Bluegrass Parkway: Elizabethtown to Lexington – Kentucky

Take a 71-mile journey with us across the heart of central Kentucky as we travel eastbound along the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, connecting Elizabethtown to the outskirts of Versailles. This stretch of road slices through the scenic Bluegrass Region, offering a smooth, limited-access route that bypasses many of the towns but never skips the views. The Parkway, a key east-west corridor in the state, is a favorite for those looking to avoid the busier I-64 while still enjoying a calm, steady drive through rolling farmland and bourbon country.

We begin our ride at the western terminus of the Bluegrass Parkway, merging onto the road from Interstate 65 in Elizabethtown. Almost immediately, the hustle of I-65 fades behind us as we ease into a more peaceful rhythm. The parkway heads northeast, skimming the southern edge of Bardstown — one of Kentucky’s bourbon capitals. If you’re looking for a pit stop, Bardstown offers some of the finest distilleries around, including Willett, Heaven Hill, and Barton 1792. While we don’t enter the town directly, exits for U.S. 31E and U.S. 150 offer convenient access if you’re in the mood for a quick detour and a distillery tour.

Continuing along the Parkway, we move into quieter territory. The road remains mostly rural, weaving through a classic Kentucky landscape of fenced pastures, tree-lined ridges, and family farms. Near Bloomfield and Chaplin, you won’t find much in the way of development — and that’s part of the charm. These areas, while not directly accessible from the Parkway, lie just to the north and offer glimpses of old churches, tobacco barns, and roadside produce stands during the growing season. It’s a region that blends pastoral calm with the faint scent of oak barrels and sweet mash from nearby distilleries.

As we cross into Anderson County, the Parkway skirts just south of Lawrenceburg. Here, the exit for KY-555 provides an easy on-ramp into town, home to Wild Turkey and Four Roses Distilleries. Though we stay on the Parkway, the aroma of aging bourbon isn’t far off. This portion of the drive gently curves and climbs through wooded terrain before leveling out again as we approach the route’s eastern end. The scenery gradually transitions to more developed farmland, hinting that we’re nearing the Lexington metro.

We conclude our drive just east of Versailles at the Parkway’s terminus at U.S. Route 60. Versailles itself is just minutes away and offers access to the famed Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland Racetrack, and some of the state’s most pristine thoroughbred farms. While the Bluegrass Parkway may not be as well-known nationally as other Kentucky highways, it’s a vital connector through a region steeped in equine and bourbon heritage, offering a peaceful and efficient route for travelers heading toward the Lexington area.