Daniel Boone first crossed into my life when my brother religiously donned his coonskin hat and parked himself in front of our black and white TV the same time each week. For years, secretly humming the tune to that sitcom fueled dreams of one day charting my own course through Kentucky wilderness.

According to locals, much of Kentucky's beauty remains hidden far from highways and tourists not willing to get off the beaten path. Daniel Boone National Forest, the heart of my dreams, extends from the southern tip of the state through the eastern Kentucky mountains. Small villages, two-lane roads and the occasional roadside stand are the antithesis of traffic congestion and overdeveloped tourist traps to the north.

When I visited last year with my partner, we spent days hiking and horseback riding through the woods and rafting the Cumberland Plateau. The best view of the rim of the gorge is visible only from the river – and worth every paddle stroke it takes to get there.

During a visit to the Gladie Cultural-Environmental Learning Center, we lapped up rumors of the moonbow over Cumberland Falls, which is a nighttime rainbow – one of only two in the world. A nighttime rainbow, it only appears (sporadically) during a full moon. We checked the Guide to see if our visit lined up with a possible sighting, but a park ranger told us she's lived here 25 years and has yet to see one, despite many, many nights of stalking the falls.

After a few days in the wilderness, we gave into our cravings for civilization and enjoyed a meal at DuPont Lodge. Built in 1941 to serve up a modicum of decorum with the over abundance of wildlife, it's as charming as everything else in this state. "We're told our catfish are the best our guests have tasted anywhere," says Lisa Davis, park manager, "but we're trying to balance out the down-home fried favorites with healthier choices."

Kentucky had me at the first episode of Daniel Boone, and I'll never refuse an offer to spend time there. In a few weeks my friend James plans to slip out of his cubicle and hike his own path through Kentucky. I wish he'd take me along, but I'll be sure to arm him with maps to the cliffs, sandstone arches and canyon-like hollows and valleys.

And maybe if I promise to bake him a cake, maybe he'll bring me back a souvenir – a picture of him enjoying the beauty of Kentucky. On second thought, maybe I just should promise never to bake him a cake...