The area at a glance
Bullitt County sits just south of Louisville, along I-65 and the Salt River. It was formed in 1796, and Shepherdsville has been its county seat ever since. This guide covers the county’s main towns: Shepherdsville, Mount Washington, Hillview, Brooks, and Lebanon Junction. Smaller cities like Pioneer Village and Hunters Hollow sit right next to Hillview. Below is a short section on each one.
Shepherdsville
Where it is
Shepherdsville is the county seat, on the Salt River about 20 miles south of downtown Louisville. It was founded in 1793. The area was first known as Bullitt’s Lick, home to Kentucky’s first commercial salt works, and later to Paroquet Springs, a mineral water spa that opened in 1836.
Getting around
I-65 runs through Shepherdsville, with exits at Cedar Grove Road and KY 44, so downtown Louisville is about 20 miles north. KY 44 heads east to Mount Washington, and Preston Highway (KY 61) runs north to Hillview and Louisville.
Shopping and food
Most of the shopping is near the I-65 exit at KY 44, with a Kroger on Adam Shepherd Parkway and a Walmart Supercenter close by. KY 44 east of the exit has restaurants and everyday shopping.
Parks and outdoors
Shepherdsville City Park covers 114 acres along the Salt River, with two pavilions, playgrounds, baseball fields, and a small dog park. There is also a skate park at City Hall on Conestoga Parkway, and the city is planning a new town square downtown.
The homes
Older homes near the center of town date from the 1950s and 1960s. Most homes for sale today are in subdivisions built from the 1990s on, many on lots of about a fifth of an acre. New homes are still going up in neighborhoods like Sanctuary at Mallard Lake.
Mount Washington
Where it is
Mount Washington is in the northeast corner of the county, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Louisville. It was laid out as Mount Vernon in 1822 and took the name Mount Washington when it became a city in 1833. It grew faster in the late 1960s, after GE’s Appliance Park opened in Louisville.
Getting around
Bardstown Road (US 31E) runs north through Fern Creek into Louisville and south about 19 miles to Bardstown, with a bypass on the east side of town. KY 44 crosses in the middle of town and heads west to Shepherdsville and I-65.
Shopping and food
Mount Washington Commons on Eastbrooke Parkway has a Kroger and other everyday shopping. The older center of town, where KY 44 meets US 31EX, has local shops and restaurants.
Parks and outdoors
The Mt. Washington Community Sports Park on Park View Avenue has ball fields, tennis and basketball courts, a walking path, playgrounds, a dog park, and a skate park. It is also home to the WesBanco Amphitheater, which hosts summer concerts.
The homes
Most homes are in subdivisions built from the 1990s on, like Spalding Station, Stone Meadows, and Heritage Creek, and new homes are still being built. Lots are mostly a fifth to half an acre. You will also find older homes from the 1960s and 1970s closer to the center of town.
Hillview
Where it is
Hillview sits at the north end of the county, right on the Jefferson County line, about 15 miles south of downtown Louisville. It was farmland for a long time and grew as a suburb in the 1950s and 1960s. It became a city in 1974, when subdivisions like Maryville, Overdale, and Lone Acres joined together. Many Hillview homes have a Louisville mailing address.
Getting around
Preston Highway (KY 61) is the main road, and it runs north through Okolona into Louisville. I-65 is just to the west, and the Gene Snyder Freeway (I-265) crosses Preston Highway a few minutes north.
Shopping and food
Preston Highway has everyday shopping and local restaurants. A few minutes north, around Preston Highway and the Gene Snyder, there is a Kroger, a Walmart, a Meijer, a Kohl’s, and a Lowe’s.
Parks and outdoors
The city’s recreation area has a splash pad, a playground, and a basketball court. McNeely Lake Park, with its lake for fishing, is a short drive north in Louisville.
The homes
Most homes are single-family houses on lots of about a fifth of an acre. A lot of the homes in Maryville were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Next door, Hunters Hollow and Tanyard Springs have homes from the 1970s up to the 2020s.
Brooks
Where it is
Brooks is an unincorporated community on the west side of I-65, at the north end of the county along the Jefferson County line. It is about 15 miles south of downtown Louisville, and it is named for an early settler who ran salt furnaces here.
Getting around
The I-65 exit at John Harper Highway (KY 1526) is the main way in and out, and downtown Louisville is about 15 miles north. Brooks Hill Road runs through the community.
Shopping and food
Gas stations, hotels, and a few places to eat sit around the I-65 exit at John Harper Highway. For groceries, Preston Highway in Hillview is a short drive east.
Parks and outdoors
Jefferson Memorial Forest, with miles of hiking trails, is a short drive north in Louisville. Bernheim Forest is a short drive south on I-65.
The homes
Brooks has a mix of older homes from the 1960s through the 1990s, many on an acre or more, and newer subdivisions. Coral Ridge Springs is building new homes in 2026, on smaller lots of about a sixth of an acre.
Lebanon Junction
Where it is
Lebanon Junction is at the south end of the county, on the Rolling Fork river and the southeast edge of Fort Knox. It grew up around a switching point on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, where the branch line to Lebanon split off in the 1850s. It became a city in 1895.
Getting around
I-65 runs through town, so Shepherdsville is about 13 miles north and downtown Louisville about 32 miles north. Elizabethtown is about 14 miles southwest.
Shopping and food
Most of the restaurants and shopping are at the I-65 exit, including a truck stop. For more grocery stores, Shepherdsville is about 13 miles north.
Parks and outdoors
Lebanon Junction City Park on Main Street has a playground, a basketball court, and a pavilion, and there is a Veterans Memorial Park on South Poplar Street. Bernheim Forest is just up I-65 at Clermont. It covers more than 16,000 acres, with over 40 miles of trails, the Canopy Tree Walk, and the Forest Giants sculptures.
The homes
Most homes here are older homes from the early 1900s through the 1950s, on lots of about a fifth to half an acre.
Thinking about this part of town?
I am happy to show you around Bullitt County or answer any questions about it. Let’s talk.