Find the top rated birding trails in Kentucky, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
We rolled to the historic Bob Noble Park on a hot summer Saturday to enjoy Paducah. Riding around the park to warmup, we hit the top of the levee rest stop and decided to head west first. The West Side is a short, tree lined wide gravel path that runs slightly past Stuart Nelson Park. We rode through a disk golf fairway prior to arriving and ridding around this peaceful park and wondered if this used to be their old fairground. The remaining section from the park to the trailhead was a little rough with washed & soft gravel spots. Returning to the rest stop, we rode atop the levee on the East Side. The trail on this side is concrete and unshaded with mostly industrial sites on the south and the Ohio River to the north. The trail terminates at the new convention center, but we decided to explore downtown on bikes (take your time to read the historic markers). We relaxed at the river park behind the levee murals to watch the working tow boats. Once downtown, go explore bike friendly Paducah with its great restaurants, museums, train engine #1518, theatres, arts center, unique architecture and the old Market building. Upon returning to the park, spend a couple of dollars to cool down & swim at the park pool for a totally enjoyable day.
Wonderful scenic trail. Agree that mountain bikes are best but we had hybrid tires and got along fine. Great experience and glad to add it to our list. A few steep climbs, but most of it is a moderate ride. I do think the trail could be marked better as there are lots of spurs. We had the trail map that kept is on the main route.
I rode the Dawkins on June 19-20. Started in the middle and rode out and back to Royalton. Second day rode from the eastern most trailhead--Jenny something to Hagerhill, then back to the middle of the trail (Swamp ___), and back to my starting point. I was very impressed with the trail. Good, smooth surface. The weather was very dry, warm, but not excessively hot. You need to bring your own water--no pumps or water fountains that I saw except at the Jenny trail head which is really set up primarily for horses (it's located about 3 miles from the eastern trail terminus on KY 825--not very clearly marked but it has a large parking area, steps to mount horses, a small holding pens for horses. I saw one horseback rider between the two days--nice guy out for a late-afternoon ride, armed with a revolver. Only saw three bikers over the two days.
Beautiful forests, scenery. You pass through some inhabited areas with houses, barns, modular homes, etc. I was chased down by a small white dog coming east out of Royalton and nearly lost my balance and ran off the trail before I got away--next time would use spray. The tunnel is a beauty--dry, wood timbers, smooth. I encountered a large snapping turtle at the eastern portal--almost didn't see it.
Trail is well-maintained, smooth. It's a pretty steady climb from the mid-point put to about the tunnel, but fun and easy coming back down. I stayed the night at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park nearby, and had dinner at Lizzie's (excellent) in Prestonsburg.
Not bike-related, but I did also visit Van Lear, just down the road from Loretta Lynn's homeplace. Visited the Webb Grocery Store (owned and run by Loretta's brother Herman), and took the tour of the old homeplace on Butcher Holler for $5. Enjoyed it.
Kentucky should be very proud of this trail and hopefully will add more in the future.
My wife and I rode this trail May 1st and 2nd on our tandem. Much to our surprise, it provided two days of riding for a total of about 72 miles out and back. This trail is complete end to end, but the Tip Top tunnel is blocked at about mile 25. Someone set a vehicle on fire in the tunnel a couple of years ago. I have my doubts it will be fixed anytime soon. To reach the southern side of the blocked tunnel you have two options. Follow dirt roads to try and find a way around or do what we did. Ride back to the car. Load the bike and follow Rt. 7 south from Royalton to Rt. 542, and follow this road for 7.1 miles to a remote trail head. No markers, bathrooms or much else. Used to be called Evanston. (Town no longer exists and was not on our gps). It's about 9 miles of very remote trail to the tunnel and an additional 1 1/2 miles in the other direction. For some reason this part of the trail was in better shape, and we felt more scenic than the other side of the tunnel. Go figure. Additional note. Beautiful bathrooms off Rt.23 trail head and the Royalton trail head. But they have never been open since construction. We spend two days riding and for the first time ever on a rail trail, did not see a single biker!! Not one. Well worth the visit. Just leave the road bike at home and enjoy. Pa. tandem team.( Marilyn and Roger 68yrs and 71yrs of age)
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Well kept short trail (2 miles). Most of it goes through woods with agricultural fields outside. Very quiet. Much used for exercise. There are not many designated trails in this area.
In April 2017 a friend and I took a break from interstate driving to ride the Legacy Trail into Lexington and back to its north end. The trail is good pavement and well marked. We liked the frequent signs telling the history and ecology of the area. Also, artists painted the trail surface in places, so it was fun to see their work. If you have time, ride into Lexington from the south end of the trail, to see the restored houses and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Title is a little misleading.... It's a mixed use asphalt trail. Starts @ the public library parking lot in LaGrange... eventually you go thru Buckner; and turn off onto Old Lagrange Road. I only went about 9 miles South to Crestwood.
I'm in the military and have actually taken the Army Physical Fitness Test on this trail. We run 2 miles for record so they have a white posted line past Powderly to start from and will run to where the trail starts in Greenville across from Clarks Appliance Center. Soldiers like to take the running part of the PT Test there because instead of the normal 8 laps in a circle rubbing elbows with 60 other Soldiers it's a 1 way start to end run and halfway, 1 mile mark, you can see the finish line and mentally makes you more confident and run harder and Soldiers really improve their time. Also I have ridden the the trail several times on bicycle along with my children and have never had any trouble. We always ride up and back and stop at the swamp area to go up on the deck and view the wildlife. It is maintained well and has a lot of neat interesting features along the way. It is truly great having this in our local community and we are very fortunate.
I love the idea of this trail in that it connects different areas of the city, but it is very difficult to follow. Signage is minimal and there were numerous points at which I took wrong turns or almost completely gave up on it because it wasn't clear where the trail went at an intersection. The sections were the trail is just a double wide sidewalk are definitely the worst part. I rode close to the entire trail on an unseasonably warm veterans day Friday and couldn't believe how few people were on the trail. In 12.2 miles I saw only two other people on bicycles and a handful of walkers/runners. The four star rating is due to the usefulness of the trail for people who live there. If you are looking for a great ride, it gets less stars. And it's pretty lame that it's closed dusk to dawn.
My first time mountain biking the Dawkins trail and it is a beautiful and fun trail. I passed several walkers, biking groups and a few horse back riders. The scenery is breath taking! I can't say enough good things about this trail or the people I met! I started at the marathon station at Hager hill and rode the entire length 24+ miles and back. Forty nine miles of fun and adventure. There is nothing boring about this trail. The locals have to be very proud of having such a wonderful state trail right in their own backyard.
it has potential, under heavy construction as i write this; some new construction, some resurfacing the existing. interesting that the old part has been around long enough to need resurfacing before these new parts have been laid. the equipment on this sunday was parked trailside. on the west side of town beyond milemarker 14-25 in either direction, the trail presently doesn't appear to be rideable or perhaps even existing.
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