Dean Henson
Eastern Region
Dean Henson is a professional Naturalist and outdoorsman whose career spans over 25 years with the Kentucky Department of Parks. He grew up in Kentucky’s eastern foothills, amidst the natural wonders of the Red River Gorge and adjacent natural areas.
Coming from a long family line of outdoor careers, his predisposition for natural history placed him on the path to nature appreciation and interpretation at an early age, and a voracious enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits was born.
Dean has been a long-time hunter and fisherman and outdoor adventure is part of his everyday life. His work calls upon him to conduct a wide assortment of natural and cultural history programs for the public. These occasions include guided elk tours, backpacking adventures, photography workshops, survival seminars, and an array of special events annually. He also performs resource and wildlife management tasks and oversees maintenance of a sizeable trail system. Dean is frequently called upon for natural talks, lectures, and A/V shows, as well as radio/TV appearances and is regarded as a regional science and nature resource across southeastern Kentucky.
Aside from his work with parks, he’s also an accomplished essayist and noted photographer specializing in natural history subjects. His work is currently published and frequently featured in a variety of outdoor, coffee-table magazines and his future plans include both a nature picture book and a digest of collected essays.
Dean’s fervent and self-appointed mission is to understand, showcase, conserve, preserve, and inspire deep appreciation for Kentucky’s last great natural places.
Hi Dean,
I am just fascinated by your resume (above). I have never been to Kentucky but my husband and I are planning to leave on October 7 for a fast trip to somewhere in southeastern Kentucky, where I’ve read is apt to have the best fall color this year due to more rain than in other areas. I could MOST definitely use any suggestions you may have for us. Literally ANYTHING. I went to 2 or our local bookstores and could not even find a MAP of Kentucky nor a single book with a title something like “The Best of Kentucky” of which there were MANY for other states. I am a hobbyist in photography with pretty decent equipment (Canon SLR, 10D and 40D) and several FAIRLY decent point and shoots (mostly for identification purposes and other nonsense shots) and little knowledge as to how to use the full power of the cameras. I am surely interested in the fact that you run photography workshops and wonder if you MIGHT by chance be doing any during the last 3 weeks of October of possibly first week of November. Further, I wonder if you might suggest one or two better ideas for where to camp (motor home) in order to be centered in the area of southeastern Tennessee as I MOST of all wish to do some serious leaf peeping and photography. I have no idea how often (if ever) you check this site but I would love any feedback you might have for us. BTW, I am 67 and (sadly) have fibromyalgia pretty severely. Basically, this means I NEVER know whether I’m going to be nearly needing a wheelchair to get around on any given day or whether I’ll be in good shape to do some moderate hiking. I have WILDLY varying symptoms from week to week and even day to day. However, I always push the limits (especially when travelling) so please don’t just suggest things for an invalid. I’m not quite there yet (LOL). Thank you in advance for ANY suggestions you may have and you can rest assured that in addition to research here on the internet, I will be hitting several local libraries in hopes of finding more books that Kentucky lovers have written for the sake of folks like me who have never been there. Sincerely, Ellie Conry (South Florida)
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Hi Ellie,
As you’ve surmised, I’ve not regularly checked this portion of the website for comments; I do regret the delay. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best to answer your questions.
By the time this reply is posted, you may well have returned home, your trip concluded. However, perhaps the response to your inquiry will be of help on future occasion or to others who may happen by the blog.
To place yourself in the midst of autumn color and the pageantry of the mountains, it’s hard to beat Pine Mountain State Resort Park as base of operations. With exquisite overnight accommodations, a dining room overlooking magnificent scenery, and a location that’s close to everything you’ll want to see and do, the park at Pine Mountain is the first choice.
For those that may prefer to camp, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park lies just 10 miles to the south, and features a terrific campground nestled at the base of Cumberland Mountain.
The vicinity of the two parks practically bristles with scenic overlooks affording leaf-peepers plenty of opportunity to take in the grand displays of autumn color and with a minimum of walking. Still, Pine Mountain State Resort Park has about 15 miles of hiking trails and the park at Cumberland Gap has nearly 60 miles, so there’s ample opportunity to stretch your legs if the mood strikes. Of course, being mountain terrain, most trails at both parks are challenging, but a few trails with more hospitable grades and easier walking are in the mix.
Since you’re interested in photography, I can offer that Pine Mountain State Resort Park annually hosts a Winter Photography Weekend on the last weekend of January. In 2011, that’s January 28-30. The weekend features evening A/V shows by a guest professional and a digital photography competition with multiple categories and awards. It’s a great winter getaway weekend and seeing the mountains in winter, especially in a light snowfall, can be spectacularly beautiful.
The predicted window for the peak of fall color varies annually, but usually falls between the 2nd and 3rd weeks of October. In planning future visits, I recommend selecting a target date that falls just after the 15th of the month. In that way, you give yourself the best chance for catching the mountains in full autumn glory.
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