Explore the best rated trails in Frankfort, KY, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Ohio River Greenway and Big Four Bridge . With more than 15 trails covering 84 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
I live about 30 minutes away from the trail and just discovered this fantastic opportunity. I rode the east side portion that goes from HWY 60 at the community garden trail head and goes south to end at Bardstown road hwy 150. It’s about 18 miles one way. The mile markers on the route must be part of the proposed final solution as they start at something like 74 and when you reach the end is around 56, at Bardstown road area. Best trail I have encountered so far. Much shade to enjoy but also open areas with scenic views. Super nice bridges to cross as you ride along the water. Rolling terrain, so yes there are moderate hills for the novice rider. Concrete or blacktop all the way. Very clean and well maintained. It certainly gets a 5 star rating in my view.
Wife, special needs adult son & I rode about 2/3rds of the Legacy Trail on 7/25/2024. We had been in town this week visiting family, who had previously mentioned this bike trail, so I was looking forward to experiencing it. We started at the North end, noontime, with the July heat making itself known. The ride was overall pleasant, despite a considerable amount of time spent in close proximity to I64/I75. The only issue we experienced was losing our way (due to inadequate signage) near Coldstream Park. We ended up at an apparent dead end at Aristides Drive, near the Embassy Suites & Marriott & it took about 20 minutes of wrangling, looking at maps on our phones & asking locals how to get back on the main path to get on our way. I was looking forward to completing the entire trail, but the detour and last portion along Citation Drive in the afternoon July heat sapped the remaining commitment we had in finishing. We were able to get a tasty lunch at Jimmy John's and after this break, we were able to do the return trip with no issues. It appears that south to north is more downhill, making it easier. Will definitely ride again next time back in the area. Thanks for a good time!!
I rode the entirety of the Parklands of Floyds Fork section on a very sunny spring day. I have ridden trails in many states and this was one of the best trails I've ever experienced. It is very well maintained, has breathtaking scenery and has multiple trailheads many of which have some of the cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen on a trail.
I started at the Beckley Creek trailhead which made the first few miles very hilly. As a mostly rail-trail rider this trail has many hills, curves and switchbacks. I very much enjoyed the challenge this provided but some of the hills will surprise you. I also found the trail mostly easy to navigate but the first few miles my wife and I made a few wrong turns until we found the Loop. I ended at the Broad Run Park trailhead which was much less hilly so starting there would make the beginning of your ride much easier.
After the first few miles which also seemed to be the busiest the trail starts to flatten out and become more rural. The scenery changes from playgrounds to fields of wildflowers, farms and wooded areas. There was never a dull moment in the scenery or the trail itself as it does require you to pay attention due to the hills and curves.
The trail is perfectly paved and there are trailheads every few miles. Most trailheads had shelters and bathrooms which gives plenty of options to start and end your ride. Residents of Louisville are very lucky to have this gem of a trail right outside of their city.
Well paved trail. Rode from YMCA to the end and back. About 24 miles total. We had a good ride with beautiful scenery. Some hills but not too bad. We did hear the traffic noise 60-70% of the time.
I ran this trail in March 2024. The review that has been submitted stated that the trail was short and flat. It is short, but it is not flat. The trail legend shows it's split in to three legs, but a person could absolutely do the whole stretch without any issue. There is little to no traffic and even though you do cross a couple of roads, the cars were kind enough to let me run through. There is a slow steep hill through Berry Park and then the rest of the path runs behind a neighborhood of houses. I parked in the "middle" of the three trails at the above-mentioned park and ran southwest first and this was a steady up and down path. It looks as though it has just been repaired as there were still signs of freshly planted grass and straw along the path. However, sadly, there are sinking holes already in the path and even a huge crater in part of it. I then did a loop, returning to the park and then up the northeastern part of the trail. This runs through a cul-de-sac and is an easy road run until the trail picks up again just cross Alumni Drive. The northern part of the trail is mostly shaded and wide with a nice creek running through. I felt safe and the trail seemed to be clear of trash. Not sure I would run this again if I were to return to the area just based on the hills alone. I was just in the area for an overnight stay and needed to fit in a quick 5K before a long car ride home.
Earlier this year, my parents stumbled upon part of this trail and were eager to introduce it to me when I was in town for the holiday. As a new professional in the railroading industry, I was excited to enjoy one of the Rails-to-Trails in person after hearing high praise from my colleagues. The area is very well maintained with clear signage, greenery, and historical markers. Since my parents (who are in their 70s) did not feel comfortable traversing the steep incline that leads to the Hospital, we instead opted for the Crooked Creek West Trail and Deer Path. These were much more accessible due to being mostly flatter terrain and led us to the abandoned Crooked Creek Phantom Bridge of Madison, Indiana. I would love to see more historical information on display to enrich the experience. It was very cool to see parts of the rail stamped with the original mill marks of Carnegie Steel from the 1905 installation!
Pro Tip: Start at the waterfront downtown for easy parking and a better, more scenic starting point that follows the waterway.
On a chilly morning in late October with a temperature hovering at forty degrees, I ventured out onto the Louisville Loop's Parklands of Floyds Fork portion of trails. The Parklands is made up of five sections in a rural setting, and I rode four of them out and back.
BECKLEY CREEK PARK
First of all, this section is surprisingly hilly at the start and toward the end. Even the bridges over the creek were steep! Thank goodness for my Swytch pedal assist! It's especially picturesque with beautiful creek and woodlands views. The calls of birds will accompany you throughout this section.
(Unfortunately, the connecting trail to Pope Lick Park was closed as of October 23 due to construction, so back up the trail, pack up the bike, and drive to the next trailhead.)
POPE LICK PARK & THE STRAND
If you're averse to hills, then these are the sections for you. If you're also into sensational creek views and crossing over bridges, you'll be in heaven.. These two sections also contain beautiful scenery of wooded hills, farmland with field of corn, and a few charming country homes. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles. I saw about a dozen of them sunning themselves on a log extending into the creek. Rust colored fuzzy caterpillars with a black collar and black rear tip were also all over the trail. By far, these portions of the trail were the busiest with bicyclists and walkers.
TURKEY RUN PARK
Again, if you're not into hills, this is not a good section for you. With my pedal assist it was not an issue, and it was especially fun going through the woods and seeing the multitude of squirrels with nuts in their mouths scampering across the path and up trees. Of course the silo at the top of the hill is one of the stars of this section and is most definitely worth the climb to the top. From there you can see the trail head down through Turkey Park to the north, and the trail also heading down to the south and Broad Run Park (which I didn't have time to do).
CONCLUSION
All in all, I did 31 miles in this superlative park. The trail is superb: wide, smooth, and curvy which adds to the fun and interest! The park has real restrooms that are clean and have sinks. No porta-potties for The Parklands! This park system is obviously much beloved by the community. There were many happy, friendly folks utilizing it on a weekday. It's evident that a great deal of thought and planning went into this treasure! It's a model of what a park should be. The rest of the country should come and study it. It is most certainly a destination bike ride. I came all the way from California to ride this, and I have no regrets! What a gem of a park and trail system!
(This was the 49th state I've ridden my bike in. Thanks for making it a great one, Louisville! On to Hawaii!)
I’m in Lexington for business - whenever I’m in a new city - I try to checkout the bike trail. The Legacy Trail did not disappoint- I’m from Central Ohio and our trails are pancake flat - the Legacy Trail has enough elevation to get the heart rate up - but nothing the novice cyclist couldn’t handle. I enjoyed taking in the history in the trail and most importantly- I felt very safe as a solo female rider from out of town. The trail was full of friendly cyclists!
The downtown section west from the Big 4 Bridge was awful. Poorly maintained and a lot of sketchy areas. Do yourself a favor and ride across the Big 4 Bridge into Indiana and ride the trail west from there. Nice trail and some nice views of the river.
We found ourselves on this trail thinking we were near the end of the legacy trail. There are nice bike lanes marked in green. We turned around due to the amount of broken glass on them . Found a beautiful fox mural on one of the buildings.
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