Scenic drives in Central Kentucky

By Maryjean Wall | special to the herald-leader

[Click here to see an interactive map of these routes.]

Central Kentucky's scenic landscape is further enhanced by the horse farms for which it is renowned. Most of them are easily seen during a short car ride.

Plan to spend half a day, an entire day or more than one day touring the Bluegrass to see the farms and scenic backdrops on one of the three following routes.

Thoroughbred Park to Pisgah Pike (About 35 miles one way)
Keeneland to the Horse Park (about 20 miles one way)
Paris Pike corridor (about 15 miles one way)

Keeneland to the Horse Park (about 20 miles one way)

■ Begin at Keeneland Race Course, 4201 Versailles Road, on any morning to watch horses exercise, 6 to 10 a.m. We suggest about two hours here to include breakfast at the track kitchen (ask anyone on horseback for directions). If the main track is closed (as it is during winter months), the horses train until late March on a smaller "training" track in the barn area. After breakfast at Keeneland, ask in the kitchen for driving directions to the back entrance of the racetrack grounds on Rice Road.

Here, at Keeneland's back gate, you will turn right onto Rice Road (Ky. 1969), then left onto Van Meter Road (also called Ky. 1969). Turn right on Elkchester Road, follow this to Old Frankfort Pike (Ky. 1681), and then turn right.

Follow this road to a four-way intersection a flashing light and a street sign for Alexandria Drive on your right. Here you will turn left, following this road to Leestown Road (U.S. 421), where you will turn right, following Leestown to the New Circle Road freeway (Ky. 4). Take New Circle northeast to Exit 8 and turn left onto Georgetown Road (U.S. 25).

You will notice Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital on your right on your way out of Lexington. Before Rood & Riddle, take a brief detour off Georgetown Road: Turn right at Citation Boulevard, then left at the first entrance into Coldstream Research Campus.

■ Inside the campus, take the first left and look in a field on your right for a tall, granite grave marker. It memorializes Bull Dog, 1927-1954, leading sire in 1943 and sire of Calumet Farm's great stallion, Bull Lea, who is memorialized in the Calumet Farm Cemetery with a bronze statue.

■ Return to Georgetown Road, where you will turn right. Look for a state historical marker that tells about the great horse Man o' War. Continue along Georgetown Rd. to Ironworks Pike (Ky. 1973), where you will turn right. After crossing over Interstate 75 you will see, on your right, Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Equine Hospital.

■ On your left is Kentucky Horse Park, home of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. You probably will want to spend the remainder of the day, or at least several hours, at the park. You can eat lunch at the park or in nearby Georgetown.

Thoroughbred Park to Pisgah Pike (About 35 miles one way)

■ Begin at Thoroughbred Park, at East Main Street and Midland Avenue (and across the street from the Herald-Leader). Take time to stroll through the park to see the bronze horses and historical plaques.

Proceed west on Main Street: On your right, you will see a bronze of Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan astride a horse.

■ Continue west (Main Street becomes Leestown Road) and outside the city, you will reach Masterson Station Park (on your right and immediately past the subdivision by the same name). Turn right into the park and follow Ruffian Way to Shamrock Lane. You might see people riding their horses here or taking riding lessons on their own horses in the riding rings. These horses are vanned into the park; the trailers pull into a lot on Shamrock Lane. Return to Leestown Road. Turn right onto Leestown. At Yarnallton Pike (Ky. 1977) turn left. Notice the rock fences along the roadside.

■ At Old Frankfort Pike, turn right. The picturesque farm on your right is Donamire. Continue down Old Frankfort Pike. This corridor is perhaps one of the best places to view horse farms from the road. Eventually you will see a building up ahead called Wallace Station. Here you can stop for breakfast or lunch. Or you can wait to eat until you get to Midway.

If you choose to go to Midway, continue on Old Frankfort to the crossroads at U.S. 62 and turn right. Follow U.S. 62 into Midway. Make the loop right, then left, on each side of the railroad tracks at Main Street. You'll find plenty of places — some of them among the best restaurants in Central Kentucky — to eat along Main Street.

■ When you complete the one-way loop around the railroad tracks at Main Street, travel to the renowned Holly Hill Inn (now a restaurant, not an inn). From Main, turn right at U.S. 62, then another right onto Leestown Road (U.S. 421) and right again at the next road, Winter Street. Retrace your path onto U.S. 62, turn left onto Old Frankfort Pike back toward Lexington.

■ At Pisgah Pike (Ky. 1967), turn right. Here you will start down one of the most scenic roads in Central Kentucky — a route that should not be missed. Follow Pisgah to Versailles Road (U.S. 60) and turn left, noting Kentucky's famous castle on your left.

Paris Pike corridor (about 15 miles one way)

This is another scenic route not to miss. Most people rave about the construction project that converted the road from two lanes to four while retaining all the traditional themes of rock fences, trees, iron gates and horse farms. Drive to the outskirts of Paris and turn back to Lexington. Or, explore Paris. And while there, don't forget Paris also has noted horse farms: Claiborne, Stone and Stonerside are here.