Hike and Bike Trails
Approximately 100 miles of trails and 200 miles of scenic roads lead to some of the most wonderful spots at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Native wildlife, plants, and wildflowers thrive in our woods, fields, and lakeshores. Our trail system is extensive, offering a variety of excursion possibilities.
Please note: Ebikes are considered motorized equipment and can only be operated on designated motorized routes (FS legal roads and OHV trails). They are not permitted on non-motorized (hiking/biking/equestrian) trails.
- Trails are open year-round: come outside to play and experience the changing seasons!
- Check the Alerts page for additional info about trails
- Please use tick repellent spray before heading out in the woods.
- Tick Safety Information
Hiking and Biking Trails
This 11-mile loop has 4 connectors providing up to 14 miles of trail opportunities. One of our most popular mountain biking trails, the Canal Loop offers spectacular lake views, a variety of challenging terrain, and opportunities for short or long loops.
This trail provides users with smooth surfaces, gentle grades, and trailside rest areas. It runs parallel with US68/KY80 highways. The paved 2.5 miles on the eastern portion provides shoreline views of Lake Barkley and wildlife viewing opportunities in open areas. The 8.5 miles of the central and western portions use a compacted stone surface. Explore rolling hills and ridge tops of a central hardwoods forest ecosystem.
Located in the south end of Land Between the Lakes, The Fort Henry Trail System connects 9 trails totaling approximately 27 miles. These trails follow the route of General Grant’s troop movements from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson during the Civil War. The Fort Henry trail system offers hikers/bikers some of the best opportunities for solitude at Land Between the Lakes.
- Fort Henry Trail Map
- CLOSURE: Portions of the Ft. Henry trail system were severely damaged during the December 10, 2021 tornadoes. As a result, Pickett Loop, Connector #1 (from Boswell Landing), and Connector #2 (from Ft. Henry Trailhead/FS Road 232) are closed until further notice as a safety precaution around ongoing and planned timber salvage operations. Ft. Henry Trailhead will remain open for visitor parking however this may change as salvage operations progress closer to the area. On this map, the orange lines represent the associated trail closures.
- Read the Fort Henry Safety Fact Sheet for more information.
Check-in and register at Hillman Ferry Gatehouse
The 5.47 miles of trails within the Hillman Ferry Campground woods are listed as a Heritage National Recreation Trail for hiking and biking only. These trails follow historic roads used by the former Star Lime Works community disbanded during construction of the Kentucky Lake reservoir and dam.
The trails are open to Hillman campers, as well as the general public, for hiking and biking. There is a small parking lot on the north (right) side of the Hillman Ferry Campground entrance road, just before the gatehouse, for the general public.
- Hillman Heritage National Recreation Trail Map
- CLOSURE- Hillman Heritage Trail and North End Paved Trail:
Portions of the Hillman Heritage Trail and North End Paved Trail are temporarily closed due to ongoing tornado timber salvage operations and to continue promoting visitor safety around these operations.
This 59-mile trail spans the entire length of the recreation area. Terrain ranges from rugged, hilly areas in the north to easier, less strenuous hiking in the south. You can access sections of this trail from points along a variety of Forest Service roads and facilities.
The 31-mile North End of the trail is open to both biking and hiking.
- North/South Trail-North End Map
- DETOUR for North/South Trail- North End:
- Portions of the North/South Trail are closed due to tornado damage and ongoing recovery and timber salvage efforts. A detour on the northern end of the route has been established to promote visitor safety around these operations.
Hiking Only Trails
Our Woodlands Nature Watch Area offer optimum opportunity to see native wildlife at Land Between the Lakes. We manage the area to keep the forest healthy and to keep invasive species from taking control of our native landscape. We also plant crops to help native wildlife build habitats for healthy living and hide from predators.
Encircling 80-acre Hematite Lake, this 2.2 mile loop trail is known for its high diversity of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and woodland wildflowers. The landscape is marked with scars of the iron industry. This forest patch hosts the closest to “old growth” forest in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
This trail also features a ¼ mile long wetland boardwalk. Canebrake and willow border the boardwalk which allows the visitor to peer into a beaver marsh without a muddy foot or scraped knee. Look for spring cress in April, jewelweed and purple fringeless orchids in July, and the cardinal flower in September.
Peek into the bottomland forest of Land Between the Lakes as this ¼ mile paved path leads you through sycamores, sweet gums, and oak stands. Kingfishers, green herons, and beaver inhabit these deep woods. This trail offers a great opportunity for children and other people looking for an easy walk.
Honker Lake is a shallow, 180-acre impoundment that was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s for waterfowl management. Honker Lake has hosted several wildlife reintroductions, such as beaver, osprey, Canada geese, and otters.
The lake offers two great ways to view wildlife: hiking and paddling. A 4.6-mile hiking loop trail circles the lake, meandering through the lake shore, upland, and bottom-land forest settings. Kayaking and canoeing provide a different vantage point to wildlife in these calm waters. See lotus flowers blooming and watch osprey dive for fish and beavers slap the water with their paddle-like tails. Guided canoe and kayaks programs are offered seasonally through the Woodlands Nature Station.
This 59-mile trail spans the entire length of the recreation area. Terrain ranges from rugged, hilly areas in the north to easier, less strenuous hiking in the south. You can access sections of this trail from points along a variety of Forest Service roads and facilities.
The 27-mile South End of this trail hiker-only with a shared-use equestrian section between Road 342 and the Homeplace.
- North/South Trail-South End Map
- DETOUR for North/South Trail- South End – A detour has been established to bypass a section of the North/South Trail that was impacted during the December 10, 2021 tornados. Approximately 7.9 miles of the North/South Trail and 0.80 miles of the North/South-Ft. Henry Connector will be closed until further notice between South Welcome Station and FS Roads 221, 222, and 230. Barricades are placed on the trail at these locations. The detour (approx. 6.4 miles) utilizes portions of the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway and FS Road 221 and will provide trail users extra clearance around ongoing and planned logging operations . Trail users should look for “detour” decals on white posts installed at intersections and follow the white diamonds between posts.
On the below map, the red line represents the trail closures and the yellow line is the detour.
We consider a backpacker to be a person who carries all of their camping equipment and personal belongings in a backpack and wears it to walk via a hiking trail in order to camp one or more nights. Backpackers generally move along the trail to a different location by foot each day. This does not include parking a vehicle and carrying supplies by hand to a campsite.
Resources
Recreation Handbook, Written by Johnny Malloy.
Basic and Self-Service Camping
If you plan to camp in a designated Basic Campground/Camping Area while backpacking along a trail, you will need to purchase a Basic/Dispersed Camping Permit for each person 18 and over.
If you plan to camp at a Self-Service Campground while backpacking, you must pay a nightly per camping unit fee for camping. The Basic/Dispersed Permit cannot be used at Self-Service Campgrounds.
At Self-Service Campgrounds, you choose a site, fill out a provided fee envelope, insert your camping fee into the envelope, and deposit the envelope in the “Iron Ranger” fee tube at the entrance. Please do this within 30 minutes of setting up your camp.
Visit the Basic and Self-Service page for more information on basic and self-service camping options.
