The Kentucky section of this national trail is more than 600 miles long. It runs west to east though the center of the state from rural Crittenden County at the Ohio River to the mountainous Pike County.

 

The tour takes you though rural gently rolling countryside from Kentucky's border at the Ohio River. Rough River Dam State Resort Park is a good stop for a meal or overnight stay. Another good stop is the roadside stands of the Amish who have settled in Crittenden County.

 

The next part of the tour continuing east from Hodgenville to Bardstown to Springfield to Harrodsburg is exceptionally rich in historical attractions. There's Old Fort Harrod, My Old Kentucky Home, "The Stephen Foster Story", Maker's Mark Distillery, Kentucky Railway Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site to name just a few. A side trip north into Harrodsburg leads you to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. You can tour, dine and overnight here in the original buildings.

 

Don't miss a stop in Berea the Crafts Capital of Kentucky. See the working studios of a variety of craftspeople including Churchill Weavers. A meal or overnight stay at historic Boone Tavern will make a memory.

 

Continue your way through the scenic Daniel Boone National Forest. North of the route is the beautiful Red River Gorge, a wild landscape of unusual vegetation and more than 80 natural arches sculpted by wind and water for 70 million years. A national recreational trail leads to some of the scenic and historic attractions within the gorge. Natural Bridge State Resort Park is nearby.

 

In Booneville, don't miss Pioneer Village, an original 1874 farm, and Morris Fork Crafts. A great stop for a meal or overnight stay is located at Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park tucked away in the mountains. Hindman is home to the Hindman Settlement School and Quicksand Crafts. Nearby is Carr Fork Lake.

 

The last part of the tour is over the challenging Cumberland Plateau of the Appalachian Mountain ending at Breaks Interstate Park on the KY-VA border. This magnificent, ancient gorge is inspiring.

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