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On March 10, 1775, Boone and 30 axmen left the Long Island of the Holston for a 250-mile trek through the wilderness to the Falls of Ohio, near present-day Lexington, Kentucky.  The goal was to create a trace or pathway for others to follow, thus opening the region for westward migration. During this journey, one of the key locations for Boone and his companions was a stop at the Wilderness Road Blockhouse, home of Capt. John and Rebecca Anderson in Scott County, Virginia. Anderson’s Blockhouse would ultimately become a starting  point for approximately 300,000 migrants taking the Wilderness Road and leading the westward expansion of the United States.

Daniel Boone will be on-hand to discuss what migrants might encounter on their journey. Captain John and Rebecca Anderson, owners of the Blockhouse, will welcome visitors to their home and share their experiences of living on the wilderness frontier.

The event is free and is an official event of the VA250, marking the 250th Celebration of Boone’s historic expedition to create the Wilderness Road.