Kentucky State Parks are located at some of the most scenic and culturally significant places in the Bluegrass State. You'll find them at natural wonders like Pine Mountain and Natural Bridge, on major lakes and reservoirs, and at sites with special historical importance, such as Fort Boonesborough and Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. Adventure abounds at our state parks, from whitewater rafting at Breaks Interstate Park to boating and biking at Green River Lake. You can even tee off at nationally recognized golf courses such as those at Mineral Mound State Park and General Burnside Island State Park.

Kentucky State Resort Parks

In addition to natural beauty and splendid views of the Kentucky landscape, Kentucky State Resort Parks offer full-service lodges and cottages, Kentucky Proud cuisine and amenities like marinas and equestrian camps. Examples include Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, home of the historic DuPont Lodge; Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park, located near the famous Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area; and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in the Kentucky Appalachians, where you can spend your days fishing or elk watching and end your evening under the stars with a show at the outdoor amphitheater.

Many Kentucky State Parks are experiencing closures due to renovations. Be sure to check Park status before visiting. Learn more by visiting the Kentucky State Parks website.

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Family Fun in the Kentucky Appalachians Region

Kentucky Appalachians

Day 1: Caves & Candy

If there’s one thing you can probably get everyone in the family to agree on, it’s chocolate! Sink your teeth into Blue Mondays and other only-in-Kentucky candies at Ruth Hunt Candy Co. in Mt. Sterling, which has been in the chocolate business since 1921 and is the official candy maker for the Kentucky Derby. Take a factory tour to see how the chocolate gets made!

Next, venture underground on a memorable tour at Carter Caves State Resort Park in Olive Hill. The three-quarter-mile Cascade Cave Tour takes you to the Lake Room, the geologically diverse Cathedral Room and a 30-foot high underground waterfall. For a shorter excursion, the quarter-mile Glimpse of Cascade Cave Tour offers an excellent look at Dance Hall Cavern and Dragon’s Lair, while the X-Cave Tour features two vertical joint passages that meander through a large layer of limestone and provide views of beautiful formations. Reserve a room at the lodge here or overnight in nearby Ashland.

Day 2: Stars of Many Kinds

Today’s adventure starts at Ashland's Highlands Museum and Discovery Center, which houses a wide range of hands-on exhibits that explore the region’s past and celebrate its present. Kids can visit a 19th-century classroom, explore a Discovery Cavern, and make their own souvenir in an area that brings Kentucky’s frontier days to life.
From here, drive south to explore Kentucky’s country music heritage at Loretta Lynn's Homeplace: "Butcher Holler." Situated along the Country Music Highway (U.S. 23) the cabin is nestled between two mist-shrouded mountains up a “holler” two miles southeast of the coal-mining camp of Van Lear.

Now trade country stars for actual stars at the East Kentucky Science Center on the campus of Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg. Planetarium shows here will take you to the edge of space and time. If you enjoy rock music, be sure to check out the center’s awesome laser light shows set to music. Make reservations to stay at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park or continue on to nearby Pikeville.

Day 3: Wild Feuds & Whitewater Rafting

150 Year Feud commemorative rifle

The History Channel’s highly successful miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys” generated overwhelming interest in that infamous feud. There’s no better place to explore it than right where it happened, Pike County, on the Hatfield and McCoy Driving Tour.

Before leaving the mountains, try your hand at Russell Fork Whitewater Rafting. The Russell Fork cuts a dramatic 1,600-foot gorge through the mountains into Elkhorn City, offering Class IV-Class VI rapids – one of many ways to enjoy the area's splendid outdoors.

Kentucky State Parks Adventure