Sheltowee Trace
- 1.4 mi
- round trip
- 57 ft
- climb
- Out and back
- route
- Mar–Apr, Jun–Nov
- best months
Is Sheltowee Trace open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Daniel Boone National Forest. It doesn't name Sheltowee Trace, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).
Fees waived for Veterans Day, Nov 11
Agency closure covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
National Visitor Use Monitoring, Oct 2026-Sept 2027
Agency closure covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Scott Creek Boat ramp briefly inaccessible, July 30
Agency closure covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Barren Fork Horse Camp, surrounding trails closed for prescribed burn operations, November 8
Agency alert covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
Low water levels at Laurel River Lake
Agency alert covering Daniel Boone National Forest · USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Daniel Boone National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Sheltowee Trace is a 1.4-mile mountain biking route in Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest, within the London Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land. The climb is a moderate out-and-back with a low point of 917 feet and a high point of 966 feet, for a total elevation gain of 57 feet. The route is 2.8 miles long. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to ride. Typical averages from the nearby Mt Vernon weather station show May highs around 75°F and September highs near 79°F, with September seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Horse Lick Road is about a mile away for another mountain biking option, and S-Tree Campground sits roughly 2.5 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Middle Fork Rockcastle River within about 3.7 miles, and Foxtown Boulders offers climbing about 5.6 miles from the trail.
Best time to go · Mar–Apr, Jun–Nov
Best time to visit Sheltowee Trace
Best months: March–April and June–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
42° / 25°
12 wet · 2 snow
Feb
47° / 27°
10 wet · 2 snow
Mar
56° / 35°
12 wet · 1 snow
Apr
67° / 44°
12 wet
May
75° / 54°
13 wet
Jun
81° / 62°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 66°
11 wet
Aug
84° / 64°
9 wet
Sep
79° / 57°
8 wet
Oct
69° / 45°
9 wet
Nov
56° / 35°
10 wet
Dec
46° / 29°
13 wet · 1 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Vernon, KY, 12.3 mi away at 1,160 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors