Elkhorn City, KY

Elkhorn City is a Pike County home rule-class city of 1,035 residents in the 2020 census, where the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River runs through the center. The city sits at the northern end of Pine Mountain, about five miles west of Breaks Interstate Park on the Kentucky-Virginia line. William Ramey of North Carolina was among the early settlers, and the town's location at the river and mountain made it a natural meeting place for roads into eastern Kentucky.

Water and rock now drive much of the local identity. The Russell Fork passes through steep country and carries canoe and kayak routes, while guided rafting uses stretches with Class II through Class VI rapids. Breaks Interstate Park protects a 4,600-acre gorge shared by Kentucky and Virginia, and the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail begins near town on its long route toward Cumberland Gap. Elkhorn City also has a branch of the Pike County Public Library, giving the small city a regular civic stop between outdoor trips. It is a mountain town with a river through its middle and a major park at its doorstep.