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Columbia, Kentucky

Top Spots in and near Columbia

  • Hodgenville, Kentucky

    Explore Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

    Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, was born in a small cabin in Sinking Spring just south of Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. When he was just two, his family moved to Knob Creek Farm, northeast of Hodgenville, where they remained until 1816.  The Abra...
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  • Park City, Kentucky

    Mammoth Cave Railroad Trail

    5.0
    16.21 mi / 1604 ft gain
    Mammoth Cave Railroad Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Park City, Kentucky.
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  • Park City, Kentucky

    Tour the Diamond Caverns

    0.5 mi
    One of the main reasons we chose the Diamond Caverns tour vs The Mammoth Caves tours, is we could use flash when taking pictures. Our kids were very excited to tour the caves and take pictures of them. When we found out that the Mammoth Caves does not permit flash photography, we decided to tour ...
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  • Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

    Hike the River Styx Spring Trail

    4.5
    1.2 mi / 250 ft gain
    Starting from the Mammoth Cave Visitor's Center, take the "Historic Entrance" trail that descends down the hill between the Visitor's Center and the Mammoth Cave Hotel. After 0.2 miles you will reach the historic entrance of Mammoth Cave on your right side. You cannot go in the cave without a gui...
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  • Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

    Hike to Sunset Point

    5.0
    0.3 mi / 0 ft gain
    This small hike is inside of the Mammoth Cave National Park is well know and provides a great place for small kids and is handicap accessible. The pathway itself is a flat boardwalk and is only about .3 of a mile. It features beautiful views of the mountains and lots of wildlife. The hike is also...
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  • Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

    Hike Echo River Spring Trail in Mammoth Cave National Park

    2.2 mi / 83 ft gain
    Bluff lines, wildlife, wildflowers, streams, and cave entrances abound on this hike in Mammoth Cave National Park. The pathway is mostly paved and has interactive exhibits and viewing platforms around the spring.  The highlight of the trail is a “blue hole” on the edge of the Green River. Water ...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Rock Creek Loop

    6.76 mi / 1043 ft gain
    Rock Creek Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Oneida, Tennessee.
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  • Brownsville, Kentucky

    Cedar Sink Trail

    5.0
    1.55 mi / 184 ft gain
    Cedar Sink Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Park City, Kentucky.
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  • Brownsville, Kentucky

    Hike the Cedar Sink Trail

    5.0
    1.6 mi / 333 ft gain
    Starting at the parking lot off of National Park Boundary Road, you will follow the marked sign on the path until you hit a set of metal stairs heading downward. Take the stairs to the bottom and take the first left on the trail to the observation deck that overlooks the Cedar Spring.A map of the...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Hazard Cave and Natural Bridge Trail

    2.33 mi / 240 ft gain
    Hazard Cave and Natural Bridge Trail is a loop trail combining two of the major attractions of Pickett CCC Memorial State Park located near Jamestown, Tennessee. This hike is about two and a third miles, with 240 feet of elevation gain. It will take a little over an hour to complete the loop if y...
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  • Parkers Lake, Kentucky

    Hike to Natural Arch in Daniel Boone National Forest

    1 mi / 300 ft gain
    Natural Arch is located in the Daniel Boone National Forest near the border of Tennessee and Kentucky. Once you get inside of the park there are many picnic tables and other areas to eat and sit and paths to walk on. The main attraction of the park however is the 100 foot wide arch that spans ove...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Natural Bridge Loop

    1.05 mi / 148 ft gain
    This trail is located in Pickett State Park which is a close neighbor to Big South Fork National Recreation Area. This is one of the many trailheads that connect to the Natural Bridge loop however, this trailhead is the closest to the natural bridge. From the road it is only a few hundred feet wa...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Hike to Indian Rockhouse

    0.4 mi / 65 ft gain
    This hike is a great, short hike for all ages. It shows the sandstone formation of the area very well and features a large cliff, an overhang, and a small stream at the bottom. The hike is only 0.4 of a mile total and has a small elevation change. It is probably the easiest hike in this area.  Th...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Hazard Cave Loop

    5.0
    1.51 mi / 210 ft gain
    Hazard Cave is a gorgeous very large sandstone formation. The hike is located in Pickett State Park which is right next to Big South Fork National Recreation Area. This hike is the shortest option to get to Hazard Cave. If you are looking for a longer hike you can take the entire loop hike to get...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Explore Pickett State Fire Tower

    This tower was built by the CCC in the 1930s. The tower is easy to climb and safer than most fire towers. The top of the tower is open so you can get a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. The tower is located within the Pickett State Park and is right on the side of the road and has easy acc...
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  • Jamestown, Tennessee

    Stargaze at Astronomy Field

    This Dark Sky Park is a part of the Pickett State Park. It was established in 2015. It is one of the only IDA registered dark sky parks in the east. I have been all over the United States stargazing and this is still one of the best spots I have been to. The astronomy field offers a free and easi...
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Camping and Lodging in Columbia

Holmes Bend
Columbia, Kentucky

Holmes Bend

Pikes Ridge
Columbia, Kentucky

Pikes Ridge

Smith Ridge
Campbellsville, Kentucky

Smith Ridge

Kendall Campground
Jamestown, Kentucky

Kendall Campground

Russell Springs / Lake Cumberland KOA Journey
Russell Springs, Kentucky

Russell Springs / Lake Cumberland KOA Journey

Cumberland Point Campground
Nancy, Kentucky

Cumberland Point Campground

Guides, Insights and Stories from Columbia

A Guide to Exploring Mammoth Cave National Park

A Guide to Exploring Mammoth Cave National Park

Edward Webb