Fort Knox
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WARNING: While you may freely drive through Fort Knox on major highways, do not stop or turn off the highway without authorization. In particular, do not drive past any large red and white "Restricted Area" signs. |
Fort Knox [dead link] is a U.S. Army post in the Kentucky Derby Region.
Understand
Fort Knox is internationally known for the United States Bullion Depository, which stores a large portion of gold and other valuable items in the United States' possession. It is estimated to hold 2.3% of all gold refined in human history.
Film producer Albert Broccoli managed to get permission to use the exterior of Fort Knox as a location for the James Bond film Goldfinger, though they were restricted to a minimum of 3000 ft (900 m) in the airspace above it for the aerial scenes. The interior scenes were a film set at Pinewood Studios.
Get in
US 31W runs roughly north/south next to Fort Knox; drivers may access the Brandenburg Station Road, Chaffee Avenue, and Wilson Road Gates, as they travel north to south, respectively. 31W connects Elizabethtown 15 minutes to the South, and Louisville about 60 minutes to the north. Further east runs I65, also connecting Elizabethtown and Louisville. KY 313, running east/west, brings in traffic from I-65 to the east, via exit 102.
Get around
Not much effort seems to have been made to make navigating around post easy; most signs for buildings use difficult-to-read "military speak" (for example, the Leader's Club sign is marked: "Directorate Of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation", and in relatively tiny text at the bottom: Leader's Club). However, almost every street intersection is clearly labeled, though the existing signs differ for some roads from the names given by Google Maps.
The Fort Knox MWR Guidebook (available at several locations around post) has probably the best map of post available to the average visitor.
See
- 1 Patton Museum of National Cavalry and Armor, 4554 Fayette Avenue, ☏ +1 502-624-3812, museum@knox.army.mil. M-F 9AM-4:30PM; October–April: Sa-Su 10AM-4:30PM; May–September: Sa-Su 10AM-6PM; Open some holidays. Self-guided tours of General Patton and weaponry from World War I-present. Free.
Do
Four gymnasiums (Otto, Smith, Natcher and Gammon), an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool (Anderson) and several large athletic fields are available at various locations around post.
- 1 Otto Physical Fitness Center, 6591 Abel St, ☏ +1 502-624-3316. M-F: 5AM-9PM, Sa-Su: Closed.
- 2 Smith Physical Fitness Center, 5927 26th Calvalry Drive, ☏ +1 502-624-3641. M-F: 5AM-9PM, Sa Su: 11AM-7PM.
- 3 Natcher Physical Fitness Center, 2341 Garry Owen Regiment Ave, ☏ +1 502-624-8169. M-F: 5AM-9PM, Sa Su: Closed.
- 4 Gammon Total Fitness, 850 Radio St, ☏ +1 502-624-4033. M-F: 5AM-9PM, Sa Su: 7AM-3PM.
- 5 Anderson Indoor Aquatics Center, 7962 Wilson Rd, ☏ +1 502-624-6217. M-F: 6AM-7PM, Sa: 11AM-7PM, Su: noon-5PM.
Most locations and activities are fairly typical for a large military post; including an outdoor recreational area (Camp Carlson Army Travel Camp), Shooting Club (French Range), bowling alley (Houston Bowling Center), and golf course (Lindsey Golf Course).
- 6 Camp Carlson Army Travel Camp, 9210 US-60, Muldraugh, ☏ +1 502-624-4836.
- 7 [dead link] French Shooting Range, 9333 Main Range Rd, ☏ +1 502-624-7754. Th: 3PM-7PM, Sa Su: 10AM-5PM, M-W and F: Closed.
- 8 Houston Bowling Center, 2385 Knox St, ☏ +1 502-624-4740. M Tu: 11AM-10PM, W Th: 10AM-10PM, F: 11AM-midnight, Sa: 10AM-midnight, Su: noon-6PM.
- 9 Lindsey Golf Course, 4024 Bullion Blvd, ☏ +1 502-624-2717. 9AM-5PM.
Buy
The Post Main PX, Commissary, and Clothing and Sales are all in the same general vicinity.
- 1 Fort Knox Main Post Exchange, 127 Gold Vault Rd, ☏ +1 502-942-0067. M-Sa: 10AM-8PM, Su: 10AM-6PM.
Eat
There are a few restaurants near the Post Exchange such as a Burger King, Popeyes, Qdoba and Subway.
Drink
Rocker II and the Leader's Club have full bars on post. Rocker II offers wide screen TV's, 4 pool tables and dart boards, and various video games to provide weekend diversions. The Leader's Club features Fiddler's Green Bar and Lounge, as well as the Bullion Room Restaurant.
Sleep
There are 600 transient lodging spaces at 6 locations around post are available for soldiers on TDY assignment. Separate spaces are also available for up to 76 Permanent Party Geographical Bachelors (GBQ). Transient lodging spaces range from dormitory style to efficiency apartments, but most will feature queen-sized beds, basic kitchen facilities with microwave and refrigerator (and sometimes stove), as well as cable TV and high-speed internet connections (wired).
For civilians, look for accommodation in nearby Radcliff, Brandenburg or Elizabethtown.
Connect
By phone
Calls between landline phones on the post can still be made by dialing the last five digits. However, all calls made to off-post numbers, whether long-distance or not, require 10-digit dialing—despite the fact that the area code 502 that serves the post has not yet been subject to an overlay plan (i.e., a second area code that covers the same geographic area).
This is because the local calling area for Fort Knox includes areas outside the 502 area code that are served by an overlay complex of two area codes, 270 and 364. Included in the 270/364 overlay and the local calling area are the cities of Radcliff, directly adjacent to the main gate, and Elizabethtown, a short distance to the south. Visitors who are staying in those cities must dial all 10 digits for local or in-state calls, omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call.
Signage on many established businesses in Radcliff or Elizabethtown may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 270 before these if no area code is indicated.
Go next
The nearest large town with a little more to offer is Louisville, while Lexington is further away, but still a reasonable drive.
| Routes through Fort Knox |
Louisville ← Jct  E ← |
N  S |
→ Elizabethtown → Bowling Green |
| Evansville ← Owensboro ← | W  E |
→ Jct E → Louisville |