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Moderate Hiking Trails in Kentucky

The directory currently contains 78 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Kentucky. Their average mapped distance is 4.9 km and average recorded ascent is 152 m (499 ft); the longest route in the set is 15.3 km.

This subset represents 66% of the 119 quality-checked routes in Kentucky. Its average distance is 4.9 km, compared with 12.4 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 152 m (499 ft), versus 233 m (764 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 17 (22%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.5 km

Palisades Loop

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

31 m

Palisades Loop

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

2 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Geranium carolinianum, taken at the Kentucky River Palisades, Mercer County, KY, May 21 2016.
Moderate

River Road

Kentucky · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
176 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • River
  • Coastal
Geranium carolinianum, taken at the Kentucky River Palisades, Mercer County, KY, May 21 2016.
Moderate

Palisades Loop

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
31 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waterfall
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Auxier Ridge Trail #204

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Bluegrass Overlook Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
175 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Dixon Cave Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Cave
Moderate

White's Cave Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Cave
Moderate

Green River Bluffs Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
153 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • River
River Styx, a partly subterranean waterway, emerges onto the surface in Mammoth Cave National Park , Kentucky .
Moderate

Echo River Springs Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • River
Moderate

Rough Trail @221

Kentucky · United States

Distance
12.3 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
607 m
Typical duration
3 hr 29 min
Moderate

Pelly

Kentucky · United States

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
123 m
Typical duration
2 hr 1 min
  • River
Moderate

Auxier Branch Trail #203

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
25 min
Moderate

Lower Pinnacle Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
50 min
Moderate

Sinkhole Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
25 min
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO Wo
Moderate

Sunset Point Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
11 min
Moderate

Upper Pinnacle Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
33 min
Moderate

West Barton Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
221 m
Typical duration
58 min
Moderate

Heritage Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
59 m
Typical duration
17 min
Moderate

Learn & Burn Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
11 min
Moderate

Robe Mountain Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
139 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Tanyard

Kentucky · United States

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.9 mi
Elevation gain
135 m
Typical duration
1 hr 50 min
Moderate

Shawnee Run

Kentucky · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
102 m
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Heritage

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
25 min
Moderate

Blue Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
84 m
Typical duration
23 min
Moderate

Orange Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
32 min
Moderate

White Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
14 min
Moderate

Yellow Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
10 min
Moderate

Otter Creek

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Double Arch Trail #201

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
56 min
Moderate

Rock Bridge Trail #207

Kentucky · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
106 m
Typical duration
36 min
Moderate

Osage

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Cliff Trail #206

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Coastal
Moderate

Koomer Ridge #220

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
221 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Holly

Kentucky · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Sheltowee Trace NRT Section 18 "Sturgeon Creek"Kentucky15.1 km313 m3 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
River RoadKentucky4.2 km176 m1 hr 9 minModerateApril to October
Palisades LoopKentucky0.5 km31 m8 minModerateApril to October
Sheltowee Trace NRT Section 13Kentucky8.4 km210 m2 hr 3 minModerateApril to October
Auxier Ridge Trail #204Kentucky3.8 km114 m57 minModerateApril to October
Bluegrass Overlook TrailKentucky1.8 km175 m38 minModerateApril to October
Dixon Cave TrailKentucky0.7 km40 m12 minModerateApril to October
White's Cave TrailKentucky1.0 km47 m16 minModerateApril to October
Green River Bluffs TrailKentucky2.2 km153 m41 minModerateApril to October
Echo River Springs TrailKentucky2.0 km41 m29 minModerateApril to October

Sheltowee Trace NRT Section 18 "Sturgeon Creek", River Road, Palisades Loop currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

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Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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