Top Backpacking Trails in Kentucky
14 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in Kentucky centers on the Daniel Boone National Forest and a few federal and state parks, and the trips on this site run from Land Between the Lakes in the west to Pine Mountain on the Virginia line. In the Red River Gorge, sandstone cliffs, arches, and rock shelters line routes like the Gray’s Arch and Hanson’s Point Loop and the Swift Camp Creek Trail. Farther south, the Sheltowee Trace follows the Cumberland River below Cumberland Falls and passes Yahoo Falls in the Big South Fork. Ridge trips include the Ridge Trail at Cumberland Gap and the Pine Mountain Trail, while Mammoth Cave’s backcountry and the North/South Trail at Land Between the Lakes are rolling, lower-elevation options.
Camping rules vary by managing agency. The Forest Service allows dispersed camping on the Daniel Boone without a permit outside the Red River Gorge, where an overnight vehicle pass is required, but bans camping near cliff bases, rock shelters, and some lakeshores. Mammoth Cave, Cumberland Gap, Big South Fork, and Land Between the Lakes all require permits, and several areas allow camping only at designated sites.
Water is a recurring concern: Recreation.gov says Mammoth Cave’s backcountry has no potable water, and Land Between the Lakes lists no water on the North/South Trail itself. Kentucky’s 2026-27 deer seasons run from September into January, so wear orange in fall. In 2026, a Forest Service tornado closure still covers part of the Sheltowee Trace in Pulaski and Laurel counties; check alerts before you go.
Quick picks
- Short beginner overnight: First Creek Trail to First Creek Lake (Mammoth Cave)
- Longest trip: North/South Trail, North End (Land Between the Lakes)
- Waterfall trip: Sheltowee Trace: Cumberland Falls to Bark Camp Creek
- Arches and cliff-top views: Gray's Arch and Hanson's Point Loop
- Ridge walk with designated campsites: Ridge Trail (Cumberland Gap National Historical Park)
Big South Fork (Kentucky)
- Kentucky Trail (Big South Fork) Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Kentucky side (near Pine Knot) 19 miles Hard Dispersed backcountry camping with NPS setbacks; permit required
- Sheltowee Trace: Yamacraw to Yahoo Falls (Big South Fork) Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Kentucky side (near Whitley City) 8.2 miles Hard Dispersed backcountry camping with NPS setbacks; permit required
Cave Run Lake
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland River
Eastern Kentucky Mountains
- Pine Mountain Trail, Birch Knob Section Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail (Breaks Interstate Park near Elkhorn City to US 23 at Pound Gap) 28 miles Hard Designated sites and one shelter; no camping in state nature preserves
- Pine Mountain Trail, Highland Section Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (Pound Gap at US 23 to US 119) 16 miles Hard Designated sites and shelters; no camping in state nature preserves
Mammoth Cave
- First Creek Trail to First Creek Lake (Mammoth Cave) Mammoth Cave National Park backcountry, north side 6.3 miles Moderate Designated backcountry campsites; permit required (Recreation.gov)
- Raymer Hollow and Collie Ridge Loop (Mammoth Cave) Mammoth Cave National Park backcountry, north side (Lincoln and First Creek trailheads) 16.5 miles Moderate Designated backcountry campsites; permit required (Recreation.gov)
Northeast Kentucky
Red River Gorge
- Gray's Arch and Hanson's Point Loop Red River Gorge Geological Area, Daniel Boone National Forest (Tunnel Ridge Road, near Slade) 7.3 miles Moderate Dispersed, with setbacks; overnight parking permit required
- Swift Camp Creek Trail (Clifty Wilderness) Clifty Wilderness, Red River Gorge Geological Area, Daniel Boone National Forest (Wolfe County) 6.5 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping with setbacks; overnight parking permit required
Western Kentucky
- Canal Loop Trail (Land Between the Lakes) Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, USDA Forest Service (North Welcome Station, near Grand Rivers) 11 miles Moderate Dispersed camping 50 feet off the trail; camping permit required
- North/South Trail, North End (Land Between the Lakes) Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, USDA Forest Service (North Welcome Station near Grand Rivers to Golden Pond) 31 miles Moderate Dispersed camping 50 feet off the trail, plus backcountry shelters; camping permit required
Backpacking in Kentucky: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in Kentucky?
It depends on who manages the land. The Forest Service says dispersed camping on the Daniel Boone National Forest needs no permit or fee outside the Red River Gorge, where backcountry campers must display a recreation pass in their vehicle from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Land Between the Lakes requires a Backcountry Camping Permit for each camper 18 and older, Mammoth Cave and Big South Fork require backcountry permits, Cumberland Gap issues free permits in person, and Carter Caves requires a reservation through the park lodge. Confirm with the managing agency before you go.
Can you camp anywhere in the Daniel Boone National Forest?
Dispersed camping is allowed in much of the forest, but with limits. The Forest Service caps stays at 14 days in a 30-day period, bans camping within 100 feet of the base of any cliff or back of any rock shelter, and bans it within 300 feet of the water's edge at Cave Run, Laurel River, and Lake Cumberland lakes and of developed roads and trails in the Red River Gorge, except at designated sites. Camping is also banned within 600 feet of Gray's Arch. Other trips on this site, such as Mammoth Cave, Cumberland Gap, and Carter Caves, allow camping only at designated sites.
When is the best time to backpack in Kentucky?
The sources behind this site's Kentucky pages point to tradeoffs rather than one best season. Land Between the Lakes maps warn of ticks from March through October and say springs may not flow July through September, and Recreation.gov says many Mammoth Cave streams run only in wet seasons and no potable water is available in its backcountry. Wet seasons bring waterfalls along the Sheltowee Trace, but Kentucky Tourism advises avoiding Swift Camp Creek in high runoff. Mammoth Cave backcountry permits are walk-up only at the visitor center from December 1 through February 28.
Do you need to worry about hunting season when backpacking in Kentucky?
Plan for it in fall and early winter. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife lists 2026-27 deer seasons of September 5 to January 18 for archery, October 17-18 and December 12-20 for muzzleloader, and November 14-29 for modern gun. Big South Fork allows hunting under Kentucky and Tennessee seasons and tells visitors to wear blaze orange, and the Land Between the Lakes trail map notes firearms are allowed in licensed seasons, while hunting is prohibited at Cumberland Gap. Wear bright orange and check the managing agency for hunts where you're going.
Are there bears in Kentucky, and how should you store food?
Yes, black bears live in parts of the state, including Cumberland Gap, where the NPS says each designated site has bear cables, and Big South Fork, where the NPS says to hang food 10 feet up and 4 feet out from the trunk. Summaries of the Pine Mountain Trail also list black bears among its hazards. No canister requirement was found for the trips on this site, so carry a hang kit or canister and follow the managing agency's rules.
Are any Kentucky backpacking trails closed in 2026?
Some are. A Forest Service order closes about 22,000 acres of tornado-damaged Daniel Boone National Forest land in Pulaski and Laurel counties, including the Rockcastle Narrows Trail and the Sheltowee Trace from Vanhook Falls north to Sinking Creek, for up to two years from 2025 unless lifted sooner. The Forest Service also lists the Dog Slaughter Falls Trail as closed between its trailheads, and Land Between the Lakes lists parts of the Fort Henry Trail closed for tornado damage. Check the managing agency's alerts page before any trip.
Where this comes from
- USFS: Daniel Boone National Forest alerts and closures
- USFS: Area closure due to tornado damage (order 08-02-14-25-01)
- USFS: Red River Gorge
- USFS: Daniel Boone camping and cabins (dispersed camping rules)
- Land Between the Lakes: Backcountry camping
- Land Between the Lakes: Alerts
- Recreation.gov: Mammoth Cave Backcountry Camping
- NPS: Big South Fork backcountry hiking and camping
- NPS: Cumberland Gap current conditions
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources: Deer