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Kentuckians have never had a plethora of options when it comes to where to ski or snowboard in the state. Ski Butler, at General Butler State Park in Carrollton, was the state’s only proper ski area but when it shut down in the 90s, winter-sports-loving Kentuckians had to look outside of the state to get their fix. Check out our list below and find some of the best ski resorts near Kentucky.
We’ve included ski resorts that are six or less hours from Central Kentucky. You’ll find them in nearby areas such as Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
We’ve listed the resorts by the state they are located in and then in order of distance from Lexington. However if you are from other parts of Kentucky, some of the resorts will obviously be closer than other. If you’d like to jump to a specific state’s listings, please click the links below.
Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina
Ski Resorts in Indiana
Perfect North Slopes (~1.5 hours from Lexington)
Skiing, snowboarding, terrain parks, ski and snowboard school
The closest ski area to central Kentucky, Perfect North Slopes is quite popular in the area. It’s best known by many in the skiing world as the place where notable Olympic Freestyle skier Nick Goepper got his start. He grew up nearby and spent many days skiing all day in preparation for his Olympic career. There’s a main lodge with a small cafeteria and ski and snowboard shop. The tubing run is adjacent to the main ski area and has 23 lanes of 750-feet tubing runs.
19074 Perfect Lane, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, 812-537-3754
Paoli Peaks (2.5 hours from Lexington)
Skiing, snowboarding, terrain parks, tubing, night skiing, ski and ride school
Paoli Peaks is an Indiana favorite it offers something for skiers of all levels including a beginner area as well as more difficult trails. There’s also two terrain parks, a halfpipe and a tubing hill. The 17 runs are accessed by 8 lifts and tows. The resort has impressive snow-making equipment to ensure visitors will have plenty of snow whenever they visit. The top of the hill has a 45,000 square foot day lodge with a bar, cafeteria and pizzeria as well as equipment rentals and a ski patrol station. Paoli Peaks is one of the only resorts in the area to offer extensive night skiing. They are open until after dark most nights and until after midnight on many weekends.
They also offer tubing at their Arctic Blast lodge on site. It has a 700 foot run with 10 lanes. It is also equipped with a surface-carpet to take you back up the hill.
2798 W. County Road 25 S, Paoli, IN 47454, 812-723-4696
Ski Resorts in Tennessee
Ober Gatlinburg Ski Area and Amusement Park, Tennessee (3.5 hours from Lexington)
Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, indoor attractions, snow tubing, rentals.
Year around attractions including a scenic ride on the tramway up the smoky mountains and indoor ice skating.
Ober Gatlinburg sits in the mountains overlooking the popular vacation town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It contains a variety of attractions including a shopping mall, indoor amusements, an ice skating rink, concessions, a full-service lounge, restaurant and more. There are 10 ski trails, a terrain park and 3 chair lifts. It is the only ski resort in Tennessee and quite popular as it is one easiest to reach from much of the southeast United States. There’s a multi-lane snow tubing hill where riders can slide down snow chutes on inflatable bobsleds and ride back up on a “Magic Carpet.” There are instructors available and ski lessons are mandatory if it’s your first time on the slopes.
1001 Parkway Suite 2, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, 865-436-5423
Ski Resorts in West Virginia
Winterplace Ski Resort, WV (3 hr, 45 min from Lexington)
90 skiable acres, 28 trails, 603 ft. vertical drop Skiing, snowboarding, terrain park, tubing park
Billed as the “Most accessible, affordable ski resort in the Southeast,” Winterplace Ski Resort is the southernmost ski resort in West Virginia. It is quite popular due to its proximity to I-77. Here, skiing and snowboarding are offered in a beginner-friendly mountain setting with rustic accommodations. Night skiing is also available on 23 runs. The resort is also home to the largest snow tubing facility in West Virginia.
100 Old Flat Top Mountain Road, Ghent, WV 25843, 304-787-3221
Snowshoe Mountain, WV (5.5 hours from Lexington)
256 skiable acres, 57 trails, 14 lifts, 1500 ft. vertical drop Ski School, Tube Park, Snowmobile Tours
Snowshoe is a name well-known among east-coast snow lovers and is truly one of the best ski resorts near Kentucky. It is the largest winter resort in the mid-Atlantic and offers something for someone of every level. Expert skiers can hit up the two black diamond trails in the Western Territory, while first timers can enjoy the beginner area. It is one of the most well-developed resort areas in the state with extensive lodging options, gourmet dining, shopping, wedding and convention facilities and a luxurious spa all within your reach from the resort. The ski resort also sits at the second highest point in the state and has one of the longest vertical drops of any ski resort on our list.
10 Snowshoe Drive, Snowshoe, WV 26209, 877-441-4386
Canaan Valley Resort, WV (5 hr. 45 min from Lexington)
47 trails, 5 lifts, 850 feet vertical drop, terrain park, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing
As the first commercial ski development in West Virginia, Canaan Valley Resort specializes in outdoor recreation and they have 47 slopes and a 1,200 foot tubing park to prove it. There’s all sorts of trails with everyone from easy “bunny” hills up to runs with an 850-foot vertical drop. There’s several on-site restaurants for when you need to refuel as well as luxurious accommodations right on site.
230 Main Lodge Road, Davis, WV 26260, 800-622-4121
Ski Resorts in North Carolina
Cataloochee Ski Area, NC (4.5 hours from Lexington)
50 skiable acres, 18 trails, vertical drop 740 feet, terrain park, tubing, rentals, ski and ride school
Cataloochee Ski area is a small ski area which is the closest in North Carolina to Central Kentucky. It also is one of the first mountains in the area to open each year as it is usually open by early November. The mountain has 18 trails which are fairly equally divided between beginner, intermediate and advanced. All of the slopes have lights for night use. There’s also a multi-lane tube park nearby at Tube World in Maggie Valley.
1080 Ski Lodge Road, Maggie Valley, NC 28751, 828-926-0285
Beech Mountain Resort, NC (5 hours from Lexington)
95 skiable acres, 17 trails, 8 lifts and tows, vertical rise of 830 feet, skiing, boarding, ice skating, tubing, terrain park
If you are all about altitude, check out Beech Mountain Resort, as it is the highest ski area in Eastern America. There’s also a freestyle terrain park for those looking to get some air during their day on the powder. In addition to hitting the slopes, the resort has a tube park and an Alpine Village offering ice skating, a game room, a retail shop, ski repair and rentals, a brewery, snack shop and coffee shop.
1007 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC 28604, 800-438-2093
Sugar Mountain Resort, NC (5 hours from Lexington)
115 skiiable acres, rentals, ski and ride school, terrain park, snow tubing, ice skating
Sugar Mountain Resort is tucked away in the Pisgah National Forest in the North Carolina high country. It offers plenty of snow-filled fun with skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating and snowshoeing tours all available. There’s a ski and snowboard school that offers lessons for all ages and ability levels as well as a base lodge with amenities and live music on some days. The lift lines here get busy in the afternoons so you are best to get there early if you don’t want to wait in the long lines.
1009 Sugar Mountain Drive, Sugar Mountain, NC 28604, 828-898-4521
Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center, NC (5 hours from Lexington)
Snow tubing, ice skating (some years), lodge with amenities
Scaly Mountain Ski Area is a warm, family-friendly resort offering snow tubing and ice skating (in the 2019-2020 season they are only offering tubing). They have a ski lodge that faces all of the slopes where parents can take a break and still keep an eye on their kids while they are tubing. There’s concession stand serving beverages and snacks as well as a large wood-burning stove to cozy up beside.
7420 Dillard Road, Scaly Mountain, NC 28775, 828-526-3737
Wolf Ridge Ski Resort (5 hours from Lexington)
65 skiable acres, 15 trails, 4 ski lifts, lodge with amenities, terrain park
This seasonal ski resort is conveniently located just off of I-26 in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains. The resort has refined, townhouse style accomnodations and offers “Stay and Ski” packages as well as an indoor pool and hot tub for relaxing after a long day on the mountain. You’ll find ski runs of a variety of levels as well as a terrain park with a range of exciting features for various skill levels. Make sure to pause at the top and enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
578 Valley View Circle, Mars Hill, NC 28754, 828-689-4111
Hawks Nest Tubing, NC (5 hours 15 min from Lexington)
Tubing park, 30 tubing lanes, night tubing
This one doesn’t have ski slopes, but for those who love tubing, this is one of the best places around to have a fun-filled day of tubing. Here, you will find the largest tubing park in North Carolina and, in fact, the entire east coast. Four different tubing areas offer a total of 30 lanes of fun. The runs range from 400-1000 feet long and are serviced by 2 moving carpet lifts. The entire park has lights so your tubing fun doesn’t have to end at sun down.
2058 Skyland Drive, Seven Devils, NC 28604, 828-963-6561
Appalachian Ski Mountain, NC (5.5 hours from Lexington)
27 skiable acres, Vertical drop 365 ft., 11 ski trails, 5 lifts, night skiing, terrain park, ski and ride school
If you want to learn how to ride terrain parks, this small resort is one of the best places in the area you can go. It is the only resort in southeastern ski area that advertises terrain park instruction and is also home of the French Swiss Ski College which trains everyone from military professionals to ski patrol how to ski, so the instruction standards here are top-notch. The small resort is family-owned and operated and is completely geared toward family fun and has everything you need for a good time on the slopes including equipment rentals and a slopeside restaurant offering 3 meals a day. The resort is nationally known for its snowmaking capabilities and at peak times they can have a snow base upward of 100 inches, which rivals that of many western resorts.
940 Ski Mountain Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605, 828-295-7828
Ski Clubs in Kentucky
Just because Kentucky doesn’t have any proper ski resorts doesn’t mean that Kentuckians aren’t into winter sports. If you are hoping to join with others that share your passion for the powder, check out the ski clubs around Kentucky Join in with others who enjoy playing in snow for trips, events and meetings and socials.
Introduction to Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling does not include games of chance, which are strictly illegal. Instead, Kentucky has competition-based electronic gaming machines at four out of its five pari-mutuel wagering racetracks.
Theoretical payout limits are not available but monthly return statistics are available for electronic gaming machines.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Kentucky*
The minimum legal gambling age in Kentucky depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: Not available
- Poker Rooms: Not available
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
Kentucky’s interpretation of legal gambling requires the competitor’s level of skill “must sufficiently govern the results.”
Therefore, competition-based games are legal as well as pari-mutuel wagering. Traditional slots are illegal, including those referred to as Class III, Vegas-style, and games-of-chance slot machines.
Kentucky has competition-based electronic games available in a few of their pari-mutuel facilities. These skill-based games are anonymously-based historical race results.
Historically, Kentucky has had a fascinating relationship with gambling. While casino gambling was never legal, gambling dens were prevalent before the Great Depression of 1929. To this day, the open display of illegal gambling from that time in American history continues to negatively affect the perception of gaming in Kentucky.
If you’re ever in Newport, directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, consider walking the Newport Gangster Tour.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Kentucky
In Kentucky, it is legal to own a slot machine privately.
Gaming Control Board in Kentucky
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulates skill-based games at pari-mutual racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
These devices are Historic Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. The KHRC reports Kentucky offers 2,981 HHR machines.
Casinos in Kentucky
There are five pari-mutuel racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Of these, only four sites offer skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines.
The largest casino in Kentucky is Derby City Gaming with 1,000 HHR gaming machines.
The second-largest casino is Red Mile Gaming & Racing, an HHR parlor in partnership with Keeneland Race Course, with 938 gaming machines.
Commercial Casinos in Kentucky
The four out of five of Kentucky’s pari-mutuel racetracks with skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines are:
Casino Near Me Kentucky Derby
- Derby City Gaming in Louisville located 74 miles west of Lexington on the Indiana border.
- Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson located 105 miles northwest of Bowling Green.
- Kentucky Downs Gaming in Franklin located 29 miles south of Bowling Green.
- Red Mile Gaming & Racing in Lexington.
Tribal Casinos in Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has no federally-recognized American Indian tribes and, therefore, no tribal casinos.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Kentucky slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Kentucky is:
- North: Indiana and Ohio Slots
- East: West Virginia Slots
- Southeast: Virginia Slots
- South: Tennessee Slots
- West: Missouri Slots
Each link above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Kentucky.
Our Kentucky Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Kentucky? If so, join our new Kentucky slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Kentucky. Join us!
Payout Returns in Kentucky
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The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not offer any theoretical payout limits for their competition-based HHR gaming machines.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission offers statistics for HHR gaming under Quick Links entitled Wagering on Historical Horse Races. Its December 2019 report indirectly offers actual return statistics including comparisons to past actuals.
To calculate a player’s win percentage from the report, divide Less: Return to Public by Total Handle. For December 2019, the monthly Player’s Win% for HHR machines were:
- State-wide: 91.5%
- Derby City: 90.9%
- Ellis Park: 93.9%
- Keeneland/Red Mile: 91.3%
- Kentucky Downs: 92.0%
From this December 2019 report, Ellis Park had the highest player win% at nearly 94% while Derby City had the lowest at nearly 91%.
Summary of Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kentucky Casinos Open
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling exists as competition-based, games-of-skill Historical Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines instead of games-of-chance slot machines.
No minimum or maximum theoretical payout limits have been set. Monthly return statistics are publicly available for each pari-mutuel racetrack with HHR games.
Annual Progress in Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, Kentucky increased its HHR machines by 9% to 2,981 devices. However, the average daily handle for HHRs increased by 46%. For 2020 so far, it’s an amazing 59% increase compared to 2019.
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
Casino Near Me Kentucky
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC