10 Picturesque Trails In Kentucky That Are Perfect For Winter Hiking
Winter in Kentucky is coming. The days are shorter. The air is brisk. Your morning begins with scraping frost off of your windshield. There’s nothing we can do to stop the inevitable arrival of winter, but just because the temperature drops doesn’t mean you should stay cooped up indoors until the first signs of spring. These 10 hikes in Kentucky are perfect for a chilly winter day. They’re all under two miles and have mostly easy terrain to help you keep your footing during snowy or icy days.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
This 0.9 mile out and back trail in Red River Gorge will lead you to the impressive Princess Arch. You can explore both underneath and on top of the arch, but be careful if there is snow or ice on the ground.
Coming in at about a mile, this short hike will take you through some of the beautiful wooded areas of Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Parts of the trail go along Honker Lake.
The natural bridge in Carter Caves State Resort Park is unique in that it's the only natural bridge in Kentucky to support a paved highway. This 0.5 mile trail will take you to this geological wonder, which looks absolutely magical when blanketed in snow.
The High Point Loop is an easy 0.5 mile hike, which will show you some of the most beautiful parts of Bernheim Forest in Clermont. Almost directly across the street from the trailhead for the High Point Loop is the Canopy Walk, which is a short boardwalk that is elevated 75 feet off of the forest floor, making for some unreal views. Be sure to tack this little detour onto your hike.
Take this 0.7 mile trail to see the small but impressive natural arches known as the Angel Windows. The trail begins at the Parched Corn Overlook, and then leads you along a wooded ridge. You will see the Angel Windows at the end of the trail.
This 0.4 mile loop in Mammoth Cave National Park near Park City winds along a scenic lake. It remains mostly level, making it a great hike to take kids on.
This 0.5 mile hike is the most popular way to view Cumberland Falls, which is an amazing sight to see if there is snow on the ground. The trail is mostly paved and has some steps, so be sure you check to see how slick they are before going down them.
Raven Rock is one of the natural gems of Kingdom Come State Park. The 0.5 mile trail takes you to a rock exposure that extends 290 feet into the air at a 45 degree angle. Obviously, do not try to scramble up it, especially if it's coated in ice or snow.
This trail is about 1.5 miles, and has some stunning overlooks as it traverses along the cliffs. The last 0.5 miles can be a bit rocky, so be sure to watch your footing if you are hiking while the ground is slick.
The Parklands of Floyds Fork is a massive system of four different parks in eastern Jefferson County. There are plenty of short hikes throughout the Parklands, but this particular hike is located in Turkey Run Park. This 1.2 mile trail starts at the historic Ben Stout House, and will take you through a large reforestation area where more than 30,000 new trees were planted.
There are plenty more short hikes that are great for winter weather throughout Kentucky, so add your favorite one in the comments. Has anyone hiked any of these 10 trails before?
