Floyd County: Dewey Lake, Stage and History

Floyd County is located along the Country Music Highway and offers several distinct ways to explore the area: Dewey Lake, with its hiking trail and water activities; cultural attractions; and the history of Middle Creek. When planning your trip, it’s worth deciding first which of these aspects you want to shape your stay. That way, you can use outdoor experiences, live performances, STEM topics or regional history as a starting point for your hotel search, rather than choosing accommodations separately from your travel plans.

Dewey Lake: Hiking and Activities on the Water

The Lakeshore Hiking Trail runs for 2.5 miles along Dewey Lake and offers scenic views. Its length gives you a clear idea of how much hiking to include in your trip; the lakeside route and the views shape the experience along the way. You can also swim and go boating at Dewey Lake. This means there are several options at the same lake: hiking, swimming or boating. Depending on which activity you want to focus on, your day at the lake can take on a different character.

River, Stage and STEM Attractions

You can kayak or canoe on the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. Unlike Dewey Lake, where a lakeside trail and water activities come together, the focus here is on exploring by paddle. If you’re planning your stay around a particular water experience, this distinction offers two different options.

The Mountain Arts Center hosts performances by nationally known artists. Its theater has 1,044 seats, and the Center is also home to Billie Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry. The venue thus combines performances by well-known artists with a specific stage format. For travelers who want to discover Floyd County through music and performing arts, the Center is a cultural destination in its own right.

The East Kentucky Science Center is located on the campus in Prestonsburg. Its exhibition hall offers hands-on STEM activities and visual displays. The Varia Planetarium features a 40-foot dome, a Digistar-7 projection system, the state’s only GOTO star projector, and a laser show music system. The Science Center and Planetarium serve as a center for STEM education in eastern Kentucky. In terms of content, the exhibition hall’s hands-on activities and visual displays contrast with the Planetarium’s projection-focused equipment.

Middle Creek and Regional History

The Battle of Middle Creek ended Confederate dominance in the region. Several developments have been completed at Middle Creek National Battlefield, including the Confederate Loop Trail with interpretive signs. Here, a historical outcome and a specific trail project featuring interpretive signs go hand in hand. For travelers interested in regional history, the battle and the completed developments offer different points of connection.

When choosing a hotel, you can plan your trip around the question of which aspect matters most to you: water activities, culture or history. This makes the kind of stay you want the guiding principle for your search.

Discover more destinations: Prestonsburg, Woodford County, Whitley County, Shelby County, Laurel, Harlan, Knox County, Hopkins County

For the broader travel overview: Kentucky.