Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve

(2 reviews)

16.8 km

I have not been there to check on the hiking trail yet but the scenery looks amazing! I would love…read moreto see it in person so that I can experience and enjoy the hike and nature surrounding the mountains.

I've hiked the Jim Beam Nature Preserve at least twice, and what I love most is that people don't…read moreknow about it. However, given the current state of the world and every known trail shutting down due to overcrowding, now might be a good time to let everyone in on Jessamine County's best kept secret. According to the JCTA website, you can expect a "dirt trail with little elevation change through a wooded area. Old stone fences are visible. It has a couple of overlooks with winter views of the river." I don't understand exactly why this trail is NOT dog-friendly, but then again, I'm not an ecologist or a botanist. Approximately .8 miles will give you a decent workout considering the elevation changes, and it can get quite muddy given its dirt path construction. Unless it's winter, don't expect much of a view of the Palisades, but wildflowers are visible throughout in the fall. There are NO restroom facilities and view few parking spaces. Still, if you want to escape into nature and play explorer, this is a good place to do it.

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Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

(51 reviews)

31.7 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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Dupree Nature Preserve

(2 reviews)

18.5 km

We were in the area visiting some people, and after lunch we wanted to get outside and do some…read morewalking. There are several nature preserves with hiking trails, all within about 15 minutes drive from where we were. We chose Dupree for our hiking adventure. It isn't particularly well advertised from the road, but Google maps will get you there. There is a small, gravel drive and parking lot. Facilities are limited to a port-a-potty. But it is *literally* the cleanest, well-maintained port-a-potty I have ever seen in my life! There is a sign with a map of the trails. They aren't terribly plentiful, but we took a picture of the map to reference along our way and we were glad to have it. The trails are clear and very well marked. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous! All around you are rolling hills, fields, crazy-looking trees and the Kentucky River. The main trail (the blue markers) take you to the banks of the river. The map mentions something about a boat dock...if there ever was one, it isn't there now. But the view is still pretty nice. Along the way, there are some picnic tables here and there, as well as a couple bench set ups, where it looks like a class field trip could stop for a lesson. The cliff trail (listed difficult on the map) is not as hard as one might think, but it IS a bit of a climb.The Overlook trail is nice, high up on the ridge. But there isn't much look from the overlook. In all, Dupree Nature Preserve is a beautiful, well-maintained place to hike and enjoy Kentucky nature.

I lovee love The Dupree! Hiking paths on the Kentucky River! What more can you ask for....read more

Fun fact: There are fun fact boards along the trail.

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McConnell Springs

(26 reviews)

46.6 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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Flat Lick Falls

(13 reviews)

64.1 km

Had the best time! The trails were very kid friendly and the waterfall was beautiful!read more

Very good place to camp and have events. Spacious, clean and all around very well kept.read more

Top of the falls

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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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Asbury Trails

(7 reviews)

25.6 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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Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge

(2 reviews)

29.9 km

A lot of great trails to follow and things plants animals and birds and bugs I've not seen anywhere…read moreelse. Great spring flower walks with experts that know their plants and will answer your questions. Once when I missed a spring flower walk Robert Pendygraft gave me a private guided tour

This is a great area for enjoying nature without having to go too far. It's 500 acre area complete…read morewith trails of various difficulty, ponds, feilds, nice benches to enjoy the scenery, and a bird blind. A few times a month the nature center is open and they organize school trips and community hikes. This year is their 50th anniversary!

The knobs in full blown fall color

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Daniel Boone National Forest

(11 reviews)

73.4 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

American Legion Water Park

4.4

(10 reviews)

112.2 km

It's back open for the summer! Be smart and plan ahead and get there early as it gets packed…read more Ensure to watch your kiddos and put plenty of sunscreen on ahead if time as they will be running around splashing from shooting water to running away from the water the bucket just dropped! Best part is it's free!

We were on a family trip to a fair and stopped in Elizabethtown for lunch. Choose to stop by and…read morewhile the water was ice cold, had a great time!!! We sadly did not have anywhere to sit or place our stroller by but they were busy so that's understandable. also i can't swim so i was a little upset to see how fast the decline from 5ft to 9ft was. So just be cautious if you are in that area of the pool.

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Suffoletta Family Aquatic Center

3.1

(9 reviews)

61.1 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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Holmes Bend Boat Dock

(3 reviews)

76.1 km

I've visited my fair share of marinas and boat docks around Kentucky and this one is top notch. One…read moreof the 'regulars' told us that it used to be the hidden secret of Kentucky, but now everyone knows. Well, it's not that busy. It's on Green River Lake and although it reminds me of Lake Cumberland, this dock is not near as busy as any of the docks I've been to on Lake Cumberland. We were camping about a mile up the road, at Holmes Bend Campground and hadn't planned on it, but spontaneously rented a boat here. Ok, it was a fishing boat, not a pontoon. They do have pontoon and house boat rentals too, but considering that it was Independence Day weekend, I wasn't surprised that those were already rented out. I will have to mention that I was surprised at the maintenance of the fishing boat... not mechanically, but the cleanliness. Co-webs, dirt and fishing hooks, all could've easily been swept or sprayed out prior to our rental slot. Although we didn't book it prior, it just seemed like they would've prepared the boat for business... just an observation and worth mentioning. It really wasn't bad enough for me not to recommend it or go again. Inside the dock, there is a restaurant area. They sell above average 'order at the counter' dock food. And it's fairly cheap too. There is also a beach and a fish pier within walking distance. I just wish I had more time to spend in the area. There was so much to do, you could easily spend a week's vacation here.

Our friends rented a house boat here and were kind enough to invite us for a few days. This is a…read morereally nice lake. There is a cool little beach area the kids loved. The houseboat itself was well stocked and had 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a water slide off the back. We found multiple beautiful places to dock and jump off and swim. The staff here was so incredibly nice and helpful! They came down to the boat and explained everything so well and fitted all the kids for life jackets. We even needed a hand with a minor thing we couldn't remember while out on the lake and they came out right away and were so nice they just said "thanks for calling it gave me an excuse to come out here on this beautiful day" I highly recommend this for a trip to the lake!

Just so we were able to find our way back...

Looking over at the boat owner's area on Green River Lake

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Cheese sticks

Lakeside Swim Club

(17 reviews)

116.5 km

This swim club is extremely racist and biased. Multiple people I know that aren't white that…read moreapplied for multiple jobs and were highly qualified where denied a job while their white peers got accepted even though they were less qualified. They are also sexist many of the female lifeguards I know that work their never get promoted to black or blue suits while the male employees easily do. They also have bad customer service and will make you wait to be helped until they finish their conversation. As an Asian woman I don't feel welcomed or safe with my kids and I wouldn't recommended anyone of color to come to Lakeside.

We've been visitors to Lakeside as guests of members for close to 20 years. So much to offer, lots…read moreof different areas, and always a good time. A hidden gem in the middle of the Highlands. Kiddie pool, high dive, swimming lanes, float area, water basketball and water volleyball. Some areas are 4 feet, some 8. Grills and picnic tables. Bring your own food if you like but no aluminum cans or glass. Parking is on the street only. Overall a treasure, the highlight of our summer visits to Louisville.

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McConnell Springs

(26 reviews)

46.6 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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Ralphie's Fun Center

4.6

(13 reviews)

137.3 km

I took my grandsons there and they had a blast. Bowling . Skating , arcade, bouncy, glow on dark…read moremini golf . They have food and drinks . Unlimited and no time frame . Open to close if you like.

What an amazing place to take the family! We played mini golf, bowled, did laser tag, the arcade…read moreand a really cool game called 'time freak'. We spent about four hours there and had a blast! Definitely recommend for families and groups!

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Lake Reba Park

4.4

(8 reviews)

30.8 km

Nice small town park. Plenty of space and playground area. Ok bball courts and fishing. Alot of…read more around the tables

Really nice park. Basketball courts. Nice pavilions. Playground equipment. Putt-Putt course is…read morevery nice.

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Playground

Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve - hiking - Updated August 2026

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Asbury Trails

(7 reviews)

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 ‍

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

(51 reviews)

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.

Veterans Park

(11 reviews)

Veterans Park has a cement trail and dirt biking trails. It is a legit hike on either trail. Great…read morescenic views with a active stream, rest places everywhere!!! I loved the hike!!!

This park is spacious, with many trails! I enjoyed walking on the trails right next to the creek…read more Although they weren't very far from the paved trails, they were in a more wooded area, so at times it felt like being deep in nature rather than in a park. There's also a dog park on site and there were 5-10 dogs in it when I went on a Saturday morning. I noticed there's also frisbee golf, but I couldn't easily find a guide to the course. I can foresee myself coming to this park often. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is there were a few spots with trash, there were some random construction concrete things here and there that broke up the picturesque nature, and I came upon some people tent camping, which I don't think is allowed there.

Fort Boonesborough State Park

4.0

(36 reviews)

I was not originally planning to go here, but always leave a spot in travels to just "randomly…read moreramble" somewhere, and this was it! The old fort site has a marina and some signage, but it was brutal hot, so I wandered up to the Kentucky River Museum and stumbled right into a fascinating tour! The guide's family has operated the lock (Lock 10 to be specific) since practically conception, so he had stories, pictures, letters, journals, and a deep connection to the home and site. Awesome tour! This tour is included with your purchase of a fort ticket, so I headed over there to get mine and wander around the replica fort complete with cabins, crows, period demonstrations, and a video about the one and only Daniel Boone! You know, that guy, pretty famous in these parts....

It's a great place to stop on a road trip to stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air. We did not…read morestop at the campground but did walk around the fort. The buildings and history are very interesting!

Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park

4.3

(4 reviews)

Looking for an awesome FREE historical park to learn more about the important role KENTUCKY played…read moreduring the civil war, with a real cool museum and bunk house along with some great trails then take the short drive from Lexington and ask for KATIE at the visitor's center to learn more. It's worth the drive and we suggest you bring a picnic basket and sit out at one the beautiful areas to enjoy the views.

Great place for hiking and learning history as well. The tour of the house was also really cool. I…read morehope they keep it going!

Lake Reba Park

4.4

(8 reviews)

Nice small town park. Plenty of space and playground area. Ok bball courts and fishing. Alot of…read more around the tables

Really nice park. Basketball courts. Nice pavilions. Playground equipment. Putt-Putt course is…read morevery nice.

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