Kentucky
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About Kentucky
Kentucky is a state known for its hills and rolling bluegrass, lakes and flatlands, thoroughbred horses, horse racing and local bourbon whisky distilleries. As a former slaveholding state Kentucky was caught in the middle during the Civil War and has a remarkable historic oddity in that both the president of the Union (Abraham Lincoln) and the Confederacy (Jefferson Davis) during the Civil War were born here (the state was officially neutral until invaded by Confederate forces). The state's northern border is formed by the Ohio River, and the western border is formed by the Mississippi River. Kentucky has five regions: the Cumberland Mountains and Cumberland Plateau in the southeast, the north-central Bluegrass Region around Lexington, the south-central and western Pennyroyal Plateau and the far-west Jackson Purchase. Kentucky's agricultural heritage is obvious as you drive along highways and byways.
Good to know
- Capital: Frankfort
- Climate: Summers are very warm with cool evenings. Winters have moderate snowfall.
- Timezone: UTC -5
- No. of inhabitants: 4,145,922 (2004)
- Travel alert: EnjoyYourWorld strongly advises you to take necessary precautions for a safe travel. For more info please follow this link
Highlights
- Cumberland Gap-passageway through the Appalachian Mountains
- Cumberland Falls State Park
- Mammoth Cave National Park with the world's longest cave
- The Daniel Boone National Forest with the Red River Gorge Geological Area
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area near Oneida with its scenic gorges and valleys an excellent destination for camping, whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting and fishing.
- Louisville is famous for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
- The George S. Patton, Jr. Military Museum at Fort Knox
- Old Fort Harrod State Park
Getting Around
- If you are in a hurry take the Interstate highways: I-24, I-75, I-65, I-64, I-71.
- If not try some of the Kentucky scenic byways
- Country Music Highway with lots of natural beauty and recreational opportunities. The byway will take you such plces as the Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, situated on beautiful Dewey Lake, and Yatesville Lake State Park, Paintsville Lake State Park and the Lilley Cornett Woods.
- Red River Gorge Scenic Byway with more than 100 stone arches, waterfalls and wilderness areas along the byway and good opportunities for outdoor activities such as canoeing, rock climbing, and kayaking. See the Gladie Historic Site logging camp or visit the Nada Tunnel.
- Wilderness Road Heritage Highway with panoramic views of the Appalachians in the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park following the trail marked by Daniel Boone and early pioneers. The byway will further take you to the Daniel Boone National Forest, with hiking trails, boating and fishing.
- Boone Creek Scenic Byway-a loop-route southeast of Lexington taking you to limestone palisades, waterfalls, horse farms and stone fences
- Cumberland Cultural Heritage Highway through rural landscapes, small towns and lakes like the Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow Lake, and Green River Lake. Recreational area’s like the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the Cumberland River are very popular.
- Great River Road in far Western Kentucky with views of the majestic Mississippi River. See Columbus-Belmont State Park and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge
- Midway-Versailles Road (US-62) through beautifully landscaped horse farms
- Pine Mountain Road through Eastern Kentucky over the 850 m high Pine Mountain
- US 68 Scenic Byway takes you through Kentucky's Bluegrass region with rolling hills and miles and miles of black and white planked fences and tobacco fields
- Zilpo Road with hundreds of miles of trails through Daniel Boone National Forest
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