North-Eastern Kentucky Backroad Adventure Tour
Routed through Northeastern Kentucky, the NEK BAT covers some beautiful ground that is largely ignored by the adventure riding community. From the Kentucky River to Red River Gorge to darn-near West Virginia, the graceful bluegrass hills of Eastern Kentucky beg to be ridden! On this trip you’ll encounter several old Iron Blast Furnaces, relics of a bygone era of iron production in the early years of our country. You’ll also get a history lesson on the Kentucky River, a major throughfare of the 1800’s, and home to some of the world’s most ambitious, most cutting-edge engineering projects of their time. Your trip will be in the heart of horse and bourbon country in the Bluegrass State, so be sure to schedule a day off the bike for distillery tours.
Being in Kentucky, this route will include more pavement than other routes, at around 60% pavement. But it’s Kentucky pavement, largely consisting of the good ol “Kentucky Single Track” – narrow, winding roads barely big enough for a small car to travel. The gravel and offroad sections that you will find along the route are sometimes quite challenging, including portions of the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway, and the scenery on this ride is hard to beat. You’ll find more creek crossings on this track than you can shake a stick at, some rather deep and challenging. Sometimes the creek simply becomes the road for a quarter mile or so. You’ll ride through several tunnels, including the carved-from-stone Nada Tunnel and Boone Tunnel. And you’ll be able to walk on the no-longer-used locks and dams of the Kentucky River, witnessing up close how they operate. Enjoy your Kentucky Adventure, and continue reading below for additional details.
Total Main Route Distance: 870 Miles
Time to Complete: 4-5 Days
Terrain: 60% Pavement, 30% Gravel, 10% Dirt, Creek bottoms, or other Off-Road
Challenges: Over 20 creek and river crossings, Deep creek crossings, Several long & difficult rocky off-road sections, Moderate-to-Advanced hill climbs
Start / End Accommodations
Your Kentucky Adventure will start in Richmond, KY. We’re working to identify a venue where you can stay the night before you ride and leave a tow vehicle. Stay tuned for more details.
Day 1 Track Info
Highlights
Lunch: Newby Country Store, The Stave, Heavens to Betsy Deli
Dinner: Historic Boone Tavern, Papa Leno’s, Nightjar
Lodging: Boone Tavern Hotel, Econo Lodge, Holiday Inn Express
Camping: Renfro Valley KOA, Oh! Kentucky Campground,
Must-See: Newby Country Store, Valley View Ferry, The Art at Woodford Reserve, Castle & Key Distillery Facilities, Kentucky High Bridge, Camp Nelson National Cemetery
Details
Starting in Richmond, KY, your day 1 tracks will begin leading you Northwest out of town. The action starts right away, where you’ll need to decide how much you want to get into, early on the first day of your trip. There is an easy alternate, but the main track takes you to the Newby Country Store, perhaps our favorite little country store of all time. Directly after Newby, you’ll climb down the hill to a side x side play area, and excellent little crossing of Silver Creek – perhaps our favorite creek crossing of the entire route. It’s a wide, but very shallow creek in normal water conditions. The hardest part (but not the only hard part) of this section is right there on the other side of Silver Creek, in the form of a small concrete ledge you must climb, then a rock hill with some small rock steps on the way up. All of the rock mentioned is very grippy, but can still be a challenge to climb on a big bike. If you make it up the hill, then another couple miles down the road you’ll find one of the deepest creek crossings of the entire route. Everything here is doable on a big bike, but will certainly be a challenge. We love this section though, and therefore have decided to leave it in the main route.
Whether you opt for the Silver Creek section or avoid it with the bypass, you’ll next find yourself on the Valley View Ferry across the Kentucky River. This is a free, and very short ferry ride, funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Beyond the Ferry, you’ll follow the Kentucky River to the Northwest, through some more creek crossings, past the optional Out & Back to KY River Lock & Dam #6, across the Jo Blackburn Bridge, and on to the Wild Turkey Visitor Center. If you have an interest in Bourbon, be sure to ride the Out & Back that takes you to Woodford Reserve, Castle & Key, and other distilleries just south of Kentucky’s Capital City, Frankfort. For the full experience, leave time for lunch or dinner at The Stave – a memorable little dining experience. You can make a full day out of visiting and touring these distilleries, and even riding up into Frankfort to Buffalo Trace.
Wild Turkey Distillery will be the Northernmost point of the Day 1 track. You’ll then head back south. Keep an eye out for the Boone Tunnel marker – an old automotive tunnel, that led to a now-lost bridge. Speaking of bridges, don’t you dare miss the next iconic landmark on the map – the High Bridge of Kentucky! Completed in 1879, this was the first Cantilever design bridge built in the United States, an engineering marvel of it’s time, and a design still used in bridges today. While you’re here, ride on down the hill to the Kentucky River Lock and Dam #7, and the Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station. You can see, touch, and climb on a turbine from the generator sitting on the river bank beside the road.
Moving on down the road, Camp Nelson National Cemetery is a somber reminder of the lives lost defending our great country, a worthy visit for all to pay respect to the fallen. And just a bit farther, the abandoned Old Camp Nelson Bridge is fun to walk or ride out onto for a photo opp. The rest of the route will continue Southeast, and end at Berea, KY – home of the very unique Berea College, where no kid pays tuition, but all kids work for thier college education.
There are very few state or national parks with camping in this part of Kentucky, so staying at a hotel for night 1 might be your best bet. Or, we’ve had luck finding great places to camp and stay on the Hipcamp App or AirBNB.
Day 2 Track Info
Highlights
Lunch: Livingston Chicken Hut, El Dorado Mexican Restaurant, Mt Vernon 59 Truck Stop
Dinner: Steam Engine Pizza & Pub $$, The Twin $, El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant $$
Lodging: Lago Linda Hideaway, Snug Hollow Farm B&B, Natural Bridge State Park, Find a Local AirBNB
Camping: Lago Linda Hideaway, Miller’s Creek Camping Area, Natural Bridge State Park, Search on Hipcamp
Must See: Twin Tunnels, Saltepeter Caves, Camp Wildcat Civil War Site
Details
After a restful night in Berea, the Day 2 track will take you down into real Eastern Kentucky. Real Appalachia. The Renfro Valley. There will be few human features or comforts in this section, but plentify of challenging sections of riding and all the best natural features. You’ll traverse the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB) at several points on the Day 2 track. You’ll see some twin train tunnels, and have a chance to ride up to (or inside) an old saltpeter cave! The cave is rideable, though probably not legally, several hundred feet in. There will again be many creek crossings on this track. Also check out the Camp Wildcat Civil War Battle Monument.
Lunch and a fuel-up will likely need to happen at McKee, KY, as there won’t be many other towns along this day’s track. Continue winding around, until you eventually head North to the day’s end destination, Irvine, KY. We don’t need to say much about this section of the Track, because the land and the ride will speak for themselves.
Lodging and Camping near Irvine are few & far between. We will suggest you make the trip to Lago Linda Hideaway, less than a half hour down the road. They’ve been friends to the ADV community for decades, hosting the Red River Scramble each year. Their grounds are impecable too, so go support them. They have cabins to rent, or plenty of space for camping. Alternatively, you could continue along the track and stay at Natural Bridge State Park for the night, this also being highly recommended. There’s a great lodge, or excellent State Park camping facilities there, as well as hotels in Slade, KY. But if you don’t feel like pushing on, there are other options listed below near Irvine where the Day 2 Track ends.
Day 3 Track Info
Highlights
Lunch: Tres Agaves, Elliott’s Pizzeria, Fat Patty’s
Dinner: Angler’s Cove $$, The Hog’s Trough BBQ $$, Huddle House $$
Lodging: Greenbo Lake State Park Resort, Days Inn, America’s Best Value Inn
Camping: Greenbo Lake State Park, Search Hipcamp
Must See: Fitchburg Iron Furnace, Natural Bridge State Park, Home for Wayward Baby Dolls
Details
We consider the Day 3 track to be the best section of the NEK BAT, and perhaps the best section of all BAT Tracks at this time. Just a few miles into the route, make sure you stop at the Fitchburg Iron Furnace. This amazing double furnace structure has been restored, and illustrates very well how these Iron Furnaces operated, to supply iron for early settler’s needs. This is the first of many 1800’s Iron furnaces on the route. Continuing down the road, you’ll see a couple more iron furnaces, and have the opportunity to take several advanced sections to add some challenge to your ride.
Well before the halfway mark of the day, you’ll be entering the Red River Gorge geological area, and passing near Natural Bridge State Park. If you like to hike, these incredible public lands offer some of the best hiking trails in the Eastern U.S. We recommend you schedule a down day in Natural Bridge State Park, if you have the time. Back on the bike though, shortly after the park, you’ll pass through Nada Tunnel. Completed in 1911, the 900 foot long hole was blasted through the mountain by a lumber company as a railway tunnel, to supply lumber to a nearby sawmill. Today you can drive or ride through the single lane tunnel.
Throughout the day, you’ll be winding along Kentucky’s bluegrass backroads and rolling hills, including portions of the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway. Depending on how wet the ground is, these can be very challenging. Grab lunch around Cave Run Lake, because you might not find much for the rest of the day.
Eventually, you’ll wind your way up to Northeastern Kentucky and find yourself at the Greenbo Lake State Park, where they have a large and excellent camping facility, and the Greenbo Lake State Park Resort. Be sure to check out the Buffalo Iron Furnace while you’re at the park, and rest up for another day of riding.
Day 4 Track Info
Highlights
Lunch: Route 7 Quick Stop, Arty’s Pizza, Willoughby’s Down Home Restaurant
Dinner: Sue’s Hot Dogs $, Bruen’s Restaurant $$, Miguel’s Pizza $$, Sandstone Arches Restaurant $$$
Lodging: Punkin Hollow, Black Bear Lodge Motel, Natural Bridge State Park Resort
Camping: Punkin Hollow, Natural Bridge State Park, South Fork Red River Campground
Must See: New Hampshire Furnace, Abandoned Car in the Woods, Godard Covered Bridge, Punkin Hollow
Details
Day 4 of the NEK BAT will begin the trip back West. Starting in the very Northeastern corner of Kentucky, you’ll only go a few miles down the road before you need to make a decision. Take the easy path or try the advanced route through the woods and down a large hill. Either way, you’ll find yourself at New Hampshire Iron Furnace. As you’re facing the furnace, walk to the back-left corner, and find a little face carved into one of the stones, presumably by a talented worker from the 1800’s, in his spare time.
There will be a couple really great advaned sections on the Day 4 track, some intermediate sections that lean toward the difficult side, and even a couple expert sections. You won’t want to try these expert tracks on your big bike – the unmaintained roads in Eastern Kentucky are serious! This portion of the ride will also take you past, and even across some old covered bridges. Several remain in Kentucky, but for a real covered bridge tour, check out the SIN BAT.
You’re once again riding through very remote parts of Kentucky on the day 4 track, so lunch options will be slim. You can stop early at the Route 7 Quick Stop and pack something along, or take the out & back to Vanceburg for restaurants. If you can hold out, Owingsville is about 3/4 through the route, and has several dining options.
Eventually, you’ll find yourself at the end of the route near Punkin Hollow. The very first time Backer The Biker was out scouting this area for roads, he stopped to talk to the owner, who paused work on a cabin build to assure him the road went through. Turns out, this was the latest addition to the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB). The road went through alright, but it was no walk in the park! We highly advise you to book a stay at Punkin Hollow, and give your best shot at this sectoin of the DBBB. Go as far in as you can – you can always turn back.
Day 5 Track Info
Highlights
Lunch: The Lucky Dog Cafe, Hall’s On The River, Proud Mary BBQ
Dinner: Proud Mary BBQ $$, Apollo Pizza & Beer Emporium $$, Paddy Wagon Irish Pub $$
Lodging: Clarion Pointe, Holiday Inn Express, Plenty of hotels in Richmond area
Camping: Dreaming Creek Farm, Fort Boonesborough State Park
Must See: Spaas Creek Rd, Train trestle, Clay’s Ferry Overlook, Fort Boonesborough
Details
Your last day on the NEK BAT will be a short one, at only 102 miles. If you didn’t finish Day 4 completing the Punkin Hollow and Spaas Creek Rd section of Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway – well we can’t think of a better way to kick off your last day of riding. This is the best time to break something. At this point, you only have one day of riding left to miss out on. (It’s a darn good day of riding, though).
Ride back again, to the Kentucky River, and find your way to Dry Fork Creek Rd. Indeed, the creek is usually dry, but after a rain you might have to ride through some water on the 6 concrete creek crossings. At the end of the road, you’ll find a spectacular train trestle, back in the middle of nowhere, where few people know it exists. The route continues to follow the rail line, through tunnels and under train bridges.
Stop for lunch in Winchester, KY. No, this isn’t the home of the repeating rifle, but it’s a quaint little town with some interesting restaurants on the main drag. We recommend The Lucky Dog Cafe.
Down the trail a little farther, on Four Mile Rd, keep an eye out to your left before the eletrical sub-station. You’ll cross a set of railroad tracks, which leads to twin steel truss bridges crossing the river, leading directly into twin rail tunnels through the hillside on the river bank. This is a unique sight, and must have been quite the effort when they were built! Just a few more miles down the road, and you’ll find a mural alongside the river, and a path to a civil war fort on the hilltop. It’s a big hike to the top, but an interesting piece of history to behold. If you weren’t hungry at Winchester, stop in at Hall’s on the River for some incredible food.
Next, you’ll descend the river banks to Old Clay’s Ferry Bridge, a great old steel grate bridge crossing the Kentucky River. Stop and take in the view at the overlook on the south side of the river. Following Clay’s Ferry, go check out Fort Boonesborough. The fort is staffed with re-enactment enthusiasts, showing how the fort operated in civil war times. They even have an active blacksmith, making tools and equipment on a coal fire, just as it would have been. It’s an impressive display!
After the fort, you’ll be on the last leg of the trip back toward Richmond. The track ends on Muddy Creek Bridge, just outside the Bluegrass Army Depot. From there it’s a short trip back to Dreaming Creek Farm, or wherever you parked to begin your trip. Thanks for traveling along with us here, and share your ride story to backroadadventuretracks@gmail.com – we want to hear your adventure stories and feedback!
– Backer The Biker
