Kentucky

Home to hiking trails and water sports, Ky. adds central city to ‘trail town’ program

The state announced this week that Liberty has joined the Kentucky Trail Town program to encourage outdoor recreation.
The state announced this week that Liberty has joined the Kentucky Trail Town program to encourage outdoor recreation. rhermens@herald-leader.com

The commonwealth announced Monday it has added yet another locale to its portfolio of Kentucky Trail Towns; naming Liberty the latest and 28th addition to the program.

In the last month the state has announced two other new trail towns – Burkesville in Cumberland County and Hyden in Leslie County.

Liberty, located in Casey County, southwest of Danville, is about 60 miles from Lexington.

The trail towns program aims to highlight outdoor recreation offerings in the featured cities, hoping to draw tourism to the areas as economic stimulus.

“We are excited to continue to add these communities to the list of outdoor destinations across Kentucky,” Russ Meyer, commissioner of the state Department of Parks, said in a release. “The interest in Kentucky’s outdoor opportunities continues to grow, and our Trail Towns and State Parks are some of the best places to get these experiences.”

In addition to recreational opportunities, the program also aims to share the culture, history and stories of the locations, according to the release.

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A little about Liberty, KY

The seat of Casey County, Liberty was established in 1806 and incorporated in 1860. While the county was home to an estimated 15,860 residents as of mid-2021, Liberty has fewer than 2,000 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

Located on the Green River and home to Lake Liberty, the city offers water sports like fishing, kayaking and more.

Locals have also established several area hiking trails, according to the release, including the Shut In Road Trail, Lake Liberty Trail System and the Liberty Island Trail.

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Kentucky Trail Towns

Liberty is the 28th and latest of the Kentucky Trail Town program, which is managed by the state Department of Parks.

The others are:

  • Dawson Springs
  • Livingston
  • Morehead
  • Olive Hill
  • London
  • Stearns
  • Elkhorn City
  • Jamestown
  • Manchester
  • Berea
  • Columbia
  • Royalton
  • Harlan County’s Cumberland, Benham and Lynch
  • McKee
  • Slade
  • Munfordville
  • Cave City/Horse Cave
  • Campbellsville
  • Irvine
  • Ravenna
  • Hazard
  • Elizabethtown
  • Morgantown
  • Park City
  • Livermore
  • Burkesville
  • Hyden
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Do you have a question about recreation in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

JS
Jackie Starkey
Lexington Herald-Leader
Jackie Starkey is the service journalism editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader, Centre Daily Times, Belleville News-Democrat and The Wichita Eagle. She is a graduate of UNC Asheville and worked as a political reporter and managing editor in coastal North Carolina. She is based at the Herald-Leader in Lexington, and has a particular focus on civic engagement and elections.
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