Program promotes state tourism
OLIVE HILL, Ky. (Nov. 17, 2014) — First Lady Jane Beshear today honored the community of Olive Hill as the latest Kentucky “Trail Town.”
The Kentucky Trail Town Program is designed to help connect communities to trail systems and assist in developing them as tourist destinations. Trail Town signage will guide travelers to trails, food, lodging, campgrounds, museums, entertainment and other services. The designation will help communities improve their tourism economy, add more jobs and create more tourism opportunities for the entire state.
Mrs. Beshear noted Olive Hill’s proximity to Carter Caves State Resort Park and its trail system for hiking and horseback riding. “By connecting horse trails to existing state park trails, the community has become a desired horseback riding destination and boosted its appeal to a broader demographic of travelers,” she said.
As part of its work on the Trail Town certification, Olive Hill has created an annual horseback riding event, converted a railroad depot into a trailhead, created a primitive campground and developed three local trails, including an 8.3-mile trail that connects the town to Carter Caves State Resort Park. A 10-mile trail circles the city lake and can be used for hiking, cycling and horseback riding.
Olive Hill is also home to Tygarts Creek, which runs through the town and provides paddling and fishing opportunities for tourists.
More than 40 communities have started the application process to become a Trail Town and are working with the Office of Adventure Tourism in the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. Olive Hill, which officially became a Trail Town on Sept. 12, joins Morehead, Livingston and Dawson Springs as official Kentucky Trail Towns.
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