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England-Idlewild Park offers 290 acres for mountain biking, picnicking, and fishing in northern Kentucky.
These days whenever we take a camping or hiking getaway, we also bring our bikes along.
It adds some variety into the weekend.
On a recent trip to Big Bone Lick State Historic Site in Boone County, Kentucky, we discovered a pleasant nearby area called England-Idlewild Park.
It was a little oasis of woodlands, ponds, and hiking and biking trails that we really enjoyed exploring.
Getting to England-Idlewild Park
This park is only about 20 minutes from Big Bone Lick, and is located just outside Burlington, Kentucky.
So it’s also within easy driving distance of Florence and the other cities near the Ohio River, south of Cincinnati.
Check the park website for a map and a full list of amenities.
If you’re going to do some mountain biking here, I do recommend using a mountain bike trail app (like MTB project), because while there were trail maps, the actual trails weren’t well marked.
Looking for more outdoor recreation in the area? Try Veterans Park in Lexington for mountain biking, Kincaid Lake State Park for kayaking, and East Fork State Park for biking and hiking.
Exploring the Trails
England-Idlewild was a really pretty, well-maintained park, with 290 acres to spread out in.
We stuck to the easy trails because we hadn’t mountain biked since last summer and were looking for practice rather than a challenge.
Are you a mountain biking beginner like us? Check out our gear guide for recommendations on things like half-finger biking gloves and a bicycle helmet with a built-in light!
The trails are labeled as “intermediate” or “advanced,” so you have some idea what you’re in for.
The trails were pretty and went along the creek in areas.
We saw at least one mountain bike feature (the ramp) as we passed a harder trail.
The park also has big picnic shelters, sports fields and courts, a disc golf course, and a dog park nearby.
A bike park lets riders test their skills at jumping and slalom racing, if you’re feeling a bit daring!
And the ponds are stocked for fishing.
With all the space at England-Idlewild Park, there are plenty of activities for whatever mood you’re in, even if it’s just a leisurely walk.
We appreciated the quiet, relaxing atmosphere and the well-kept grounds.
Do you have any favorite hidden-gem parks in Kentucky? Let us know in the comments!
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