Appalachian Foothills Riding & Boondocking (Somerset, KY)
- kevinwuklife
- May 9
- 3 min read
Great Roads, Easy Boondocking, and a Worth-It Stop at Cumberland Falls
Quick Take
✔ Excellent trike riding—twisty, steep, and smooth
✔ Quiet, easy boondocking setup (with good Verizon)
✔ Cumberland Falls is an easy, worthwhile stop
✔ Light traffic on the roads we rode
✘ Narrow roads in places
✘ Not a public boondocking spot (private property)
✘ Winters are colder/longer than the Deep South
👉 Bottom line:If you want a few days of great riding and a peaceful place to stay, this area delivers.
At a Glance
Base Area:
Somerset, Kentucky
Ride to Falls:
~1 hour
Riding Style:•
Twisty, steep• Smooth pavement
Narrow in sections
Traffic:
Light
Boondocking:•
Private property (friends)
Quiet, reliable cell signal
Boondocking Setup
We stayed three days on friends’ property.
Plugged into 15-amp (rarely needed)
Arrived with fresh water and empty tanks
No issues lasting the stay
Cell Service:
✔ Verizon was strong
Overall:
✔ Quiet
✔ Comfortable
✔ We’d stay again
Riding the Area
This is what stood out.
The Roads
Very twisty and steep
Smooth pavement
Light traffic
Narrow in places, but nothing sketchy on the routes we took
We were riding with locals, which likely helped us hit the better roads without surprises.
Tri Glide vs Can-Am (Real-World Comparison)
Can-Am
More sporty
Better if you want to push the pace
Tri Glide
More comfortable
Still plenty fast for these roads
👉 Real answer:
Want to ride aggressively? → Can-Am
Want to enjoy the ride comfortably? → Tri Glide
Cumberland Falls (“Niagara of the South”)
About 1 hour ride from Somerset
Easy access—short walk (under ¼ mile) from parking
Not crowded (weekday in April)
Worth it?
👉 Yes.
This isn’t a hidden gem—it’s well known—but it’s still worth going out of your way to see.
The Rickhouses (Bourbon Aging Warehouses)
Driving through the area, you’ll see:
Large, multi-story aging buildings
Spread throughout the region
We didn’t stop or go out of our way, but they’re interesting to see and part of what makes the area unique.
Fun fact:
👉 Roughly 850 million gallons of bourbon are aging in Kentucky at any given time.
Overall Feel of the Area
Like many places we’ve visited:
Scenic
Appealing
Feels like a place you could live
Until you factor in:
👉 Winter
That’s what keeps us happy with Mississippi—colder climates tend to stay cold longer.
Reality Check
This isn’t a “pull into a campground” type stay.
We were on private land (not publicly available)
The roads are narrow in places—fine for experienced riders, but not wide-open cruising
It’s beautiful country—but winters are real here compared to Mississippi
👉 Great for a visit
👉 Different story if you’re thinking about living there full-time
Who This Is For
✔ Riders looking for twisty mountain/foothill roads
✔ RVers with a private place to stay
✔ Anyone wanting a quiet, scenic few days
Who Should Skip It
✘ If you want wide, easy, straight roads
✘ If you need public campgrounds right at your base
✘ If cold winters are a dealbreaker
Final Answer
If someone says:
👉 “I want a few days of great riding and a peaceful place to stay”
Answer:
👉 This area is excellent—especially if you have a place to stay and someone to point you to the good roads.
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