5 - Following the River
The Story of Mary Ingles through Bellevue, Oneonta and Alexandria, Kentucky
This map and its embedded images suggest only some of the content of this bicycle tour. For the stories behind these places and why they are important, we hope you will read our book, Bicycling Through Paradise .
This tour begins in Bellevue, Kentucky, and ends in Alexandria, Kentucky. There are two segments in the tour. We follow the Ohio River for most of the time and then gently ascend to Alexandria. The ride along the Ohio River is often used by cyclists. It does suffer though from buckling and landslides from time to time so be prepared for patches of rough road.
Segment 1 begins in Bellevue Beach Park where there is ample parking and many places to eat nearby. It ends in Melbourne where there is parking and a convenience store. On the way it passes St. Anne's Convent. Segment 2 travels from Melbourne to Alexandria, passing the ghost town of Oneonta on the way. In Alexandria, there is food (Dominic's is recommended) and parking.
Tour Distance: 22.3 miles one way
Segment 1 - Bellevue to Melbourne
- Distance: 10.5 miles
- Terrain: flat
- Elevation change: 66 ft. down / 79 ft. up
Segment 2 - Melbourne to Alexandra
- Distance: 11.8 miles
- Terrain: flat and then uphill
- Elevation change: 79 ft. down / 459 ft. up
To download the entire route for this trail, click the link to Google Maps HERE
View cyclist input for this route HERE
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Segment 1: Bellevue to Melbourne
Start at Bellevue Beach Park, 643 Frank Benke Way.
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Bellevue Beach Park -- Bellevue and Dayton
Bellevue Beach Park is down the street from the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee shopping area.
There are also many places to eat and shop in Bellevue and nearby Dayton along the route, and there are many interesting sites, such as the gazebo in Bellevue Beach Park (Photo 1) and Dayton mural (Photo 2).
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Traveling along Mary Ingles Hwy/Route 8
You will pass a number of small settlements and industries before getting to Melbourne. St. Anne's Convent sits up on the hill to the right just before entering Melbourne (Photo 1). There is also a large inviting labyrinth on the grounds of St. Anne's (Photo 2).
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Segment 2: Melbourne to Alexandria
The journey continues along the Ohio River and then up and onto the plateau above the river.
The picture here is of the gate to the convent just outside Melbourne. There is not much to see in Melbourne but there is a convenience store.
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On the way to Alexandria
You will cycle along the Ohio River for a while longer, passing the old site of Oneonta village (Photos 1 and 2), now home to the Inn at Oneonta (permission required to enter), and then climb up out of the valley to Alexandria.
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Alexandria
Downtown Alexandria is small with a lovely old courthouse (8352 E Main Street) building that now houses a museum.
