At Dewey Lake, exploring Floyd County begins with a clear choice between a lakeside trail and water activities. The Lakeshore Hiking Trail follows the shoreline; swimming and boating are also options at the lake. Performing arts, STEM, and history offer their own highlights. These different ways to explore sit side by side, so you can prioritize them according to your interests.
Dewey Lake and River Activities
The Lakeshore Hiking Trail runs for 2.5 miles along Dewey Lake and offers scenic views. Its length makes the lakeside trail a clearly defined route, with the lake as a constant point of reference. Swimming and boating are also possible at Dewey Lake. The difference comes down to the kind of experience: the trail follows the shoreline, while swimming and boating put the lake itself at the center.
The Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River can be explored by kayak or canoe. This brings a river into the picture as a distinct setting for water activities alongside the lake. The comparison is straightforward: Dewey Lake offers a lakeside trail, swimming, and boating, while the Levisa Fork is for kayaking and canoeing.
Music, Performing Arts, and STEM
The Mountain Arts Center is a distinct hub for the performing arts: it hosts performances by nationally known artists, has a 1,044-seat theater, and is home to Billie Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry. The theater’s capacity gives it a clear sense of scale, while its connection to the Kentucky Opry highlights another side of the venue. Floyd County is also on the Country Music Highway—a geographic point of reference alongside the center’s performing arts offerings. Music is therefore represented both in the name of a route and at a specific performance venue.
The East Kentucky Science Center is on the campus in Prestonsburg and features an exhibit hall with hands-on STEM activities and visual displays. The Varia Planetarium has a 40-foot dome, a Digistar-7 projection system, the state’s only GOTO star projector, and a laser show music system. Both facilities serve as a center for STEM education in eastern Kentucky. Their formats are distinct: the exhibit hall focuses on hands-on activities and visual displays, while the planetarium centers on its dome and projection. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, bringing these facilities’ subjects together under a common educational term.
Middle Creek and Its History
The Battle of Middle Creek ended Confederate dominance in the region. Several developments were completed at Middle Creek National Battlefield, including the Confederate Loop Trail, which features interpretive signs. The battle’s regional impact and the trail’s interpretive signs offer two distinct ways to engage with this historical subject. This military history provides a focus alongside the area’s nature and cultural offerings.
Discover more destinations: Prestonsburg, Bourbon County, Marshall, Calloway County, Rowan, Meade County, Bullitt County, Muhlenberg
For the main travel overview: Kentucky.
