Valley View Ferry

Hop a ride on the Valley View Ferry, the oldest year-round ferry service in the United States, and the last one remaining on the Kentucky River. The ferry was founded in 1785, seven years before Kentucky officially became a state in 1792. With its old-timey paddlewheel and friendly staff, the ferry travels across the water with the use of cables attached to nearby towers to safely navigate and transport passengers to the other side. Be a part of Kentucky history as you board—three vehicles at a time—and charter the same waters traveled by such legendary figures as Daniel Boone, Henry Clay, and General Ulysses S. Grant. The two-minute ferry ride is a free service offered by the Jessamine and Madison Counties and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County governments. Find your way to the river at Tates Creek Rd (KY-169) at the Fayette, Jessamine and Madison County line. In the event of high water, the ferry will close. From Lexington (Fayette County) intersection of Tates Creek Rd and New Circle Rd, take KY-1974 South (Tates Creek Rd) for approximately 11 miles to the Kentucky River. From Nicholasville (Jessamine County) intersection of Main St and Richmond Ave, take KY-169 South for about 10 miles to the Kentucky River. From Richmond (Madison County) intersection of W Main St and Tates Creek Rd, take KY-169 North for approximately 13 miles to the Kentucky River.