Portsmouth to Owingsville

Vanceburg offered a relatively easy transit through the riverfront hills via Salt Creek. Escalapia Mountain was a notable landmark to the Native Peoples, and stood across easy access to the Flemingsburg plain. The climb over the ridge on the southern flank of the mountain was not difficult, and once on the other side, keeping a generally westerly direction led the traveler to the Licking River. The Licking River was, like the Scioto, a clear guide to the south, whether on foot or by canoe. After a short distance the traveler would leave the Licking River as it turns east and would follow Slate Creek in a more southwesterly direction past present-day Owingsville.