Kentucky River

Length: 259 miles (417 kilometers)

The Kentucky River is formed by the junction of the North and South forks, at Beattyville, Lee County in central Kentucky, and flows northwest to the Ohio River at Carrollton. The river is navigable by small crafts for its entire length by means of locks. The Kentucky’s upper course flows through a coal-mining region of the Cumberland Mountains amd the lower course flows through the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region.

The North Fork Kentucky River approxmately 125 miles long, rises in southeast Kentucky, near the Virginia state line and flows generally northwest past Hazard and Jackson; receives Middle Fork one mile east of the confluence with South Fork.

The South Fork Kentucky River is approximately 30 miles long and formed by the joining of Red Bird and Goose creeks in north Clay County in southeast Kentucky, flows north to join North Fork.

The Middle Fork Kentucky River, approximately 85 miles long rises in northeast Harlan County in southeast Kentucky and flows generally north northwest through Buckhorn Lake reservoir to North Fork.