Wilderness Road: History, Route & Significance | Kentucky Tourism

The Wilderness Road, also known as the Daniel Boone Trace or Boone's Trace, was a pioneer path constructed by Daniel Boone and other frontiersmen in 1775. It was the main route to the West through the Cumberland Gap, passing through modern-day Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

The Wilderness Road started in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and followed the course of the Holston River, passing through the Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky. It led settlers westward to the fertile land of Kentucky and helped to open up the frontier for settlement.

The Wilderness Road was an important route for settlers moving west in the late 18th century. It provided access to land in Kentucky and Tennessee, and helped to establish the United States as a nation.