The Most Delicious Hiking in Lexington

Lago Linda Hideaway

★★★★★ 4.8 (16) • $

"Love the scenery, peace, and serenity fromCamping at this place. I rolled into the campsite super late and had no issues finding the campsite and setting up. They have shower and a nice shared kitchen pavilion.The offer coffee at the placeYou wanna camp here if you want to stay away from loud crowds and enjoy comfort of nature rather than drumsAnd too much noise. Lots of nature noise Affordable camping!"

Mammoth Cave National Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (451)

"The Historic Tour is mind-blowing. The guide said there are 415 known miles of tunnels."

Fire Tower Loop

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"This is one of the trails at bernheim that's the furthest away you got to drive all the way to the back is the last trail on the right. And it's only like a half a mile you go up and at the top here's a fire tower and you can loop around it and look at all the scenery and the sites. It's a final easy walk if you have kids it's definitely worth checking out"

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (49)

"After a week of being stuck indoors with a horrible cold/flu, I had a raging case of cabin fever and the need to become one with Mother Nature. Tom Sawyer was the closest park to our home and we ended up there. WOW!!! I am ashamed of myself that this beautiful park has been in my back door for the past 3 years and I have never ventured into its paths of wonder! I have a sneaky feeling that I will be back often as it is huge and has so very much to offer. I saw soccer fields, volleyball nets, an actual paved landing strip for remote control planes (how cool is that!), picnic tables/sheds, children's play areas, and so much more!! There are several walking paths with plenty of benches for when you feel the need to stop and rest or reflect. I enjoyed the serenity and peacefulness of ambling along several paths today. I can't wait to come back again!"

Leave No Trace Adventures

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (7)

"Had THE best guided hikes with Christie yesterday at Red River Gorge! She's a fountain of forest/animal/insect/plant/rock knowledge & made our hikes fun & informative. She tailored the hikes to our 65-74 year old group & we enjoyed every moment! She also set up the time for the Underground Mine boat ride that was a great end to the day & made some recommendations for lunch stops afterwards that were great! All in all a trip worth taking with Christie!!"

Muir Valley

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"There's a $10 fee to park in the parking lot but worth it for climbers! There are very clean bathrooms, lots climbing opportunities, and they have 8 stick clips available for borrow (free and honor system of returning). We climbed here for two days and will be going back. There are routes for every skill level. Climbing routes are well maintained and well marked."

Morgan Conservation Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"217 acres of hiking trails in Oldham KY. This park was once the property of the Morgan family for over 100 years. A cattle and tobacco farm, the park itself is 252 acres and was part of the much larger farming operation. The park was acquired in 2003 and sits adjacent to land that is still owned by the family. There are over 4 miles of trails throughout the park which highlight its various features and terrains. Waterfalls, geological outcroppings, and even an old burial site that was owned by the Abbott family and dating back to the mid 1800s. The Morgan Conservation Park is home to many species of birds, mammals and amphibians. The park now preserves numerous types of wildlife and plant life and ensures it will be enjoyed by generations to come."

Broad Run Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (74)

"My absolute favorite park in the city of Louisville. Massive park systems that connects to multiple parks, walking trails and amazing sights. Thai particular portion of the park has a very large spray ground that I've taken advantage of numerous times with my children. It also has a massive playground area. Fair warning though on hot summer days when going from the splash park to the playground to have the kiddos and adults put on shoes. They use rubber matting and it gets scorching hot on the bare feet. This park if you keep driving through does eventually connect to turkey run park and the brown foreman silo which is a cool sight seeing opportunity. I've yet to discover all trails and probably never will as there are so many options. The small walking trails towards the entrance are very peaceful, moderate difficult and beautiful. I can not recommend this park enough. Every time I go I fell like I discover a new part. Always lots of fun and adventure for all ages."

Bernheim Forest and Arboretum

★★★★★ 4.7 (138)

"Have been wanting to come here for awhile and what do you know? It was on the way from Kentucky to our flight out of Nashville!! So excited to finally see the giants. There is a suggested donation of $15 per car but they are so nice about whatever donation you may want to give so it's so worth to support this place. We couldn't have picked a better day than today! The weather was perfect! The fall colors were amazing! Parking is easy right by the visitors center. Loved looking around in the center to see what we can buy. Restrooms were convenient by the door and clean. And you can walk right back out and start your hike to see the giants and surroundings. So many beautiful picturesque spots! The trees are colorful! The hollys are budding. And the giants are adorable! Easy 2 mile hike to see them. They have maps and signs that make it so clear! We still got lost but thank God for GPS and the map lol made our way back to see the sister giant and looped back to the visitors center.Wish we had more time to explore but we had to rush to Nashville for a flight. But I highly recommend a stop here if you can on a gorgeous day like today and picnic and hike around. I so enjoyed it! And if by chance we are near here again with the kids we'd love to come back!"

The Greensward

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"Located near the front of the bardstown entrance of broad run park right next to the spray ground and playground portion of the park. This is a giant flat grassland designed for things such as picnics, flying kites or for animals and kids to run wild in open spaces. It always has quite a bit of people there but it is very massive. You could honestly host a very large outdoor concert here and nobody would know it wasn't meant for that. Me and my family usually spend most of our time doing the spray ground/playground or walking trails but this is still a really nice addition to the park overall. Very relaxing on a nice day for sure. And if you don't want to rough it and picnic on the ground they do have some picnic tables in the area."

River Crest Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"River Crest park is a very nice addition to our small town of Mount Washington. It accompanies a wonderful playground and a nice little walking trail.The walking trail is in-between a wooded area with benches and artifacts to observe.The playground features slides, swings, and other fun activities for kids.Great spot to check out for sure. I will be back to explore more in the near future."

Lower Howard's Creek Nature Preserve

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Great place to visit for beginners and people with children. There's a very small amount of climbing and there are small bridges over drains at the beginning of the trail. It's not a super long trail or really tough, but you get to see wild flowers and just good clean nature close up. It's a nice place to relax and listen to the creek. There's a section of the trail that you are supposed to schedule a guide to take you on, but I didn't do that so I can't say anything about that, but I will definitely be back and I might even schedule that tour next time."

Legacy Trail

★★★★☆ 4.3 (7)

"The Legacy Trail is Lexington's first greenway path, starting at the North YMCA and ending at the KY Horse Park campgrounds. It's about 12 miles in length, with great views of beautiful Kentucky fields! I originally thought the Legacy Trail was only for bikers, but there are plenty of runners who take advantage of the greenway as well! It's perfect for longer runs. My boyfriend and I started running here about a year ago & will go when we have more time to enjoy a sunny weekend day, or want a break from running around town (no stoplights!). There is a parking area at the KY Horse Park end of the trail. Along the LT there are mile markers, however, I think they only line up if you begin at the North Y end. Very glad to have discovered this gem and hope to see more greenways be built around town!"

Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"First off, the parking lot is small and very easy to miss. We arrived early but the lot was overflowing by the time we returned from our hike. The hiking is what I would consider to be moderate. Especially the lower palisades trail. The way we went, I felt like we climbed 100 stairs and went straight up. It would have been much easier to go down them. There are 3 trails that all link together. They are very well marked and the trails are well maintained. There are no facilities or picnic tables. We had a beautiful day and I would come back again."

Jim Beam Nature Preserve

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I've hiked the Jim Beam Nature Preserve at least twice, and what I love most is that people don't know 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."

Red River Gorge

★★★★★ 4.8 (54)

"1/16/21 Came here with my friend for a snow filled winter hike up to the double arch. It was so beautiful to explore during this weather. The hike is a bit steep but it's pretty short once you get to the trailhead. There are a lot of muddy trails but that's to be expected when hiking in the woods. Would recommend good hiking shoes with traction for safety. But over all this hike is pretty easy and worth the views. Shortest and safest for the snowy hiking trails."

Otter Creek Recreation

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"My review is based solely on camping. I haven't participated in any of the other activities available at Otter Creek. I have been invited to camp during October two years in a row now. It's a great time. The campsite is very basic but has everything that you need. There are a lot of fun Halloween activities during the month of October that are great for kids. People decorate their campsites, there is trick-or-treating, and golf cart decorating and parade and pumpkin carving contests.You can reserve tent sites, bigger sites for campers and RVs, and also looks like you can rent cabins. There is also a playground. The restrooms are clean!"

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

★★★★★ 4.5 (47)

"This place has been on my list since undergrad but I never had the chance to go.It's a bit of a drive from downtown Lexington but totally worth a visit! Seems a bit underrated.We came around 10 on a Saturday morning and it wasn't busy quite yet, but there were a handful of cars.There are restrooms in one of the centers before the entrance to the trails. They likely do events and weddings here.Take a picture of the map! We got lost trying to find a view of the Kentucky river. Turned out one of the trails was closed and we had no idea.My friends and I did most of the trails. We spent about 3 hours climbing up hills and stairs of rocks. Some parts were muddy. There are some Serene creeks around here. Folks also come to do geocaching.The view of the river is the thing to see. Very beautiful and green and not polluted.I'm not a huge hiker. I can do about 3 miles. We were able to do almost 5 miles here! If you're an avid hiker, this won't be much. But for folks like me, it's not a light hike. You'd best get hiking boots. My body was aching later that day and the day after. I also saw people carrying walking sticks. In fact, many people had them! It's a difficult walk if you're not hoping to lose your balance a bit."

Cherokee Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (159)

"Recently, Mayor Fischer announced that several Olmsted parks will be car-free for the foreseeable future. This necessary action is an effort to reduce the number of people gathering in the parks. I'm quite happy about this new order because Cherokee Park was getting way too crowded and I didn't see a lot of safe physical distancing going on. In fact, I saw a man and a woman meet each other in the park to workout together (they obviously didn't live together) and then another man joined them later on and SHOOK HANDS with the first guy, as they were meeting each other for the first time. I mean, come on. Anyway, it might've been the time of day or the cooler weather, but there was significantly fewer people at the park yesterday when I went for a walk. There are barricades at several entrances, preventing cars from entering the park. If we buckle down now, we can get through this quicker."

Quiet Trails State Nature Preserve

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"Quiet Trails was my find of the year! I am hesitant to write a review because putting it on the Yelp map might make it a little less secretive. I only found out about this place through word of mouth from a few friends as there is very little information online.For the locals in Harrison County, Quiet Trails has been a popular hiking spot along the Licking River. This year-round hiking trail loops 1.7 miles down to the river and back up. The loop is actually two different trails that meet up at the same point - so you can choose to go down and up the same path, or go back on the other path.We initially choose what we thought was the more difficult path (Challenger Trail) to get down to the river, and the 'easier' path back up -- but I think it should have been marked the other way around. One path is rather wide and easy to see -- the other (Deep Hollow) is very narrow and goes through some very steep areas. While some areas are clearly the path, some parts were a little bit harder to see and we had to use intuition to figure out which way to go. Yet, it is a stunningly gorgeous hike, especially on the Deep Hollow path.We were told that it would be an easy, short hike. It wasn't easy or short at all with a toddler that wanted to be carried nearly the entire time. Once we got to the river, we had a little bit of a break as he wanted to wade and splash, but we were eager to get out of the heat and back in the car. By the end of the hike, my back was so sore (can you guess who carried the kid most of the time?). We will try to come back when my child is a bit older and more willing to walk himself, or just without him on a day date. If your kids are used to hiking or over the age of five, they will most likely be fine.Also, the GPS will take you here -- but be prepared to be a bit confused as you drive through back roads to find this place. The little gravel pull-off [parking lot] with the gate and a small sign is actually the entrance to the preserve. You'll have to shimmy through the fence to get to the paths. We were so confused if we were even in the right place until we saw a person that was a seasoned hiker in this area. Thank goodness!Oh, and bring a stick to knock down some spider webs.I'm excited to come back here next summer and do more hiking!"

Pinnacles Hiking Trails

★★★★★ 4.7 (32)

"This is a great hiking place that my family and I visited this fall. We had a great time hiking all the different hills of trails and everything that they have to offer. It is on some cliffs and mountains to look over and see all the scenery and the sights of everything. It's a real easy trail but difficult at the same time if that makes sense. If you have little kids it can be kind a hard walking on all the rocks and things but if you go alone or with another adult it's really simple. But it's a really good time a lot of fun and free which is amazing but this is a great Place that I highly recommend and you need to check out if you're in a mood for a good hike"

Asbury Trails

★★★★☆ 4.3 (7)

"What a hidden gem! After spending a few years in Kentucky, I couldn't believe that I've only recently heard about Asbury trails. Everyone swarms to the Red River Gorge for the outdoors, but these are a great alternative for those look for hiking trials and don't want to drive as far or commit to a whole day of activities.As someone who is somewhat active and has done my fair share of hiking, I would say none of these trails are difficult. It took me only a couple of hours to complete most of these trails combined (as they are all connected). I was pleasantly surprised by the landscape. One moment you feel like you've descended deep into the woods, and the next you are walking next to giant boulders of rocks. Make sure to wear appropriate shoes as some trails can be slippery when wet. Bonus point -- it is dog friendly! **Pro tip: There are 5 trails. Browse the link below and get an idea of the scenery, length, and difficulty of each of the trails before you go.https://jessaminetrails.com/asbury-college-trails/"

daniel boone national forest

★★★★★ 4.7 (7)

"This is one of the parks that we visit. It's close to natural bridge resort, but it was open during the pandemic. It has beautiful views too! The place was well maintained, clean and plenty of trails to choose from. Trails varies from .5 mile to 10 miles. Don't forget to bring your water, sunblock and bug spray.There's a picnic area with tables and benches, portable toilets, and parking before you go in the trails.The trails were well marked if you are looking for the markers, it helps to have trails app on you if you are planning on hiking the longer trails. The app will help you find your way. The further you go, there less signs of the trails, but has markers such as diamonds on the trees.To avoid accidents it also helps a lot to wear appropriate shoes. During our hike, this park allows dogs as long as they are on leash."

Natural Bridge State Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (77) • $

"I've been here a couple times, and the natural Bridge State Park is always a home run each time. It's got a good hiking and walking trails. It's a lot of fun has waterfalls objects to look at landmarks. A lot of cool stuff for sure I would recommend it."

The Pinnacles

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"My family and I went for a hike here last weekend during Labor Day weekend. We drove about an hour and a half down to the place. I've heard good things we've seen good pictures so we decided to climb up the mountain through the East pinnacle track and look over everything in the beautiful scenery. It was a pretty easy hike not too challenging I have two young kids and they made it up pretty well. However we go hiking a lot so this was not too challenging which my kids really appreciated. There's a lot of people to bring dogs we had a game to see how many dogs are passed for the bottom to the top we passed 31 dogs so it was a lot which was good because my daughters like to pet the dogs. So definitely recommend it definitely will be back a +5 stars"