Hiking Trails & Parks in Kentucky
5,290 mapped trails and 233 parks across Kentucky. Browse by county or city, or jump straight to the full list.
About Hiking in Kentucky
Kentucky has 5,290 mapped hiking trails and 233 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 150 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 150 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in Kentucky
A spatially-sampled view of 625 trail and park locations across Kentucky’s counties.
Kentucky Counties
Top 24 counties shown — 150 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in Kentucky
Parks & Campgrounds in Kentucky
Longest Trails in Kentucky
Hiking guides & rankings for Kentucky
In-depth articles drawing on the trail and park data above.
Photo: Tobias MrzykThe 10 Longest Hiking Trails in Kentucky, Ranked
Kentucky's longest mapped hiking trails, ranked by distance with notes on what makes each route worth the commitment.
Photo: Sergei AkulichKentucky's 10 Most Punishing Trails by Elevation Gain
Steep is hard. These are the ten Kentucky trails with the most total elevation gain — quad-burners earned by hard climbing.
Photo: Maddi BazzoccoThe Best Beginner-Friendly Hikes in Kentucky
Ten gentle, well-marked Kentucky trails perfect for first-time hikers, families, or recovery days.
Photo: Tobias MrzykThe 10 Most Challenging Hikes in Kentucky
Kentucky's ten hardest hikes — expert difficulty, big mileage, or serious exposure. Reserved for experienced hikers.
Photo: Diego LozanoThe Best National Parks & Recreation Areas in Kentucky
Federal parks and recreation areas in Kentucky ranked by what they actually offer hikers and campers, not just popularity.
Photo: Joshua EarleBest Waterfall Hikes in Kentucky: 10 Trails to See Falls Up Close
Kentucky's best hikes to named waterfalls — from short family-friendly viewpoints to all-day cascade chasing.