Hello, from Kentucky.

Hillbilly Triangle isn't widely established like Deal's Gap and the Dragon. I've no idea where the name came from or if the route I posted is even the right one. AI search says it's different roads about Red River Gorge? Doesn't sound like it's really a thing locally since you've never heard of it. I just found it when doing a little search for KY motorcycle rides. The map I uploaded is the route as outlined by an article on Dairyland Insurance's website.

 

Yeah, I get that the Hillbilly Triangle may different routes for different people, but it sure looks like fun. I live about 11 miles west of Irvine, one of the points on the Hillbilly Triangle that you posted. There are certainly some fun roads in the hills of eastern KY and lots of great little local places to eat. You have really got me looking forward to riding this spring.

 

Eastern Ky is a pretty large area, and yeah there are areas with coal trucks, but not so much the area that we are talking about here. I think most of the coal is transported by train, not all, but most.

 

WV has a lot of coal routes too. I've never had any issues there thought. Just slow down a little and stay back from the coal fog of the big trucks. They drive faster than I want to go anyway!

 

Only coal related stuff I remember of note is seeing decaying infrastructure from last century. Lynch, KY for example coming over 160. Plenty of old structures from the days of U.S. Coal and Coke like the ruins of the company store.