Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway
71 miles through Kentucky's knobs from Abraham Lincoln's birthplace and boyhood home past Hodgenville to Bardstown.
Also known as Abraham Lincoln Heritage Highway
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length71.2 miles[1]
- Drive timeAbout three hours[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsIncludes US 31E between the Lincoln Birthplace, Hodgenville and Bardstown[2]
- Start and endNear Hodgenville, KY and near Danville, KYNearest towns to the ends of the U.S. DOT route line
- Fees and passesNone[1]
- Best seasonNot verified
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesNot verified
- Seasonal closuresNot verified
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
The Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway winds through the knobs of central Kentucky. FHWA describes four themes along it: Abraham Lincoln, U.S. and Civil War history, bourbon heritage and religious heritage.
The National Park Service's Abraham Lincoln Birthplace sits about 2 miles south of Hodgenville on US 31E, and the Knob Creek farm where Lincoln lived as a young boy is about 10 miles northeast. From there the road continues to Bardstown.
Allow about three hours. The Knob Creek visitor center keeps different hours from the birthplace, so check before you go.
Stops along the way
-
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace
Memorial building and grounds about 2 miles south of Hodgenville on US 31E.
Official information · 37.53114, -85.73757 · about 0.3 mi from the route line
-
Hodgenville
Town at the heart of Lincoln's early years.
Official information · 37.57396, -85.73997 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Knob Creek Farm
Lincoln's boyhood home site, about 10 miles northeast of the birthplace.
Official information · 37.6116, -85.63794 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Bardstown
Historic town at the north end of the US 31E section.
Official information · 37.80924, -85.46691 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Farmers Market at the DepotSpringfield, KY · about 0.0 mi from the route
- Bardstown Farmers’ MarketBardstown, KY · about 0.1 mi from the route
- Hometown Farmers' MarketDanville, KY · about 0.7 mi from the route
- Hodgenville Farmers' MarketHodgenville, KY · about 1.0 mi from the route
- New Boyle County Farmer's MarketDanville, KY · about 1.6 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
Sources
- America's Byways: Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Kentucky State and National Scenic Byways and Highways (Kentucky Transportation Cabinet) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park: directions and hours (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).