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Tourism

​​​​​Why not West Point? The friendly people of West Point invite you to spend a few hours, a day or more in our historic city. There’s something for everybody in your family waiting in West Point.

West Point History Museum

Hours of Operations and Contact Information
Open Friday 2-5 p.m.
Saturday 2-5 p.m.
Private tours by appointment
Contact Monie Matthew


Bridges to the Past
Historic L & N Turnpike Tour

Directions
From North or South on U.S. 31W, turn East onto Louisville-Nashville Turnpike. Approximately .7 mile to trail head parking lot.

  • 2 mile walk round trip.
  • Flat, asphalt trail.
  • Easy hike.
  • Handicap accessible.
  • Except where walkways have been provided for viewing bridge construction, visitors are required to remain on the hard road surface.
  • No facilities on premises.
  • No vehicles, bikes, skateboards, and/or horses are allowed on the trail.
  • No alcohol, drugs, firearms, metal detectors, fireworks, glass bottles and/or containers are permitted.

NOTE: Vegetation is not to be disturbed or removed. Vandalism to this trail and its features is a federal offense.


Fort Duffield Park & Civil War Historic Site (Built 1861)

General William Tecumseh Sherman ordered the construction of a fort at this site to protect his supply base in West Point and to protect the City of Louisville from attack via the Louisville-Nashville Turnpike and Ohio River. This impregnable fortress, some 300 feet above the city of West Point was never challenged. However, its strategic position no doubt played an important role in the Civil War in Kentucky.

On your visit to Fort Duffield, you will experience a panoramic view of historic West Point looking across the beautiful Ohio River to the scenic hills of Southern Indiana. Visit the serene gardens of Fort Duffield’s Memorial Hill Cemetery which pays tribute to the 61 soldiers who died building the fort. Set your own pace with the self-guided walking tour brochure. Witness the ongoing restoration of one of Kentucky’s nearly forgotten Civil War treasures.

Open daily year round 8 am – dark. Picnic facilities. 10 miles of nationally acclaimed mountain bike and hiking trails. Civil War Historic Site – The historic site is reached using a ¼ mile hiking trail from the parking lot. Walking tour brochures are available. Rest rooms available. Handicap accessible by appointment.

Location
US 31W (Dixie Hwy) at Salt River Drive, West Point, Kentucky. 7.5 miles south of the Gene Snyder Freeway (Hwy 841) and 9 miles north of Fort Knox main entrance.

Take a virtual tour of Civil War Fort Duffield on line at www.fortduffield.com

For information or to schedule a tour contact:
Fort Duffield Heritage Committee
Gary Masterson Chairman 502-594-9995
Connie Morris Secretary 502-922-4574
E-Mail: info@fortduffield.com
Website: fortduffield.com

  • Kentucky’s largest and best-preserved earthen fortification.
  • On the National Register of Historic Places and the Civil War Preservation.
  • Trust’s Civil War Sites Official Guide.
  • Living History Events Memorial Weekend Saturday and Sunday and Labor Day weekend Sunday and Monday.
  • School and group tours with Civil War reenactors available.

National Register Historic District Walking Tour

West Point's strategic location at the confluence of the Ohio and Salt Rivers made it an early crossroads from Louisville to the South. It was a stagecoach stop on the Louisville-Nashville Turnpike, Kentucky's first toll road, as well as an important distribution point for goods shipped from the east.

John Shields, gunsmith and blacksmith for the Lewis and Clark Expedition lived in West Point with his wife and daughter. James Audubon, Jenny Lind, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay rested at the inn and the home of city founder James Young.

Occupied by Union troops during most of the Civil War, many of the homes and buildings were called into service. One of these homes served as a canteen by the troops of Camp Knox during World War I. Stroll the historic streets of West Point at your own pace and learn a little about our city’s rich heritage.

Brochures available at West Point City Hall, 6th & Elm Streets and at local businesses. Arrangements for guided group tours available by calling 502-922-4431


West Point Boat Ramp​

99 Salt River Drive
West Point, KY 40177
Phone: 502-922-4260
Boat Ramp on Salt River, picnicking​. Open year round. Rules and regulations posted at office.

Directions
From the north or south, U.S. 31W to Salt River Drive.​


Veterans Memorial Park

Located on the Ohio River, the entrance to the park is at 6th & Elm Street. Picnic & playground; pavilion available for groups. Information & fees for pavilion rental call 502-922-4260.​

For information and rental rates, download the Veteran's Me​morial Park application.


Tioga Falls National Recreation Trail​

Directions
From North or South on U.S. 31W, turn East onto Louisville-Nashville Turnpike. Approximately .7 mile to trail head parking lot.

  • 2 mile hike round trip.
  • Steep in places on trail.
  • Rugged terrain.
  • Visitors are required to remain on the trail at all times.
  • Not handicap accessible.
  • No facilities on premises.
  • Visitors must not walk on the railroad tracks. Trains use tracks frequently and irregularly
  • No vehicles, bikes, and/or horses are allowed on trail.
  • No alcohol, drugs, firearms, metal detectors, fireworks, glass bottles and/or containers are permitted.
  • Vegetation is not to be disturbed or removed.
  • Vandalism to this trail and its features is a federal offense.

Anyone violating these safety regulations, or otherwise committing an unsafe act, will be required to depart the Fort Knox Military Reservation.

Training missions may require the site to be closed to the public. Warning signs will be posted to inform visitors.

Contact the Fort Knox Environmental Management Division, Cultural Resource Office at 502-624-7431 for additional information about potential closures or other information regarding the Bridges to Tioga Trails National Recreation Trail.​​​

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​Important Links

Veteran's Memorial Park Application

For information and rental rates, download the Veteran's Memorial Park application.

​​Download application​

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