New Kentucky River Chartered Riverboat Tour Available in Clark County – Winchester Sun

In places like Frankfort, chartered riverboat tours along the Kentucky River have long been promoted as tourist or recreational options.

A new one is now being offered for Clark Countians.

The Kentucky River Tour’s first and only chartered river trip at Lock 10, also known as Ford Pool, is now available at Three Trees Canoe & Kayak Rental Service at 300 Athens Boonesboro Road.

The tour is made possible by Nathan and Jessa Turner, owners of HomeGrown HideAways in Berea. They have a 30-foot pontoon boat with a capacity for ten passengers, five of them when fishing.

“Boonesboro was the closest (ramp) that we could get the boat in and out of the water, and as we went down we saw this place and said. ‘Oh, maybe (we should) rent dock space; That way we don’t have to tow the boat back and forth from Berea,’” said Jessa Turner. “We can go between Boonesboro (State Park) and Valley View (Ferry), and if you want to do the whole round trip it will take at least five to six hours.”

The available excursions can be chosen for a duration of four to eight hours, while the options for what to do are flexible.

“We don’t have a set route or destination… if you want to stop and fish or swim or pull over and fish, or if you just want to cruise… just call,” she said. “We’ll just drive you.”

More information, including how to sign up, can be found at https://www.homegrownhideaways.org/pontoon-boat-rides.html.

Navigator Nathan Turner has taken boater training and safety courses for traveling up and down the Kentucky River, which he estimates can be about 16 feet deep at the center.

When you travel there is a lot to experience.

The country offers a rich history and several species of wildlife can be sighted, including coyotes, deer, turtles, herons, vultures and more.

Numerous creek entrances are often found, used for paddling, canoeing and other outdoor activities.

“You can get out and go up the creek and fish…that’s where the trout are,” Nathan Turner said. “Boone Creek Outfitters (has) ziplines that go through here, and they also do trout fishing, so you can hire a trout guide.”

Science buffs can enjoy the sights and smells emanating from air shafts at sites traditionally used for limestone mining, along with other geological data.

While the boat travels well below different roads, individuals can still pass by locations such as Proud Mary’s BBQ in Lexington as they enter Fayette County’s riverfront.

Bathrooms are located on the boat, although individuals are encouraged to use them in advance.

Other amenities are also available, such as life jackets, fishing rods, bug spray and sunscreen.

The variety of opportunities offers great satisfaction, which the Turners are eager to pass on.

“I just enjoy being on the boat,” Jessa Turner said. “It’s (a) place where I don’t work.”