Woodlands Trace
Woodlands Trace is a National Scenic Byway in Kentucky. Within Kentucky it covers roughly 40 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Woodlands Trace with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The Woodlands Trace runs the length of Land Between the Lakes, a long forested peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley straddling the Kentucky–Tennessee line. The road passes a re-created 1850s working farm, an elk and bison prairie, and miles of quiet hardwood forest and lakeshore. The national recreation area is a haven for wildlife watching and paddling.
- Land Between the Lakes
- elk & bison prairie
- 1850s homeplace
- Kentucky & Barkley lakes
- Kentucky–Tennessee line
Designated for its recreational qualities
Plan a drive on Woodlands Trace → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store
Places to stop along Woodlands Trace
Woodlands Nature Station
An environmental center in Land Between the Lakes with resident red wolves, bald eagles, and other native animals.
Golden Pond Planetarium
A digital dome theater and observatory at the visitor center midway down the peninsula.
Elk and Bison Prairie
A 700-acre restored prairie where you drive a short loop through free-roaming elk and bison, best at dawn and dusk.
Where to Stay along Woodlands Trace
4 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Woodlands Trace.
Campsite and lodging links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.
Photos of Woodlands Trace
What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.