The Country Music Highway follows US 23 for about 144 miles through seven counties in eastern Kentucky, with the state of West Virginia never far to the east. The name comes from the region’s output of country stars.
Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gayle, The Judds, Billy Ray Cyrus, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Chris Stapleton, and Tyler Childers all come from this part of the state. Kentucky’s legislature gave the road its name in 1994, and it became a National Scenic Byway in 2002.
The drive combines music stops with Appalachian scenery: small river towns, coal-mining history, lakes, and state parks along a mostly low-traffic road.
Plan the trip around a few stops rather than trying to see everything. The museum in Paintsville, Loretta Lynn’s Homeplace, and the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland cover the main highlights.
Route Details: Country Music Highway
Mile markers below are approximate distances from Greenup.
Greenup (0 miles)
The byway begins in Greenup, on the Ohio River in the northeast corner of the state. Billy Ray Cyrus grew up in the county, and the first signs marking the highway appear here.
Ashland and the Paramount Arts Center (15 miles)
Ashland is the biggest city on the route. The Paramount Arts Center, opened in 1931 and designed by the Art Deco architects Rapp and Rapp, hosted early performances by Wynonna and Naomi Judd and by Billy Ray Cyrus. Cyrus filmed the video for “Achy Breaky Heart” there. The city also has the most EV charging on the route, including fast chargers.
Louisa (45 miles)
Louisa is a small river town on the Big Sandy. Its Country Music Gas Station, decorated with guitars, banjos, and signed photos, is a light-hearted roadside stop before the heart of the byway.
Paintsville (75 miles)
Paintsville is the center of the route’s music attractions. The U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum, opened in 2005, has 14 exhibits with instruments, stage wardrobe, and memorabilia, including Loretta Lynn’s guitar. It hosts live bluegrass on Thursday nights. Paintsville Lake State Park and the Mountain HomePlace living history farm are also nearby, and the historic downtown has local shops and cafes.
Van Lear and Butcher Hollow (80 miles)
Van Lear was a coal company town and is the site of Loretta Lynn’s childhood home in Butcher Hollow, made famous in her song. The Van Lear Historical Society Miners’ Museum covers the coal-mining side of the story. The homeplace and museum are a short drive from the highway.
Prestonsburg (90 miles)
Prestonsburg is home to the Mountain Arts Center, a 1,044-seat theater that has hosted Loretta Lynn, Billy Ray Cyrus, Chris Stapleton, and other stars. It is a good place to check the schedule for a show.
Pikeville (125 miles)
Pikeville is the best town on the highway for a longer stop. It has restaurants, a riverfront, and the Hatfield and McCoy feud driving tour, which covers one of the best-known episodes of Appalachian history. The town also has kayaking access on the river.
Letcher County (144 miles)
The byway ends in Letcher County, in the mountains near the Virginia line. There are few services here, so fuel up in Pikeville before continuing.
Use the trip planner to build a day-by-day itinerary based on your available time and starting point.
