Redbird Crest Trail

The Redbird Crest Trail (Trail 801) is a long, ridge-following loop through the rugged Redbird Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest in southeastern Kentucky. The Forest Service describes it as a 69-mile loop marked in 22 numbered map sections, and also as a nearly 100-mile loop where it crosses and follows roads. It is part of the wider Redbird Crest Trail System, which links to side trails such as the Gilbert Creek/Elisha Creek Loop, the Daniel Boone Trail Connector, and the Left Fork of Elisha Creek trail.

What makes it interesting for dirt bike riders is that the loop changes character as you go. Access rules differ by map section: the first sections are open to wide OHVs, the middle sections narrow down to 50 inches, and the final stretch (sections 16 to 22) is open to single-track vehicles such as dirt bikes only. RiderPlanet describes much of the terrain as rough, narrow and rugged, with a large share of it singletrack. The trail is marked with orange diamond blazes, and the Forest Service warns that steep terrain can be hard on beginners, so newer riders should ride with someone experienced.

Getting there

Most riders start from one of three developed trailheads: Peabody, Sugar Creek, or Bear Creek. Peabody is off KY 66 on Frank Bowling Road in Clay County, a short drive south of the tiny community of Big Creek, and is next to the Redbird Ranger District office at 91 Peabody Road. The Forest Service lists parking and loading, visitor information, trash collection and primitive camping at Peabody. RiderPlanet reports vault toilets at each staging area, and says the singletrack is a short way east of Peabody but that bikes must be street legal to cross a paved road to reach it.

Fees, permits, and rules

A Daniel Boone National Forest OHV recreation pass is required: $15 per day or $60 annual. Show it as a sticker on the bike or wear it as a wristband, or pay onsite through the Recreation.gov mobile app and carry your confirmation number. Cell coverage is poor at the trail, so download the app before you arrive. Passes are sold at Forest offices and local vendors.

Read the map before you go, because vehicle limits change by section:

• Sections 1 to 6: motorized vehicles up to 64 inches wide with engines up to 1,000 cc and low-pressure off-road tires.
• Sections 7 to 13: motorized vehicles up to 50 inches wide.
• Sections 14 and 15: licensed, street-legal vehicles only.
• Sections 16 to 22: single-track vehicles such as dirt bikes only.

Cross-country travel and hill climbs are not allowed; stay on designated trails and roads. The trail is shared with hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers.

When to ride

The Forest Service lists the trail as open year-round. Expect mud after rain, and check the Daniel Boone National Forest alerts page before a trip: at the time of research it noted active logging near sections 17 to 19, and that the Redbird office had no phone service and limited pass sales.