Motorcycle rides near the Ohio River
Just outside of Paducah, Kentucky is a 45 mile long strip of land straddling the KY / TN border called the Land Between the Lakes NRA. The Golden Pond Visitor Center on US 68 "serves as our information hub at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Visitors will find brochures, recreation maps, trail maps, state maps, clean restrooms, soda machines, a gift shop, children’s play area, a pavilion, trail heads, recycling center, and more. Regional brochures describe attractions and historic sites in the area." "For a small fee, visitors can see a show at the Planetarium on topics that include space exploration, planets, and the night sky. An Observatory sits out back which hosts FREE Star Parties at dusk from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Check the calendar for dates and times."
http://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/visit/visitor-center/
Wildlife viewing
"The South Bison Range sits alongside the Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway across from The Homeplace —
south of the Tennessee state line. Visitors view bison roaming in two adjacent 100-acre pastures from the road." http://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/seendo/attractions/elk-bison-prairie/
Unfortunately motorcycles aren't allowed on the Elk and Bison Prairie drive near the Golden Pond Visitor Center. See TripAdvisor's wildlife photos.
"Stop by the Woodlands Nature Station to see details about recent wildlife sightings at their observation desk. You can also report your sightings here and ask questions about what you saw in the field."
http://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/stewardship/wildlife-watching-tips/
Louisville to Indianapolis
Take our 220 mile scenic route along the Ohio River Scenic Byway to Indianapolis instead of hoping on I-65 for 114 miles. You can choose to shorten our ride, by skipping the southern loop, but you'll miss some great river views before turning northward through the Hoosier National Forest.
Squire Boone
Caverns is about 40 miles west of Louisville just a few miles south of Corydon, Indiana near the Ohio River
Scenic Byway. Rent a
cabin in a wooded area on a gravel lane near the caverns.
Cincinnati to Portsmouth
- this 200 mile roundtrip begins and ends on US52, following the Ohio River for 100 miles, then crosses over into Kentucky for half of the return trip, before crossing back into Ohio.
See larger map with directions.
Huntington, WV to Parkersburg, WV along the Ohio River
See larger map with directions.
This 123 mile route has great access to I-64 & I-77, following rural & scenic Ohio Hwy 7 and Ohio Hwy 124 along the river. Be ready for the 2 block jog on Hwy 124 in Racine (see below).
Marietta, OH to Zanesville, OH - Ohio Hwy 60 and Hwy 376 is another river ride thru rural Ohio, 70 miles along the Muskingum River. Return to Parkersburg, WV via the route shown on our Ohio page.
See larger map with directions.
See larger map with directions.
Marietta, OH to Moundsville, WV is a 136 mile round-trip on both the Ohio and the West Virginia sides of the Ohio River, begins and ends at I-77, but is very close to I-70.
Combine the WV side of the Ohio River ride (left) with West VA mountains on the loop below. Check out the twisties on the US Hwy 250 (below left) part of the ride.
This loop offers great access from I-70, I-77, & I-79.
Highway 16
West Virginia can also be enjoyed on Hwy 16, beginning at the Ohio River east of Marietta. See the 267 mile route, which includes the New River Gorge Bridge, on our West Virgina page.
US Hwy 250 is considered one of the great motorcycle roads in the eastern US. Linking I-81 near Staunton, VA with I-70 near Wheeling, WV, this 243 miles of twisties has light traffic. Click the map below for directions.
