The Triple Scoop Trail: Your Ultimate Ice Cream Guide to Appalachia's Front Porch

Every third Sunday in July, the whole country pauses to celebrate ice cream. Around here, we don't need a national holiday to remind us. Appalachia's Front Porch, where Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia meet along the Ohio River, has been quietly building one of the richest ice cream cultures in the country: nostalgic roadside dairy bars, family-run creameries, and hometown favorites that have been scooping cones since before most of us were born.

So this National Ice Cream Day, we're giving you the map. The Triple Scoop Trail connects 19 locally loved stops across our three-state region, from soft serve windows that have not changed a sign in fifty years to creameries pushing the flavor envelope. Grab a cooler, roll the windows down, and let's go find your new favorite scoop.

Ohio: Ironton, Coal Grove, South Point, and Chesapeake

The Shakery, Ironton, OH

1625 Liberty Ave, Ironton, OH 45638 | Monday–Saturday, 6:30am–9pm

Open before most people have had their coffee, The Shakery in Ironton has become the kind of local institution that anchors a whole trail. Early hours mean you can genuinely start your ice cream day with breakfast, and nobody here is going to judge you for it.

Coal Grove Freezette, Coal Grove, OH

416 Marion Pike, Coal Grove, OH 45638 | Tuesday–Friday 10:30am–7pm; Saturday 11am–6pm

A classic small-town freezette, right down to the name. Coal Grove Freezette shares its Marion Pike address with L&J, making this one stop worth two scoops if you time it right.

L&J, Ironton, OH

416 Marion Pike, Ironton, OH 45638 | Monday–Saturday 10am–9pm; Sunday 11am–9pm

The longest hours in Coal Grove, seven days a week. L&J is the kind of dependable, no-frills dairy bar that keeps a neighborhood coming back all summer long.

The Shakery, South Point, OH

305 Solida Rd, South Point, OH 45680 | Monday–Saturday, 7am–9:30pm

The Shakery's second location proves the format works twice. Same reliable hours, same friendly counter service, just a few miles down the road.

Dairy Bell, Chesapeake, OH

595 3rd Ave, Chesapeake, OH 45619 | Monday–Friday 10:30am–8pm; Saturday 10:30am–7pm

Dairy Belle rounds out the Ohio leg of the trail with the kind of name that tells you exactly what you're getting: classic soft serve, done right, in a town that has loved it for years.

West Virginia: Huntington, Barboursville, and Ceredo

Frost Top Drive-In, Huntington, WV

1449 Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington, WV 25701 | Monday–Saturday, 11am–9pm

A true drive-in, right down to the name. Frost Top has the retro charm to make it a destination stop, not just a pit stop.

Austin's at the Market, Huntington, WV

809 3rd Ave, Huntington, WV 25701 | Every day, 11am–10pm

Open every single day with hours that stretch into the evening, Austin's at the Market is an easy add to any Huntington itinerary, ice cream trail or not.

Scoops WV, Barboursville, WV

452 Park Rd, Barboursville, WV 25504 | Monday–Saturday 12pm–9pm; Sunday 1pm–9pm

Scoops WV keeps its doors open every day of the week, making it one of the most reliable stops on the whole trail if your schedule is unpredictable.

Austin's, Barboursville, WV

6007 US-60 E, Barboursville, WV | Every day, 11am–10pm

Austin's third location keeps the same generous every-day, late-hours schedule, so you can plan around it rather than the other way around.

Austin's Homemade Ice Cream, Ceredo, WV

1103 C St, Ceredo, WV 25530 | Every day, 11am–10pm | Closed during winter

The original Austin's on the trail, and a seasonal one. Austin's Homemade Ice Cream is a warm-weather-only stop, which makes it exactly the kind of thing worth prioritizing on National Ice Cream Day.

Kentucky: Ashland and Worthington

Whit’s Frozen Custard - Camp Landing

10699 US 60 Ste 410, Ashland, KY 41102 | Mon - Thurs 11am - 8pm; Fri - Sat 11am - 10pm; Sunday 12pm - 7 pm

Whit’s is the only authentic frozen custard shop in the area. They feature vanilla and chocolate every day with a variety of toppings. They also have weekly featured flavors that are available for a limited time. Check their social media for the flavor of the week.

Crisp's Dairy Treat, Ashland, KY

1216 KY-716, Ashland, KY 41102 | Every day, 10:30am–9pm

Crisp's has the longest daily window on this stretch of the trail, open seven days a week with plenty of time to swing by after work, after dinner, or after both.

Superhero Creamery, Ashland Town Center, Ashland, KY

500 Winchester Ave, Suite 146, Ashland, KY 41101 | Monday–Thursday 11am–8pm; Sunday 12pm–6pm

Tucked inside Ashland Town Center, Superhero Creamery brings a playful twist to the trail. It's an easy pairing with an afternoon of shopping.

Creative Cow, Ashland, KY

724 Greenup Ave, Ashland, KY 41101 | Friday - Sunday 12pm - 9pm

Located inside a tri-state favorite, Giovanni’s Pizza on Greenup Avenue in Ashland, KY, the Creative Cow offers a variety of hand dipped flavors from a high butterfat brand called Ashby-Sterling. They feature up to 70 flavors

Scoopy Scoops, Ashland, KY

1417 Diederich Blvd, Ashland, KY 41101 | Mon–Thu 3–9pm; Fri 3–10pm; Sat 1–10pm; Sun 1–9pm | Closed during winter

Scoopy Scoops runs a full slate of afternoon and evening hours in the warmer months, then takes the winter off, so summer really is the season to make this stop count.

Ram's Dairy Bar, Worthington, KY

100 Scott St, Worthington, KY 41183 | Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm

A classic dairy bar in a small Boyd County community, Ram's is proof that some of the best scoops on the trail are the ones you have to actually go looking for.

The Corner Cone, Wurtland, KY

205 Caroline Avenue, Wurtland, KY 41144 | Monday–Saturday, 10:30am–4pm

The Corner Cone keeps early, daytime-only hours, so this is one to build your route around rather than save for last.

Hot Diggity Dogs, Greenup, KY

801 Seaton Ave, Greenup, KY 41144 | Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm

Don't let the name fool you: alongside the hot dogs, Hot Diggity Dogs pours a solid scoop, making it a two-for-one stop if lunch and dessert are both on the agenda.

Ruby's Cafe and Dairy Bar, Greenup, KY

24239 KY-7, Greenup, KY 41144 | Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm

A café and dairy bar combination with a shorter weekly window, Ruby's rewards a little planning. Wednesday through Saturday only, so check your calendar before you go.

Johnny's Dairy Delight, Grayson, KY

109 S Carol Malone Blvd, Grayson, KY 41143 | Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm

Johnny's Dairy Delight anchors the Grayson leg of the trail with dependable daily hours and a name that promises exactly what it delivers.

Dugout Dairy Bar, Grayson, KY

721 Robert and Mary St, Grayson, KY 41143 | Wednesday–Saturday, 11am–6pm

The final stop on the Triple Scoop Trail keeps things simple: a Wednesday-through-Saturday window and a hometown feel that makes for a fitting finish line.

Insider Tip: Several stops on this trail, including Austin's Homemade Ice Cream and Scoopy Scoops, are seasonal and close for the winter. National Ice Cream Day and the weeks around it are peak season for the entire trail, so this is genuinely the best time of year to run it.

How to Run the Trail

You don't have to hit all 21 stops in a single day (though we'd love to hear from you if you try). The trail is built to be run in pieces: an Ohio-side afternoon, a Huntington evening, an Ashland weekend, a Greenup and Grayson day trip. Pick a cluster, pick a direction, and let the counties do the rest.

Hours change with the seasons, so it's worth a quick call ahead, especially for the seasonal spots and the ones with shorter weekly windows like Ruby's and Dugout Dairy Bar.

Find us on Facebook and Instagram: @appalachiasfrontporch

Hours are subject to change, especially at seasonal locations. Call ahead before you go.

Appalachia's Front Porch spans Boyd, Greenup, and Carter Counties in Kentucky; Lawrence County, Ohio; and Wayne and Cabell Counties in West Virginia.