more stats
10.2 miles
Distance
853 ft
Climb
-905 ft
Descent
01:07:54
Avg time
-52 ft
Altitude change
359 ft
Altitude min
497 ft
Altitude max
424 ft
Altitude start
371 ft
Altitude end
-0.1%
Grade
-22.8%
Grade max
30.3%
Grade min
4 miles
Distance climb
5 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
01:07:54
Avg time

Canal Loop Trail Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Land Between the Lakes
    Golden Pond, Kentucky
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #29415 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #65655 in Trail Running
    • #204512 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #57 in Mountain Biking · Kentucky [+]
    • #200 in Trail Running
    • #729 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Easy
  • Season
    Spring/Summer/Fall
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    USFS

The Canal Loop Trail is a fast single track trail for mountain bikers with challenging hills on the Kentucky Lake portion of the trail. The trail crosses multiple creeks, old home sites, and forest roads. Canal Loop Trail offers opportunities to access both lakes’ shorelines.

Tags

Trail Supporters

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 10 miles average
6 Months
  • 40 rides
  • 16 miles avg distance
All
  • 176 rides
  • Last: Oct 20, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Canal Loop Trail Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 23, 2026 @ 8:00am (America/Chicago)
Aug 23, 2026
 Tree down on Connector D blocking trail.
May 27, 2026 @ 1:08pm (America/Chicago)
May 27, 2026
 A few wet spots but not bad. There is a bridge out on north south trail to get back to the trailhead, but there was a path around it (or just use...
Feb 20, 2026 @ 3:09pm (America/Indiana/Tell_City)
Feb 20, 2026
Sep 13, 2025 @ 1:40pm (America/Chicago)
Sep 13, 2025
Mar 30, 2024 @ 9:08pm
Mar 30, 2024
 perfecto
more »
Status:
on Aug 23, 2026
Variable
Avg: 3.88 (13 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,189)
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      Directions to canal-loop-trail trailhead (36.971150, -88.198550)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      25 more »
      mtb
      121 |
      Dec 27, 2022 @ 6:12pm
      Dec 27, 2022
      mtb
      128 |
      Dec 27, 2022 @ 6:12pm
      Dec 27, 2022
      mtb
      139 |
      Jul 2, 2022 @ 12:27pm
      Jul 2, 2022
      mtb
      185 |
      Jul 11, 2021 @ 1:09pm
      Jul 11, 2021

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Canal Loop Trail yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      25
      Canal Loop
      ★ 5.0 • 11 miles • 861 ft • 1 • Loop • Race •
      3.9 ★★★★★
      13 Ratings
      5 ★ 38%
      4 ★ 31%
      3 ★ 15%
      2 ★ 8%
      1 ★ 8%

      7 Reviews & Comments

      MqQJlnV
      Fantastic trail! Very impressed. CCW for sure. Very flowy, some short punchy climbs, skinny, some jumps, sand near the end. Absolutely check this out if you’re in the area.
      fatbottomgirl
      Great trail. Flows nicely, especially the western half as you ride counter clockwise. Some short climbs mixed in with rolling trail to give your legs a workout.
      RobinDavid
      Great loop with moderate terrain and some climbey bits but all good. Cleaned some wood off the trail of various sizes and saw one other rider. Lot of small sticks so watch your derailleur. Rode CCW and was time well spent.

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      Nearby Trails

      Land Between the Lakes

      • By ericfoltzTF Pro TRAILFORKS & contributors
      • #46241 - 4,764 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Canal Loop Trail located?
      Canal Loop Trail is located in Land Between the Lakes, Golden Pond, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Land Between the Lakes trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.97115, -88.19855.
      ▼ How hard is Canal Loop Trail?
      Canal Loop Trail is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The average grade is 0.1%. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Canal Loop Trail?
      Canal Loop Trail has 853 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 905 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 359 ft to 497 ft.
      ▼ Is Canal Loop Trail a point to point trail?
      Canal Loop Trail is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Canal Loop Trail?
      Canal Loop Trail is 10.2 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Canal Loop Trail?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Canal Loop Trail. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Canal Loop Trail?
      Canal Loop Trail is best visited during: Spring/Summer/Fall.
      ▼ How do I access Canal Loop Trail? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Canal Loop Trail are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Canal Loop Trail?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour 8 minutes to ride Canal Loop Trail. The trail is 10.2 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Canal Loop Trail?
      Canal Loop Trail is a very popular trail. There have been 1,058 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,189 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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