Route Overview
Region
Miles
Days Out
Recommended Tire Size
Season
Elevation Gain
Difficulty
4/10 Technical
Primary Surface(s)
~30% smooth gravel
Route Map
Route Details
Land Between the Lakes (LBL) is a unique 170,000-acre National Recreation Area situated between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.
The Land Between the Lakes Bikepacking Route, takes its inspiration from the route for the April Fool’s Gravel Camp, hosted by Gear Up Cycles each spring. Matt Falwell, the event organizer, has come up with a route that Nathan has worked with local experts to develop into a great overnight bikepacking route.
Highlights include:
- Pristine gravel riding
- Abundant disbursed camping
- Check out the fire tower
You’ll love the variety on this route. Start your adventure by making your way across Kentucky Lake, via the paved multi-use path and Eggner’s Ferry Bridge. Make use of the paved multi-use trail as you cross over Kentucky Lake into LBL. Ride along a portion of the Central Hardwoods Trail, for some flowy gravel singletrack. Stop off at the Golden Pond Visitor’s Center to top off your water, use the restroom, or purchase a snack or permit before heading north on the Trace and onto the abundant gravel forest roads. You’ll even experience a very short section of backwoods dirt singletrack on the North/South trail. Head to one of the dispersed camping sites (permit required and available on a first-come, first-served basis) and make camp, dinner, relax, and bed down for the night.
- Paved: 25%
- Smooth Gravel: 30%
- Rough Gravel: 40%
- 4×4 road: 3%
- Singletrack: 2%
- Free overnight parking is available at the lodge at Kenlake Resort State Park.
- Camping is abundant in LBL and ranges from dispersed camping (permit required), available on a first come, first served basis, with several spots to choose from along the route, to Self-Service Campgrounds (no reservation or permit required – pay on-site) to full-service campgrounds with shower houses (reservations recommended). If you want a bed the night before or after your ride, get a room a KenLake Resort State Park, where the route begins and ends.
- Cell service is sketchy along the route for most carriers.
- Once you enter LBL, the only place you’ll be able to refill water will be at Golden Pond Visitor’s Center so you’ll either need to plan to filter water or carry enough to meet your needs.
- Nathan has created a great video review of the route available here.
- Kentucky Cycling hosts the main page for the Land Between the Lakes route.
- Go directly to the main route page on Ride With GPS.
Nathan Rome developed, photographed and stewards the Land Between the Lakes bikepacking route. A self-professed lover of all cycling genres, but master of none, Nathan is continually looking for ways to partner with cycling advocates throughout the state to be a part of helping to tell Kentucky’s rich cycling story.
Nathan manages the Kentucky Cycling website. Kentucky Cycling is a group promoting cycling resources in Kentucky and the surrounding regions. To learn more, please visit them at kentuckycycling.org
Here is a bit about Nathan in his own words: “Nathan is the owner and content creator of Kentucky Cycling, a passion project aimed at promoting cycling resources in Kentucky and the surrounding region (see KentuckyCyling.Org for more info.). Nathan sees the bicycle as the ideal exploration tool and especially loves multi-day adventures by bike and actively encourages others to “get out there”. To that end, he has worked with area partners to develop multiple bikepacking routes in Kentucky as well as led group trips through the Central Kentucky Bikepackers facebook group. Be sure to check out the Bikepacking playlist on the Kentucky Cycling YouTube channel to follow Nathan’s adventures.”
Special thanks to the following people:
1) Matt Falwell for sharing this route with us as well as identifying a few of his favorite dispersed camping spots along the route.
2) Mike Duffy, the KenLake Park Manager, for allowing parking at the lodge and being an avid supporter of cycling in the region.
3) Joe Snyder (Instagram as @GravelSasquatch) for being our local guide, identifying a few more dispersed campsites, for introducing a few cool tweaks to the route, and for a being a major stoke spreader for #LBLGravel.
Nathan has offered to be available to answer questions if you are planning a trip on this route.
Please also get in touch with any updates on route conditions that may be relevant to other riders.
Please submit your questions and comments on the route via the contract form below.
This route traverses the traditional lands of the Chickasaw, East Cherokee, Osage, Quapaw, and Shawnee people.
