10 Scenic Drives In Kentucky Past Rolling Hills, Horse Farms And Forests

Some roads are just a way to get from one place to another. The roads in this list are a whole different story.

They curve past horse farms where foals nap in the grass like they own the place. They climb through forests so thick you might forget your phone even exists.

They roll over hills that seem designed to make your stomach do a flip. You will not find billboards shouting at you every few seconds out here.

Instead, you get stone fences, sleepy creeks, and views worth slowing down for. Kentucky turns an ordinary drive into an adventure.

All you need is a full tank, a good playlist, and a snack within reach. Your passengers will probably start pointing at things out the window.

Let them, because that is half the fun. Grab your keys, roll down the windows, and pick your first route.

1. Old Frankfort Pike Historic And Scenic Byway

Work on this road started in 1775, which makes your morning commute look pretty modern. Back then it was called the Old Lexington-Frankfort Road.

Today it stretches 15.5 miles along Kentucky Route 1681, linking Lexington and Frankfort through Woodford County. In 2021 it earned National Scenic Byway status, a big promotion from its state title.

Horse lovers, get ready to slow down. Famous Thoroughbred farms such as Darby Dan, Stonestreet, Airdrie Stud, WinStar, Lane’s End, and Three Chimneys sit along the route.

Dry-laid limestone fences line the shoulders like old stone ribbons. In some stretches, hardwood trees arch overhead and form a leafy tunnel.

Near the Lexington end, McConnell Springs Park marks the 1775 campsite where Lexington got its name. The 26-acre sanctuary has trails, boardwalks, and a bur oak around 250 years old.

Want a photo with a legend? A bronze statue of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat stands at the roundabout with Alexandria Drive.

Art fans can swing by the Headley-Whitney Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate with jeweled bibelots and a Shell Grotto. Checking hours before you go is a smart move.

History stacks up fast here too. The byway passes through six National Register historic districts, and Mt.

Vernon Baptist Church dates to 1822.

Pack a camera and plenty of patience. You’ll want to pull over more than once.

2. Pisgah Pike Scenic Byway

A real castle sits along this short country road, and no, you didn’t take a wrong turn into Europe. The Kentucky Castle at 230 Pisgah Pike was first built in 1969.

Now it works as a boutique hotel and event space with farm-to-table dining. Architectural Digest even named it the most beautiful hotel in Kentucky.

The byway itself runs about five miles along KY 1967 in Woodford County. It connects Old Frankfort Pike with US 60, between Versailles and Lexington.

Short? Sure.

Boring? Not even close.

Sections of the road pass under a canopy of Osage orange trees. Historic dry-laid limestone walls trace the edges, while wildflowers and creeks pop up along the way.

Here’s a fun bit of history. In 1988, the Pisgah area became Kentucky’s first National Register Rural Historic District.

Settlers arrived here in 1784, the same year Pisgah Presbyterian Church was founded. Its stone building went up in 1812, and stained-glass windows were added in 1888.

Horse country surrounds you too. WinStar Farm is nearby and offers public tours by reservation, so plan ahead if you want a closer look.

Need a snack stop? Wallace Station Deli and Bakery, created by Chef Ouita Michel, sits close by.

Drive it slowly. Five miles go by quickly when the scenery keeps tugging at your sleeve.

3. Midway-Versailles Road

Railroads don’t usually found towns in Kentucky, but one did. Midway was laid out by the Lexington and Ohio Railroad and became the state’s first railroad town.

That town anchors one end of this 6.3-mile byway along US 62. The other end lands in Versailles, the Woodford County seat founded in 1792.

In between, the scenery gets fancy. Landscaped horse farms like Fawn Leap, Shadowlawn, Adena Springs, Stonewall, and Lane’s End roll past your windows.

Keep your eyes moving, because the fences and barns look straight out of a postcard. Rock-lined fences around Versailles add even more charm.

Once you reach Midway, park and stretch your legs. Antique shops, boutiques, and restaurants fill the historic downtown.

Freight trains still roll down active tracks along Railroad Street. In 1978, 176 Midway buildings landed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Curious about the backstory? The Midway Museum covers local history, farming, and railways.

A short side trip leads to Weisenberger Mill, which has run on South Elkhorn Creek since 1865. It’s the oldest continuously operating mill in Kentucky, and you can pick up flours and mixes.

Train fans should also check out the Bluegrass Scenic Railroad and Museum in Versailles. It offers seasonal scenic rides.

Short road, big payoff. Not bad for a highway with a railroad family tree.

4. Russell Cave Road

Folks in the 1800s threw picnics and political rallies beside a cave on this road. Talk about a memorable meeting spot.

Russell Cave is Fayette County’s largest cave, sitting on historic Mount Brilliant Farm. Its underground stream has been traced for three-quarters of a mile.

The cave honors Colonel William Russell, who received the land for his Revolutionary War service. Native American mounds have also been found on the surrounding land.

The official scenic section of KY 353 is short, about 2.5 miles. It runs from Ironworks Pike to Hughes Lane north of Lexington.

Don’t let the size fool your plans, though. The road serves as a driveway to some of the region’s grandest horse farms.

Gunston Hall Farm, a family-run Thoroughbred operation, sits at 2900 Russell Cave Road. Hilaur Farm, a sport horse facility, lies just minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park.

Architecture fans get a treat too. Historic Greek Revival and Federal style homes dot the route.

Corinthia, built in 1854, shows off its Corinthian columns. Buenna Hill answers back with Doric columns, like a friendly column contest.

History runs deep nearby as well. Maddoxtown, a hamlet founded by free Black residents in 1871, grew up in this area with a church and schools.

Go slow and keep a lookout. The farms deserve your full attention, and so does the road.

5. Ironworks Pike

Some roads lead to horse farms. Ironworks Pike leads to a whole park built around horses.

The Kentucky Horse Park opened in 1978 and covers 1,224 acres. It’s a working horse farm, an international competition venue, and an educational theme park rolled into one.

Inside, the Horses of the World Show runs twice daily with breeds shown in authentic costumes. The International Museum of the Horse, a Smithsonian affiliate, tells the long story of people and horses.

Don’t skip the statues. Man o’ War stands tall, and a life-size Secretariat looks ready to bolt.

The scenic byway section stretches about 7.2 miles along KY 1973. It starts at Paris Pike and ends near exit 120 on I-75.

Along the way, white and black plank fences frame rolling green fields. Thoroughbred farms keep appearing, each one tidier than the last.

Keep an eye out for a stone manse at 3901 Ironworks Pike. Built around 1929 as a wedding gift, it used limestone quarried right on the property.

Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church adds another dose of history. Its congregation formed in April 1827.

The road also crosses Russell Cave Road and Newtown Pike. That makes it easy to link a couple of Kentucky byways in one afternoon.

Bring snacks and a full battery. Between foals and fences, your camera roll will fill up quickly.

6. Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway

A future president took his first breath at the start of this route. Abraham Lincoln was born near Hodgenville in 1809.

From there, the Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway runs about 72 miles along US 31E and US 150. It ends in Danville, where Kentucky statehood was negotiated.

The scenery comes from the knobs, a region of rounded hills and farmland. Fair warning: you’ll want to stop at nearly each curve.

Start at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park. A memorial building holds a cabin that symbolizes his birthplace, and the grounds open daily from dawn to dusk.

Just up the road sits the Knob Creek Boyhood Home. Lincoln lived there from about age two to seven, and it’s said to hold his earliest memory.

Near New Haven, the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani rests in the knobs. It’s America’s oldest Trappist monastery.

Bardstown sits near the middle, with My Old Kentucky Home State Park close by. History buffs can also stop at the Civil War Museum.

Farther along, Lincoln Homestead State Park in Springfield shows the home of Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks. It’s open from May through September.

Then comes Perryville, site of Kentucky’s biggest Civil War battle. Danville’s Constitution Square Historic Site has maps to guide you.

Honest Abe would approve of this road. It tells the truth about how pretty Kentucky can be.

7. Duncan Hines Scenic Road

Before his name landed on cake mix boxes, Duncan Hines was a traveling salesman with strong opinions about restaurants. His 1935 guidebook, Adventures in Good Eating, made him famous.

Hines was born in Bowling Green in 1880. Fittingly, this scenic loop starts and ends in his hometown.

The route covers roughly 80 miles through Warren and Edmonson counties. It begins at a historical marker outside the home and office he built in 1940 on Louisville Road.

From there you roll through tiny communities like Rhoda, Huff, Sunfish, and Bee Spring. Each name sounds like a character in a storybook.

In Sunfish, look for the Sunfish Mall, a country store built in the 1940s. It even doubles as the local post office.

Here comes the fun part. The loop enters Mammoth Cave National Park and crosses the Green River on a ferry.

Check your vehicle first, since the ferry limits weight and length. It can also pause during high or low water.

The drive also offers views of Nolin Lake and crosses the Nolin Lake Dam. On the way back, Smiths Grove and Oakland add small-town charm.

Hungry for more Hines? The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University features an exhibit with a replica kitchen holding his original stove.

The man rated restaurants for a living. This road would earn top marks from him too.

8. Red River Gorge Scenic Byway

Your car squeezes through a 900-foot tunnel on this drive, and it’s only one lane wide. Nada Tunnel was carved for logging between 1910 and 1912 with dynamite, steam drills, and hand tools.

Go slowly and yield to oncoming traffic. It’s 12 feet wide, so this isn’t the place for showing off.

The byway runs about 46 miles from Stanton toward Zachariah. It winds through Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe counties in Daniel Boone National Forest.

Arches steal the spotlight here. The area holds more than 100 natural sandstone arches, the largest cluster east of the Mississippi River.

Sky Bridge offers a short loop trail and overlooks into the gorge. Gray’s Arch spans about 80 feet and rises around 50 feet.

For a quick payoff, Chimney Top Rock sits at the end of a short, mostly paved trail. The views stretch wide, but stay well back from cliff edges.

Forests wrap around you the whole way, with beech, sugar maple, hemlock, oak, and hickory. Autumn color here is spectacular.

The Red River also carries a National Wild and Scenic River title. A 19.4-mile stretch earned it in 1993, and canoeing is popular.

Stop at the Gladie Visitor Center for maps and stories about the gorge. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except federal holidays.

Bring hiking shoes. The road is pretty, but the trails seal the deal.

9. Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway

Bison and elk roam free just off this road, and you can drive right through their neighborhood. The Elk and Bison Prairie covers 700 acres with a 3-mile paved loop.

Cooler months bring the best viewing, from September through February. In October, listen for elk bugling across the grass.

The byway runs about 43 miles through Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It links Grand Rivers, Kentucky, with Dover, Tennessee.

The road follows a ridge between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. Forests, wetlands, and grasslands keep changing the view.

Fall foliage usually peaks in mid-October. Winter has its perks too, with open views through bare trees.

Love the night sky? Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory has a 40-foot dome and hosts Star Parties on summer weekends, weather permitting.

Woodlands Nature Station sits between Honker and Hematite lakes. It cares for native animals that can’t return to the wild.

History waits at the southern end. The Homeplace 1850s Working Farm features 16 log structures and costumed interpreters, though it closes December through February.

Watch for bald eagles, ospreys, red foxes, and deer. Sunrise and sunset are prime time for spotting wildlife.

Set aside a full day. Between the critters and the stars, this road won’t let you rush.

10. Zilpo Road National Forest Scenic Byway

Cave Run Lake goes by a bold nickname: the Muskie Capital of the South. This forest road ends right on its shore.

The byway runs roughly 10 miles through Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky. It sits about 60 miles east of Lexington, mostly in Rowan County.

Your trip starts near little Clear Creek Lake, close to the Clear Creek Iron Furnace site. From there, Forest Service Road 918 climbs through steep ridges and thick hardwoods.

Part of the route crosses the Pioneer Weapons Wildlife Management Area. Hunters there may only use old-style gear like bows and black powder rifles.

Keep your eyes peeled for wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, hawks, and owls. Bald eagles and ospreys sometimes show up too.

The road finishes at Zilpo Recreation Area, perched on a peninsula in the lake. It runs from mid-March through late October.

Campers can choose tent sites, RV spots, or one of 12 cabins. A campground store sells ice, firewood, gear, and food.

Summer swimmers can enjoy a sandy beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day. High water can close it, so check ahead.

Hikers should try the 2.25-mile Zilpo Mountain Loop Trail. It leads to an overlook above the lake.

For even bigger views, the Tater Knob Fire Tower is open to the public. Climbing it makes a sweet finale to any Kentucky road trip.