Legacy Trail

(26 reviews)

10.7 km

Nice natural area to walk around it! It is larger and more secluded than the average local option…read more Unfortunately dogs aren't allowed.

Neat little stop. The walk is mostly paved and flat which I think is a plus for some. The blue hole…read moreis neat and the spring boils up which a neat little phenomenon. There is a pond with fish, turtles and frogs. Informative signs along the path tell the history of the park as well.

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Asbury Trails

(7 reviews)

37.0 km

This set of trails apparently belongs to a local private college that I hadn't heard of. They are…read moreopen to the public, and it wasn't hard to drive and park here. The trails cover a wide variety of environments, reaching a meadow where the power lines through and going down into the ravine which holds the Kentucky River. Once you're down there, a long path runs under the riverside cliffs. As is often the case in this region, the scenery is pretty, but on the difficult side. Many of the trails are narrow and covered with gravel or mud, and are high enough in spots that a slip could carry some significant consequences. There were plenty of bugs as well. But I managed to get a solid two-hour workout/scenic visit in. It's free and it's not far from Lexington.

They finally opened back up and we love it here! It's beautiful. We do the easy trail to the right,…read moreso I can't speak on the other trails, but we always have so much fun enjoying nature here ‍

View of cave from the bottom

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Daniel Boone National Forest

(11 reviews)

125.5 km

I only visited the area that is in the middle of Red River Gorge. Most of the popular visitor spots…read moreare very easy to access. Probably 3/4 of a mile to most of the natural rock arches. Short walk from the parking lot There a few waterfalls. Copperas falls is like a 4 miles round trip hike. Pretty easy. Start next to the Osbourne Bend Loop trail. About Osbourne Bend Loop trail. It is 7 miles on the map but actually 9 because you have to walk back to the trail head on the Red River Gorge parkway. Very nice scenery through the whole trail. Due to different altitude and participation, very diverse plant life and rock formation . Marking is pretty spare, easy to get lost. There is a visitor center and gift shop on Red River gorge scenic road. Seems like a lot of people don't know that.

Drove through this national forest on our way from Knoxville TN to Louisville KY. Green, lush and…read morepeaceful.

Whistling arch

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Osbourne Bend Loop trail

Red River Gorge

4.8

(61 reviews)

82.8 km

Everyone about this trip was amazing! The park has some of the best trails! Some are harder than…read moreothers but worth the sites! We went to a bunch of amazing restaurants and met wonderful people kind people! We will be back again and recommend it to anyone who loves the outdoors!!!

This will have been our 2nd time to Red River Gorge, except we took our fam plus some. I love…read moreviews, mountains, family, and good food! We rented out thee most cutest cabin. We took a hike one day and rested another. When we go again, the itinerary will look different, trying other places we didn't get a chance to experience.

My son climbing at Bruise Brothers in Muir Valley (thanks Bluegrass climbing guides!)

The Gorge Underground

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Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

(51 reviews)

29.3 km

Well worth a visit - accessible and well maintained. Trails climb to a scenic overlook of the…read moreKentucky River, with miles more to hike.

I love the fact that there were so many different trails with different features. I am not sure if…read moreraven run is pet friendly. It was so much fun looking over the Kentucky river as I got to the top. The maps provided are easy to read.

Not something you typically see in a nature reserve - probably grandfathered in. May be a reason to return around Halloween.

Trail

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Natural Bridge State Park

This is one of my favorite state parks for a day or two of hiking. Very nice trails, some are…read morefairly rugged. I've been here several times, sometimes for just a day, and a few times camping nearby. You can take the sky lift up to the natural bridge, or you can hike up. There is a short trail (1/3 of a mile) that leads to a nice overlook where you can view the natural bridge from a distance. There are birds and wildlife to observe. And it is nice to visit in different seasons. There are good restaurants and touristy places to shop in the area too.

Well everything cause I did it ! Haha this is a self paced and self guided hike. It can be what…read moreyou make of it but the beauty is untouchable out of your control. A mix of hardwood, pine wooded and lots of sandstone /limestone rocks ! Tons of song birds and insects and forest creatures. Truly amazing day hike.

Natural bridge

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The Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky

(71 reviews)

14.2 km

This was a cool place to walk around. I'm going to assume with the seasons changing is why so many…read moreplanter boxes etc were empty. Was a beautiful day for a walk and would love to return in a few months to see what they have.

Great city park that's peaceful, secluded, and has fun diverging paths. Good cold run today!read more

Sign with hours at visitor's center

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Lower Howard's Creek Nature Preserve

(3 reviews)

29.7 km

I must write a review of the area and the beginning of the trail to alert future hikers that it is…read moretemporarily closed due to abuse, vandalism/garbage. People were loud and using the creek as a pool, spray painting and damaging the trail/trashing the area. So, if you are headed down to hike on the John Holder Trail, as we were, you will find it closed. The area itself is lovely. Hall's on the River is great (and open during Covid), you can still canoe on the river, and the fort is close by and well worth a visit.

It was too beautiful of a day in February to not try to get in a hike. Decided to head out on the…read moreJohn Holder Trail. The trails were pretty muddy after the snow melt but it was worth it. I would rate it a moderately easy there and back trail but with some beautiful views of the Lower Howard River. Total round trip is just under 3 miles. There is a point that you do cross the river so make sure you have either waterproof hiking boots or the river is low enough to get across. Please don't try to cross if it is deep or flowing fast. Nobody wants to get hurt or wet. There are some elevation changes and several historical sites. For this hike there was a lot of pretty ice hanging off the cliffs. There is a waterfall but that's off property so you shouldn't hike there. And after a day of hiking you can get soon food at Halls On The River and enjoy the scenery from there. As for parking, I usually park across the street from Halls but there is parking behind Halls too.

Hiking the John Holder Trail at Lower Howard's Creek Nature Preserve

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Lower Howard's Creek Nature Preserve

Cove Spring Park

(16 reviews)

34.5 km

Calm relaxing environment for a leisurely stroll on a Sunday afternoon. Enjoyed the beautiful…read morewaterfalls and nature views. Highly enjoyed the meadow trail path. Will be back again in the future.

What a great local park. Just be prepared if it's rained in the recent past as pathways are mostly…read morepacked earth. Lots of pathways, beautiful scenery, waterfalls. Nice people on the paths. Dog friendly. Bathrooms available.

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Pinnacles Hiking Trails

4.6

(36 reviews)

66.0 km

Do it!! The Berea Pinnacles is one of my favorite places to hike when visiting Berea Kentucky. It's…read morea 3.4 mile out and back hike to the East Pinnacles. You can gain some extra mileage by visiting other overlooks on the mountain. I would say it's a moderate hike with some steep inclines and rocky areas to navigate. The trek up keeps me sweating. The view from the East Pinnacle is beautiful. Definitely the perfect spot to take in the beauty of nature. At the start of the trail head there is an area to grab a hiking stick. Be sure to pack plenty of water and wear appropriate shoes for hiking. Be safe on the edge of the rocks and make smart choices. It's beautiful but can be dangerous so use caution. @outdoorswithmandy

The pinnacles are absolutely gorgeous. And at the beginning of the trail, there is a gorgeous and…read morerustic amphitheater. If you stand on the stage and look out, the backdrop is the hilly mountains. So cool and really inspiring (especially if you were a theater kid!). We went up to a Indian lookout points, such a lovely view. We started heading West, which the sign did say was a difficult descent. But when we got to the cliff you had to climb down, the trail markers weren't totally clear, plus the sun was setting, so we decided to turn around and go to the Devil's Kitchen. It's amazing how difficult these trails are! We descended to multiple cliff formations with little caves to chill under. The scenery is 10/10. I just think the trail markers could be a tiny bit clearer. Highly suggest!

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Somer Splash

3.2

(15 reviews)

114.8 km

Lifeguards were rude and made fun of me for my weight. The lifeguards name was Christopher and he…read moresaid he was playing but it hurt my feelings and then I went to tell a manager and they wouldn't do anything. Poor management and poor workers.

Clean, organized, fair prices. Access to tickets online. Military discount available. Plenty of…read morefree parking. Good concessions.

Amazing fun and great lifeguards!!!

Wave Pool

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Cabana

Suffoletta Family Aquatic Center

3.1

(9 reviews)

10.0 km

Visited with my niece and nephew and mother in law and had a fantastic experience!! The staff was…read moresuper helpful at check in, lifeguards were in all areas and the place was clean. There was plenty of activities for all ages and mobility levels! I enjoyed the water slide and the lazy river the best. It was very cost effective for our family to attend and enjoy a wonderful summer day! Blacktop parking made it easy to get in and out. Changing rooms were clean with showers and restrooms available. The snack shack offered fresh burgers, chili dogs and a variety of snacks making it a great place for lunch. I was highly impressed and will be back!

We had a fantastic day at Suffoletta Family Aquatic Center. It was very clean in and out of the…read morewater. There were chairs throughout the area. We enjoyed the lazy river quite a bit. The water wasn't above 4 feet anywhere so it was perfect for our 7-year old. There is a 15 minute break/adult swim time on the :45 minute mark. We took advantage of the water slide during that time with no line! Day passes were available and super reasonably priced. The snack bar had great prices and delicious food. I wish something like this was in our area.

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Shillito Park

(13 reviews)

17.4 km

I want to preface this by saying I think this park would earn 5 stars by the people going there to…read moreplay sports. It has basketball, baseball, tennis, and frisbee golf. I went there to walk my dog and be in nature. The majority of the main paved walking path is actually separate from the park. It runs alongside the road that runs through the park. Because I was there around rush hour, it basically felt like walking on a sidewalk next to a busy street, rather than like walking in a park. Also, there was some construction and a lot of electrical lines with big metal bases along the path, which also detracted from the little bit of nature. But who knows, maybe I'll come back in the summer (I noticed a pool) and end up increasing my score.

It's a fairly large park with many different spots to choose from. Peaceful with walking paths,…read morepicnic areas and baseball field. Nice : }

Grab a cuppa before going to the park!

Can you find the cat?

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Perfect spot to watch the sunset

Southland Aquatic Center

4.0

(4 reviews)

15.0 km

I have been there. It was so much fun there's been a lot of cool stuff like the slide. The…read morelifeguards has been nice to me. There was an ice machine there. They got like an ordering stand they have a diving board but the sad thing I only got to stay for 1 hour :(

Havent gone since 2019, back then you could not smile if you want off the diving board. If you…read morelooked around or laughed or yelled near the diving board, they kicked you out of the pool for 1 hour. Kids said the bathrooms were filthy and the Lexington Police would go stand in the changing area and stare at the boys changing, thats what they said. There is/was food? The hamburgers they made there were better than ANY at ANY food place we've been to in all of Lexington KY. Must be some home recipe. One day we went there just to get a burger/fries. They chase everyone out of the pool every 45 min or so. Why not make some kind of lighted sign with a giant clock to show in a non-angry way its part of the plan? The lifeguards blow whistles all the sudden and yell at the kids to get out, as if this is a Jaws movie. Make it non threatening and encourage getting fresh water or a small snack? Play music 1 minute before the kick out time, setup tables with free water cups? have some small challenges, throw a frisbee into a target and win a small prize or who knows. But they dont do these things. Parking is miserable, expect your car will be hit by someone's door. Period.

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

(51 reviews)

29.3 km

Well worth a visit - accessible and well maintained. Trails climb to a scenic overlook of the…read moreKentucky River, with miles more to hike.

Not something you typically see in a nature reserve - probably grandfathered in. May be a reason to return around Halloween.

Trail

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McConnell Springs

(26 reviews)

10.7 km

Nice natural area to walk around it! It is larger and more secluded than the average local option…read more Unfortunately dogs aren't allowed.

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Jacobson Park

4.3

(39 reviews)

17.5 km

First visit to Jacobson Park, and while it felt like a crazy long hike there with two teens and a…read morepuppy during rush hour, it was worth the drive to experience a bucolic and hopping piece of the outdoors! Our puppy loved the ducks (and these were some FRIENDLY and INTERACTIVE ducks...) and we experienced some other cool avian sightings. Not a surprise - but the restrooms were suitably scary and during the first part of our visit, the overcast and gray sky made the cement building feel ripe for a horror movie experience... compete with a scary service truck and a man in stained overalls. (Please note, the gentleman was actually very friendly and engaging and was hard at work - he was not in any way a negative presence). The park is expansive and it was actually really busy for a Thursday evening. The dog park was intriguing but we ran out of time to visit. The play area had something for all ages and was popular with children through teens. Loads of parking and the shelter area was great for a school gathering. Can't wait to visit again!

I came here this afternoon looking for a new park to explore with my dog. Upon arrival, I could…read moretell that this park was huge! There are plenty of green spaces and empty fields to play frisbee, flag football, or volleyball. I drove to the dog park area since the park is strict on having the dogs on leash at all times, so I went there. The dog parks for both small and large dogs are enormous! I have never seen that size of a dog park since I was in Colorado--and that state is known for being pet friendly, so their parks and restaurants are 90% pet-friendly. I took my dog to the small dog park as he is small. It was still 4 P.m. and too hot for my dog. There are not a lot of shades in the small dog area compared to the large dog area. I did not stay that long as my dog did not like being grilled under the sun. I checked out the rest of the park by driving around and noticed a vast playground, a marina (although the water has receded), empty fields, a picnic area, and even a camping area! If I had come later in the day when it was not too hot for my dog, I would have enjoyed my stay here. I have seen plenty of residents around here with their kids, birthday party groups, and groups playing frisbee. I can tell that it is a great park to visit. Cool spot ~