Pikeville
Around Pikeville
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Kentucky · 89k people
Pikeville
Locals say Eastern Kentucky
Where the mountains hold the music
Burnt OrangeMountain GreenCoal Black
Welcome to Eastern Kentucky, where the mountains are steep and the people are friendly. Get ready for some of the best outdoor adventures and down-home music you'll find anywhere. Whether you're here for the fishing or the festivals, you'll feel right at home.
Clubs for Pikeville
No clubs for Pikeville yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Pikeville. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Pikeville. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Breaks Interstate Park Called the Grand Canyon of the South, straddles KY-VA border
- Jenny Wiley State Resort Park Resort park on Dewey Lake with lodge and trails
- Dewey Lake Popular for boating, fishing, and swimming
- Fishtrap Lake Known for bass fishing and quiet coves
- Kentucky Coal Museum Coal heritage exhibits in Benham, near Jenkins
- Portal 31 Exhibition Mine Underground mine tour in Lynch (nearby Harlan County)
- Outdoors Hiking in Breaks Interstate Park
- Outdoors Boating and fishing on Dewey Lake
- With kids Visit the Kentucky Coal Museum
- With kids Swim and picnic at Dewey Lake
- Evenings Live music at local honky-tonks
- Evenings Moonshine tastings at distilleries
- Locals love Scenic drives through mountain passes
- Locals love Fishing spots on lakes and creeks
Through the year
- Hillbilly Days April Pikeville's big spring festival with music, crafts, and food
- Kentucky Apple Festival October Paintsville celebrates apples with parades, pies, and crafts
- Pike County Fair July Rides, livestock, and local competitions in summer
- Jenny Wiley Theatre Summer Season June-August Professional theater performances at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park
- Appalachian Music Festival August Prestonsburg's celebration of mountain music and dance
Humid subtropical with hot summers and chilly winters; the mountains bring frequent rain and fog. Best time to be out is fall for clear skies and vibrant leaves, or late spring before the heat sets in. Best: Fall for crisp air and foliage, and late spring for mild temps
Talk like a local
- “holler”
- A hollow or valley between hills
- “crick”
- A small stream or creek
- “fixin' to”
- About to do something
- “y'all”
- You all, used for a group
Getaways
- Huntington Riverfront and museums
- Charleston State capital with dining and culture
- Kingsport Bays Mountain and historic district
- Johnson City Shopping, breweries, and nearby mountains
Local flavour
Rooting for University of Kentucky Wildcats, West Virginia Mountaineers, Marshall Thundering Herd
Eat and drink
- Soup beans and cornbread A staple Appalachian dish, often made with pinto beans and skillet cornbread
- Country ham Salt-cured and often served with biscuits or in sandwiches
- Fried apple pies Hand pies filled with dried apples, a regional dessert
- Moonshine Illicit or legal corn whiskey, a cultural touchstone
Where people go
- Coal mines and headframes The iconic structures and mines that shaped the region
- Hollers and hollows Narrow valleys between mountains, often with small communities
- Mountain trails and overlooks Hiking paths and scenic views in the Appalachian foothills
- Music halls and jam sessions Venues like the Mountain Arts Center and informal bluegrass gatherings
- Moonshine stills Historic and modern distilleries, legal and otherwise
Heritage and traditions
This region is fiercely proud of its Appalachian heritage—the coal mining legacy, the music, the storytelling, and the tight-knit communities that have survived boom and bust. Locals celebrate their roots with festivals, food, and a deep connection to the mountains.
This time of year in Pikeville
- Apple harvest Fall October is apple season, celebrated with the Kentucky Apple Festival in Paintsville and homemade apple pies.
- Kentucky Apple Festival October Held in Paintsville in October, featuring apple pies, cider, crafts, and a parade.
Say it like a local: “crick” — A small stream or creek, often pronounced 'crick'
Festivals
- Hillbilly Days April A quirky April festival in Pikeville celebrating Appalachian heritage with music, food, and a parade of hillbilly characters.
- Kentucky Apple Festival October Held in Paintsville in October, featuring apple pies, cider, crafts, and a parade.
- Pike County Fair July A classic county fair in July with livestock shows, carnival rides, and local entertainment.
- Jenny Wiley Theatre Summer Season Summer Outdoor musicals and plays performed at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park from June through August.
- Appalachian Music Festival June A June celebration of bluegrass, old-time, and gospel music held in Pikeville.
- Jenkins Coal Festival September A September event in Jenkins honoring coal mining heritage with a parade, mining contests, and live music.
Landmarks with a story
- Pikeville Cut-Through A massive engineering project that moved a mountain to reroute the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River, completed in 1987. It's a point of local pride.
- Hatfield-McCoy Feud sites Throughout Pike County, you'll find markers and homesteads tied to the famous feud, including the McCoy family cemetery and the site of the McCoy home.
- Van Lear Historic District A former coal town in Johnson County, known as the birthplace of Loretta Lynn. The district preserves early 20th-century coal camp housing.
- Historic Downtown Pikeville A walkable area with early 1900s buildings, including the Pike County Courthouse and several churches, reflecting the town's growth during the coal boom.
- Battle of Middle Creek A Civil War battlefield near Prestonsburg, where Union forces won a small but significant victory in 1862. A driving tour is available.
Food traditions
- Ramps (wild leeks) A spring tradition where families gather to dig ramps in the hills, then cook them with potatoes and eggs. Many local churches hold ramp dinners.
- Apple stack cake A layered cake with dried apple filling, traditionally served at weddings and funerals. Each layer is thin and dense, reflecting the region's frugality.
- Soup beans and cornbread A staple meal of pinto beans slow-cooked with ham hock, served with skillet cornbread. It's a humble, filling dish that locals grew up on.
- Country ham Salt-cured and aged ham, often served at holiday meals and breakfast with red-eye gravy. The curing process is a local art.
- Fried apple pies Hand pies filled with dried apples, fried until golden. A favorite at fairs and family reunions, often made from scratch.
Music and arts
- Bluegrass and old-time music The region is a hotbed of traditional mountain music, with weekly jam sessions and festivals celebrating the banjo, fiddle, and guitar.
- Gospel singing Church and community gospel singings are common, featuring four-part harmony and southern gospel quartets.
- Appalachian crafts Quilting, basket weaving, and wood carving are living traditions, passed down through generations and sold at local markets.
- Mountain Arts Center Located in Prestonsburg, this venue hosts concerts, art exhibits, and workshops, celebrating the region's cultural heritage.
A little history
- 1823 Pikeville founded as the county seat of Pike County
- 1863-1891 Hatfield-McCoy feud erupts along the Tug Fork, involving families in Pike County and West Virginia
- Early 1900s Coal boom transforms the region, bringing railroads and mining camps
- 1862 Battle of Middle Creek fought near Prestonsburg during the Civil War
- 1987 Pikeville Cut-Through completed, rerouting the river and railroad to make room for development
Rivalries
- Kentucky vs West Virginia College basketball and football bragging rights
- Pikeville vs Paintsville High school football and basketball showdowns
- Marshall vs Kentucky Fans clash over in-state and border rivalries
- Game day Friday night high school football
- Game day Basketball rivalry games
- Outdoors Hiking the trails at Breaks Interstate Park
- Outdoors Boating and fishing on Dewey Lake
- With kids Visiting the Kentucky Coal Museum
- With kids Swimming and picnicking at Dewey Lake
People here speak a distinctive Appalachian English, with a Southern drawl and unique vocabulary. You'll hear 'holler' for hollow, 'crick' for creek, and phrases like 'fixin' to' meaning 'about to'. The accent is often described as warm and musical, with a slower pace.
Only here
- The Pikeville Cut-Through, where an entire mountain was moved to make room for a river and railroad.
- The Hatfield-McCoy feud, one of the most famous family feuds in American history, is memorialized in local lore and landmarks.
- Coal camps and company stores, remnants of the mining era, can still be seen in towns like Van Lear and Jenkins.
- The term 'holler' is used for a hollow, and many communities are named after these steep valleys.
New here? A few tips
- Learn to love winding mountain roads—they're a way of life here. Take your time and enjoy the views.
- Try the local food: soup beans and cornbread, ramps in spring, and a fried apple pie at a festival.
- Understand the coal heritage—many families have roots in mining, and it's a source of pride and resilience.
- Be prepared for all four seasons: hot summers, colorful falls, cold winters with occasional snow, and muddy springs.
- Get involved in a community event like Hillbilly Days or a church dinner to meet neighbors quickly.
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Nearby
Every areaWilliamsonWest VirginiaWhere the Tug Fork runs through coal country.PaintsvilleKentuckyHome of coal camps and country musicLoganWest VirginiaWhere the mountains hold you close.HazardKentuckyHeart of the Appalachian hillsWiseVirginiaMountain music, coal country warmth.HarlanKentuckyWhere every holler has a storyKingsport–BristolTennesseeWhere the mountains meet the music, and the race never stops.HuntingtonWest VirginiaWhere the hills meet the Ohio
Pikeville, KY. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.