Country living with small-town vibes in Stamping Ground
Stamping Ground, Kentucky, gets its name from being a meeting point for the region’s once-prominent bison herds. The bovine converged at a spring that is now the site of the city’s main park. Home to fewer than 1,000 people, Stamping Ground boasts a typical small-town atmosphere. The few businesses along its Main Street include a bed and breakfast in a quaint limestone building and a pet grooming service next to a colorful dog mural. The city is also surrounded by farmland, where some locals raise ducks and do goat yoga surrounded by natural scenery.“Stamping Ground is not particularly close to anything, but it’s not far from everything,” says Griff Ray, the owner of Old Tobacco Farm. “It’s kind of the quintessential country [life] that you imagine and think of. People are very willing to help each other out. They wave, and they’re kind.”
Mix of old and newer homes and spacious farmland
Stamping Ground has ranch-style homes, Craftsman bungalows, Colonial Revivals with cross-gabled roofs and Cape Cods. Several new homes have also been added since the 2010s. During the fall, gold and orange maple leaves blanket yards and residents break out their Halloween decor. Outside city limits, grazing cattle dot spacious farmland. Ray says the area is peaceful, as shown by the feedback he’s received from his Airbnb guests. “It’s too quiet for some people. They’re like, ‘I had to turn on some background noise because I’m just not used to the quiet,’” he says.Homes rarely come on the market in the area. According to a Homes.com calculation, which uses a combination of estimate data, the average home value here was around $345,000 in early 2025. Stamping Ground’s overall CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
Relaxing in Buffalo Springs Park
Named after the water source that once nourished the bison, the city’s Buffalo Springs Park features a playground and a winding path for gentle walks. The spring was also once a source for residents and local industry; the spring's remnants remain around the park. Avid bikers may take advantage of the approximately 8-mile-long Skull Buster Trail, an unpaved path that cuts through woodland and brush.
Old Tobacco Farm offers seasonal goat yoga sessions, with bi-weekly classes in the spring and summer before the heat arrives and during the fall. “People like the baby goats,” Ray says. “People have driven from over an hour away to come and spend 30 minutes stretching, relaxing, meditating.”
Going to nearby Georgetown’s trendy dining scene
The city’s few businesses include a Dollar General, the Buffalo Spirits liquor store and a bed and breakfast called the Buffalo Springs Distilling Company in honor of a former distillery here. Scott County neighbor Georgetown is the nearest dining and shopping hub, with trendy local establishments in its historic downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Georgetown's eateries range from doughnut and dessert shops to restaurants serving downhome and Hispanic fare. Downtown favorites include Favas 1910 Diner, a vintage-style spot from the early 1900s. Tres Amigo of Georgetown is one of several Mexican restaurants, and grocery shopping options include Kroger.
Great Crossing’s strong basketball program
Students here may attend Stamping Ground Elementary School, which gets a B-minus from Niche. Next is Scott County Middle School, rated a B-plus, and Great Crossing High School, rated a B. The boys' basketball team at Great Crossing won its first state championship in 2025.
Celebrating history with Buffalo DAZE
The city honors its history through the Buffalo DAZE festival on the first Saturday of October around Stamping Ground Elementary. The event offers arts and crafts vendors, food, and free activities for children, including face and pumpkin painting, bounce houses, a petting zoo and pony rides.
Nine miles from Scott County seat and neighbor Georgetown
Stamping Ground Road, or Kentucky Route 227, takes commuters to Georgetown, 9 miles southeast. Scott County provides the area with important institutions like the Georgetown Community Hospital. Woodlake Road connects to U.S. Highway 460, providing a route to the state capital Frankfort, about 14 miles southwest of Stamping Ground. Stamping Ground is also 24 miles north of the Blue Grass Airport, the region’s hub for commercial flights.“Cincinnati’s an hour and 10 minutes away, Louisville’s an hour away, Lexington’s 30 minutes away. So, there’s tons of things to do, but you don’t have to live in the midst of all of it. There’s no traffic. The only traffic here is if you get behind a tractor during hay season,” Ray says.
