Route: Canal Loop Trail (KY)

Submitted by Cass Lynch on Thu, 12/17/2020 - 05:24am
Location
Kentucky, US
Distance
10.4 mi
Vertical Gain
960 ft
Description

The Canal Loop Trail is the premier mountain hiking/biking trail at Land Between The Lakes in Kentucky. Canal Loop Trail is an 10.4 mile single-track loop trail with 4 connectors that consist of another 3 miles of trail. It offers a variety of loops ranging from a little over 1-mile to the full 10.4 mile outer loop. Canal Loop Trail can be accessed from the North Welcome Station and Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive. Canal Loop Trail receives a very high amount of use on weekends by mountain bikers and hikers, and offers many scenic overlooks of Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and the Canal.

Canal Loop Trail – Blue Diamonds ◊ – For Main outer loop 10.4 miles


The Canal Loop Trail is a fast single track trail for runners/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’ shore.

https://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CanalLoop2015.pdf

https://strava.app.link/yPO53zvnikb

GPS Track

Comments

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I am going to do this FKT later on today. Somebody has to set a time down and get this FKT more active. The time won’t be too impressive and will easily be beat by many people, I’m just hoping this spurs more activity. My big goal is North South Trail 59 mile FKT that I plan to attempt in the near future. 

Thank you so much for opening up the FKT with a time now. Honestly whenever I made the route I figured it would have peaked a lot more interest. So it begins…. Lol 

Yes! Absolutely. Thanks for creating it! It is a route used very often so yes I am sure it will get much more activity now! I’m hoping I don’t have it long! ✔️?

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Hurray! More people on the trail!!! 

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Nice run Cass! 

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In reply to by zlever

Thanks bud, figured I’d finally get out and run it since it was getting some more attention now 

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Cass, your run has been a source of motivation. I've been trying but keep coming up short. I'm making progress though. I keep looking to see if you attempt it again with cooler weather. 

Glad to hear it man, keep it up and you will get it Im sure. I’ll prolly do it again if the time is lowered and falls. 

Finally, lol. I was firing on all cylinders today. I submitted everything with a time of 1:33:09. The biggest difference was having confidence after running the LBL Bridge to Bridge trail run last weekend. I knew it was feasible and the weather was perfect. I started at the North Welcome Station and went clockwise since that's the same direction we will run at the LBL 50 miler in March. I'll be watching for you to retake the crown. 

YES!!!! So Siked for you dude!!! Looking forward to seeing your time posted. Told you, that you had it. Be a bit before I make another attempt. Been tapering down for the race I have coming up this nextweekend, CloudSplitter 100!!!

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Ryan, awesome job. You were flying. I have a feeling that FKT is going to stick for a while. Well done.

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New 2 loop option available now. 

I might try to put up a time for a double in June when I'm in the area. There are probably some fast ones out there from the races that just aren't posted yet.

Good deal. I look forward to seeing you do this. Remember races don't count in many cases. In this case the route is not quite the same as the races put on by race director Steve Durbin.

My brother and I ended up doing it, but I forgot to post it. I just submitted it. Our time is nothing impressive (4:29:22) but hopefully it motivates someone to beat us.

  I really like the activity I see on this FKT!! I’m from Sturgis, KY & I had an attempt on my mind when I came to KY in January, but COVID knocked me off plans, but I’m back in KY as I type. As long as rain prediction doesn’t turn into a full blown thunderstorm I’m gonna take a shot at the 1 loop FKT on Tuesday August 16th. I mountain biked the loop with my dad & nephew over a year ago before I even knew what an FKT was, & I know this won’t be a cake walk! Time will tell;)