Things to Do in Danville

Stearns Coal & Lumber Company, which controlled more than 200 square miles of land in Kentucky and Tennessee, built the K&T Railway to navigate and export its vast mountain resources. Now owned by a nonprofit organization, the K&T Railway still chugs along the same scenic pathways, importing sightseers and history buffs to glimpse the area's coal, lumber, and railroading past. Trips down into the gorge of the Big South Fork River drop almost 600 feet of elevation in 5 miles, with the train's sturdy engine conquering the steep mountain descent and ascent. In addition to traditional trips, the railway also offers specialty excursions that include hiking trips, twilight Halloween-themed rides, and a Santa Express fueled by the burning presents of disobedient children.

Sheltowee Trace Outfitters’ founder, Rick Egedi, has navigated Kentucky’s waters since 1981. At his adventure center, he and his staff lead guided trips on area rivers, such as the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. Canoers, whitewater rafters, and tubers can float through placid, sun-dappled segments or conquer frothing rapids; alternatively, shorter trips ferry adventurers straight to the foot of the Cumberland Falls, where they can feel the waterfall’s spray and see that, despite conspiracy theories, it is not just water descending an escalator.

For landlubbers, the center’s activities range from trips up a climbing wall to geocaching excursions, on which visitors prowl through the surrounding greenery on a tech-savvy scavenger hunt using GPS tracking to turn up hidden caches of trinkets. During multiday outdoor trips, visitors can spend the night in nearby lodgings, such as quaint cabins and campgrounds, rather than sleeping atop nature’s waterbed—the puddle.