Content Produced in Partnership with Kentucky Tourism
Best known for its lush, lovely, centrally-sited ‘Bluegrass’ horse country, Kentucky is also home to an astonishing variety of more dramatic landscapes, each attracting its own group of outdoor activity enthusiasts.
If you’re an experienced or would-be zip-liner head south-east of the horse country capital, Lexington, for the Red River Gorge. Once there and guided by experts, hop on one of the five zip lines – the longest being 1,900ft – to experience the thrill of soaring 300 feet above spectacular scenery. Two of the lines are parallel so you can even race against a family member or friend.
The Gorge is also great for climbing, rappelling and hiking as well as for exploring the largest collection of sandstone arches east of the Rocky Mountains. Notable among them is Natural Bridge, 65ft high and 78ft long and surrounded by a state resort park.
Officially known as The Red River Gorge Geological Area, it is part of the 708,000-acre Daniel Boone National Forest. Named for a famous 18th-century explorer and folk hero, it’s a wonderland for hikers, bikers, horseback riders, boaters, wildlife watchers and campers.
Further to the south-east and straddling the Virginia state line, Breaks Interstate Park offers another spectacular gorge, 1,600ft deep and sometimes referred to as “The Grand Canyon of the South”. It’s ideal for hiking, mountain biking and white-water rafting on the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River.
In fact, the state has a wealth of rivers and lakes. Not only does the Cumberland River offer canoeing, kayaking and river boating but it is also the site of awesome Cumberland Falls, 68ft high and as much as 300ft wide when its namesake river is in full flood. Sometimes called “The Niagara of the South”, it also has another claim to fame: when there’s a full moon it is the only American waterfall that has a ‘Moonbow’.
The Lake Cumberland area in south-central Kentucky, where the first houseboat was built in the town of Somerset in 1953, boasts America’s largest fleet of rental houseboats, leading the state to proclaims itself “The Houseboat Capital of the World.” Its numerous marinas also offer ski, pontoon and fishing boats as well as paddleboards.
Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park is an anglers Eden because of its huge number of bass, muskie, trout and other varieties of fish. And bordering Tennesseee in the far south-west, The Land Between the Lakes – at 170,000-acres the largest inland peninsula in the USA – offers great fishing, boating and swimming on its two surrounding lakes, Barkley and Kentucky, the largest lake east of the Mississippi River. There’s also impressive bird watching, particularly in the May-June period when the warblers return to join such colorful year-round residents as cardinals, goldfinches and indigo buntings.
But the best-known of Kentucky’s scenic wonders is not above but below ground. Set in the state’s only National Park about 98 miles south of Louisville, Mammoth Cave is the longest-known cave system on earth, 420 miles long with perhaps even more not yet known. Visited by indigenous Americans as long ago as 5,000 years, it offers a wide range of tours, including some taken by lantern light. Above ground there are hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing and other activities.
Another great asset for the state is its wealth of state parks – 45 in all with 30 featuring campgrounds. And that’s not to forget the other appealing accommodation options: lodges, cabins and resort facilities offering golf, tennis and great Southern cooking.
To learn more and start planning your trip to Kentucky, visit: https://www.kentuckytourism.com/
