Elevate your ride
Roll across the peaks of Harlan County as your bike carries you on some of Kentucky’s most rugged, steep, and gorgeous scenery:
Little Shepherd Trail
Little Shepherd Trail is a 38 mile narrow road running along the crest of Pine Mountain from 421 near Harlan to 119 near Whitesburg. The trail includes two paved sections with the majority of the trail being primitive. Little Shepherd Trail brings travelers through both Kingdom Come State Park and Kentenia State Forest, Kentucky’s oldest state forest. The journey provides encounters with mountain overlooks, impressive rock formations, wildlife, and native plants. You can walk this trail, hike this trail, or even go mountain biking for a fun, thrilling adventure.
Kingdom Come State Park
Kingdom Come State Park offers opportunities for mountain biking on trails or on mountain roads! Mountain bikers can explore the trails crisscrossing the park or enter the Little Shepherd Trail as it cuts through the park.
For road cyclists, the park offers challenging climb opportunities as the road from the foot of the mountain to the park ascends at up to a 23% grade! Each spring, cyclists participate in the Tour de Kingdom Come. Beginning and ending at the park’s lake, cyclists embark on a 31 mile ride reaching elevations of over 2900 ft. Participants who can complete the final climb in under 17 minutes are rewarded with a special decal.
Hensley Settlement
Atop Brush Mountain at the end of a seven-mile rugged wagon road, this historic settlement was established in 1904 and occupied until 1951. Stroll down fence-lined lanes, step into the blacksmith’s shop, look into the springhouse and sit in the one-room schoolhouse. This is a step back in time but seeing it while mountain biking provides a fresh look at this historic site.
Licensed vehicles only
ATVs NOT permitted
No vehicles permitted inside settlement
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