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USDA Forest Service
Daniel Boone
National Forest
1700 Bypass Road
Winchester, KY 40391

Phone: 859-745-3100
FAX: 859-744-1568

Recreation: Biking

The Daniel Boone National Forest offers many opportunities to enjoy various recreation experiences -- hunting, hiking, fishing, camping, picnicking, and of course, mountain biking. Take this opportunity to learn a little bit about how to enjoy this exciting sport on your national forests.

What to Expect

There are miles of roads and trails that are available for mountain bike use. Visitors may use any of these routes year round. There are no permits, fees, or registration required for individuals and small groups.

Commercial outfitters or guides and groups of 70 people or more must obtain a Special Use permit. Contact the District Ranger for more information.

You may ride your bike on any open forest road or trail unless it is specifically closed to mountain bike use. Trails in the Red River Gorge Geological Area on Stanton District are closed to mountain biking.

Expect to carry and walk your bike for considerable distances on most of the trails on the national forests. Most trails were constructed for hiking, and are not maintained for continuous mountain bike riding. Trails are narrow and sometimes steep and are always pretty rough due to rock.

Expect to share the forest with others, including hikers, horseback riders, off-highway vehicle riders, timber cutters, hunters, and bird watchers, so learn to Share The Trail and practice Trail Safety.

Stay on national forest land or public roads. Do not trespass on private land. It is your responsibility to be sure you are on national forest land. Learn more about how to recognize boundaries and trail markers.

Find out about hunting seasons. Avoid riding during the firearms deer seasons, if possible. If you do ride during hunting season, consider wearing blaze orange. If you see a hunter, alert him or her of your approach.

Areas Closed to Mountain Biking

Mountain bikes and other similar mechanical devices are prohibited by law in Congressionally designated Wildernesses. There are two Wildernesses on the Daniel Boone National Forest: Beaver Creek Wilderness on the Somerset District, and Clifty Wilderness on the Stanton District. The Red River Gorge Geological Area, on the Stanton District, is closed to bicycle use except on roads.

Riding Opportunities

Most hiking trails and roads are open to mountain bikes. However, many trails were not designed for biking. We suggest you contact the ranger district where you are interested in riding for specific trail information and advice. There are a number of privately authored guides that describe national forest trails, and you can obtain information from others who use the trails. While information from private sources is not necessarily endorsed by the Forest Service, we recognize that riders often offer valuable insight and perspectives on trail opportunities and difficulty levels.

Biking Trails by District
Morehead Bike Trails	London Bike Trails	Stearns Bike Trails
Stanton Bike Trails	Somerset Bike Trails	Redbird Bike Trails

Recreation: Biking

Biking Trails by District