Bike rides in Kentucky

Explore 7 rail-trail, greenway and park ride options in Kentucky, with route lengths, surfaces, access notes and starting locations. These are selected recreational outings, not an exhaustive trail inventory. Read each guide’s scope and access cautions before choosing a ride.

7 ride guides · alphabetical order

• Adkisson Greenbelt — Yewell Heritage Park: short bicycle return

  Owensboro

  Up to 1 mile return · Out-and-back

  Ten-foot asphalt designated Greenbelt shared-use path

  Follow the signed main path along the signed Horse Fork Greenbelt toward Horse Fork Creek Park / Millers Mill Road. Turn after 0.5 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Big Four Bridge short return

  Louisville start

  2.0 mi · Out-and-back

  Paved shared bridge and ramps; current joints need checking.

  Cross the Ohio River between Louisville and Jeffersonville on the Big Four Bridge, then return to the same Kentucky parking area. Waterfront Park describes the bridge and both access ramps as about two miles out and back. Add the walk from your parking space. The main outing uses the bicycle and pedestrian bridge, with no city-street extension. Bridge operator

• Dawkins Line: short eastern return from Swamp Branch

  Swamp Branch / Johnson County

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Compacted crushed limestone; require dry firm tread

  Follow the main Dawkins Line northeast toward Jenny’s Creek / Hagerhill. Turn after one outward mile or before the first road crossing, timber bridge, work barrier, rough tread or uncomfortable rise; retrace. Stay in this eastern reach and omit Gun Creek Tunnel, Royalton, Jane Beshear, Tip Top and the Breathitt section.

• Legacy Trail: short return from the Horse Park trailhead

  North Lexington

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Paved shared-use trail

  Follow the signed Legacy Trail south toward Lexington. Turn after one outward mile or before the first public-road crossing, barrier or uncomfortable rise; retrace. Do not continue toward the closed Newtown Springs–Citation segment, cross Iron Works Pike by road, or add Horse Park internal paths.

• Louisville Loop: short return from Pope Lick Park

  Louisville

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Paved main Louisville Loop

  Join the signed main Louisville Loop heading south through Pope Lick toward The Strand. Turn after one outward mile or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain fork or uncomfortable incline; retrace. Stay on the bicycle-permitted main Loop. Do not ride Fitness Circle, Egg Lawn’s walking loop, nature trails or the railroad trestle.

• Paducah Greenway: concrete return from Noble Park

  Paducah

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Concrete main greenway; gravel western section excluded

  Take the concrete main Greenway toward North 8th Street / US 45 and the riverfront. Turn after one outward mile or before the Cairo Road crossing, barrier or uncomfortable levee approach, whichever comes first; retrace. Exclude the gravel path west toward Stuart Nelson, the US 45 underpass and downtown parking-lot links.

• Prestonsburg Passage: short return from Archer Park

  Prestonsburg

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Asphalt rail-trail

  On the signed main Passage take the David direction. Turn after two outward miles or before the first road, barrier, uncertain junction or uncomfortable bridge approach; retrace. Do not use a road to reach Middle Creek Battlefield or add Jenny Wiley’s natural mountain-bike trails.