Volunteers Clean Up Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway Roads in Lee County

More than 25 volunteers spent a rainy and stormy Saturday morning helping preserve the beauty of the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway during a large-scale roadside cleanup led by Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway representative Luke Bogner.

After gathering Saturday morning, volunteers divided into several teams and spread out across Lee County to remove litter from backcountry driving routes along the Byway's southern expansion into the county. Cleanup crews covered New Virginia Road, Wild Dog Road, Spencer Ridge Road, Hale Ridge Road, and Todd's Road, collecting bags of trash along these scenic county roads.

The event was made possible through a partnership between the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway, Beattyville Main Street, Lee County Tourism, Lee County Solid Waste, and the City of Beattyville.

Lee County Solid Waste Coordinator Mitch Cornelius supplied a two-ton roll-off dumpster for disposal of the collected debris and worked with event partners to coordinate the downtown gathering location where volunteers met afterward to unload the trash they had collected throughout the day.

Following the cleanup, every volunteer received a $20 meal voucher courtesy of the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway. Through sponsorship support from Beattyville Main Street and Lee County Tourism, volunteers were able to enjoy lunch at locally owned downtown restaurants. The meal vouchers not only served as a thank-you for the volunteers' hard work, but also supported local businesses and gave visitors an opportunity to experience Beattyville's downtown dining options.

The cleanup reflects the growing partnership between the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway and the Beattyville/Lee County community as the organization continues expanding its trail network beyond the heavily traveled Red River Gorge corridor. The Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway also expressed its appreciation to Lee County Solid Waste Coordinator Mitch Cornelius, Beattyville Main Street Director Teresa Mays, and Lee County Tourism Director Dedra Brandenburg for their assistance in organizing the  Cleanup Day.

Originally established in eastern Kentucky, the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway has become one of the state's premier overland adventure routes, attracting visitors traveling in street-legal four-wheel-drive vehicles, adventure motorcycles, dual-sport motorcycles, and other off-highway-capable vehicles. The route showcases Kentucky's scenic backroads while encouraging responsible recreation, stewardship of public lands, and support for rural communities.

The Byway's continued expansion into southern Lee County opens additional opportunities for visitors to experience the area's rugged backroads, scenic overlooks, and small communities while supporting local restaurants, lodging properties, and other businesses. Community cleanups like this help ensure those routes remain attractive and welcoming for both residents and visitors.

Organizers said events like this demonstrate that responsible recreation goes hand in hand with protecting the natural beauty that attracts visitors in the first place. They also showcase how partnerships between tourism, downtown organizations, local government, and outdoor recreation groups can create positive economic and environmental impacts for rural communities.

Beattyville Main Street and Lee County Tourism thanked the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway for accepting their invitation to Lee County and partner on this latest cleanup event and expressed appreciation to every volunteer who donated their time to help care for the county's scenic roads.

For more information about the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway, including route maps, trail information, upcoming rides, and volunteer events, visit RideTheDBBB.org. Visitors can also download official trail maps and learn more about the expanding network of more than 1,000 miles of scenic backcountry roads throughout eastern Kentucky.