Kentucky State Parks

Kentucky separates “Resort State Parks”  which have lodging and restaurants from “Recreation State Parks”, which have camping and picnic areas.   There are 49 state parks and a phone number given for each.  There are a lot of trails, quite a few of them rated “Easy”, but how easy?  Check out the Travel Tips above and/or call ahead to ask before visiting these parks.  And please, let me know where you find truly easy trails I should include!

Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network – Travel Tips

Travel Tips for Persons in Wheelchairs by Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network  is a wonderful resource for parks in Kentucky – mostly state, but some county and a few federal.

Part 1  covers:

  • Bad Branch Falls
  • Barren River State Park
  • Breaks Interstate Park
  •  Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park
  • Carr Creek State Park
  • Cumberland Gap National
  • Historical Park
  • Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
  • Grove Marina at Laurel Lake
  • Holly Bay Marina at Laurel Lake
  • Levi Jackson State Park
  • Mammoth Cave National Park
  • Natural Bridge State Resort Park
  • Old Mulkey Meeting House State Historical Site
  • Pine Mountain State Resort Park
  • Trace Branch Campground and Recreation Area.

Part 2 covers:

  • Fishing Creek Recreational Area
  • Fishtrap Lake State Park
  • Fort Boonesborough State Park
  • General Burnside Island State Park
  • Jenny Wiley State Park
  • Kingdome Come State Park
  • Lee’s Ford Marina
  • Old Fort Harrod State Park
  • Paintsville Lake State Park
  • Pennyrile Forest State Park
  • Pulaski County Park
  • Rough River Resort State Park
  • Trail Water Recreational Area at Rough River.

Part 3  covers:

  • Boone Station State Historic Site
  • E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park
  • John James Audubon State Park
  • Kenlake State Resort Park
  • Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park
  • Land Between the Lakes National Park
  • Mineral Mound State Park
  • My Old Kentucky Home
  • Taylorsville Lake State Park
  • Waveland State Historic Site
  • Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site

Part 4 covers:

  • Big Bone Lick State Park
  • Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park
  • Carter Caves State Resort Park
  • Constitution Square State Historic Site
  • Dale Hollow State Resort Park
  • Grayson Lake State Park
  • Green River Lake State Park
  • Kincaid Lake State Park
  • Lincoln Homestead State Park
  • Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site
  • White Hall State Historic Site

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park
“Mammoth Cave National Park preserves the cave system and a part of the Green River valley and hilly country of south central Kentucky. This is the world’s longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles explored.”
Accessibility and descriptions of ranger-led tours     Phone 270-758-2180  Map
Here is the Park website.
Mammoth Cave National Park offers sign interpreter services for cave and surface activities to visitors free of charge. Arrangements can be made by contacting the park two weeks in advance.  Call 270-758-2417.
Wheelchair AccessibleMammoth Cave Accessible Tour  0.5 mile.  “mobility assistive devices such as wheelchairs, scooters, walkers or canes are permitted on this tour, but are not available. NPS employees will not transport or aid visitors in using assistive equipment. If visitors need assistance with the Park’s accessible features, they must bring a companion with them for aid. Assistive devices will need to be decontaminated upon exiting the cave to limit the spread of White Nose Syndrome.”
Frozen Niagara Tour  0.25 mile.  Walkers allowed, but no wheelchairs

Wheelchair AccessibleHeritage Trail is a 0.75 mile  The trail begins at the end of the footbridge near the Mammoth Cave Hotel.
Wheelchair AccessibleSloan’s Crossing Pond Walk is a 0.4 mile boardwalk that goes  “around the edge of a marshy pond. Wayside exhibits along the way help you understand the pond. The pond features an accessible picnic area.”   Here is a video on YouTube, complete with bird and frog calls.
Wheelchair AccessibleSand Cave Trail is a 0.1 mile boardwalk to the site of a fatal entrapment  that took place in 1925.  The trailhead is at the park’s eastern entrance, on the Cave City Road.

Daniel Boone National Forest

Daniel Boone National Forest  – The forest has more than 600 miles of trail.  Here is a long page with links to descriptions for each day use trail, but no way of telling which ones are accessible without visiting each link.    Their phone number is 859-745-3100.   Here is their website.

HikerwithcaneNatural Arch Scenic Area  –  Picnic sites, restrooms and most pathways within the picnic area are accessible. Here is the AllTrails description.

Wheelchair AccessibleNatural Arch Trail  is a one mile, paved path from the parking area to the base of the arch. Here is another reference to the trail

Wheelchair AccessibleBarren Fork Accessible Heritage Trail is a paved, 0.75 mile trail to the overlook of the arch.

Thank you to Myra Williamson for this helpful reply to my query about accessibility:  “Our other trails are highly variable, with both easy and difficult sections found along most routes.  Therefore, we do not advertise other trails as accessible.    Due to the rugged, hilly nature of the forests in Kentucky most will not be accessible.  However,  we encourage visitors to explore and try new trails to see if they are suitable for their needs.

There are a few other opportunities on the forest that may be of interest to your readers.  The Alpine Picnic Area does not offer trails, but is a newly renovated picnic area with accessible picnic sites, group shelter, playground and vault toilets.  It may be of interest to individuals looking for a place to host a reunion or take the family for a picnic.

Many of the boat ramps at Cave Run Lake and Laurel River Lake provide at least one accessible parking space and an accessible vault toilet.

On the north end of the forest in Red River Gorge Geological Area, Skybridge provides an accessible overlook of the arch.  Nearby is Gladie Cultural Learning Center (visitor center) which is also accessible.  This area includes a designated scenic byway which is great for individuals with limited mobility.  It provides an opportunity to drive through a very scenic part of the forest, with the two stops mentioned where they can get out and experience the outdoors in a setting that is accessible.”

Nature Conservancy

Nature Conservancy
Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve.  North of Great Bend,  “Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife area is a designated wetlands of international importance, covering 19,857 acres. Located in a 41,000 acre natural sink near Great Bend. Although there are no designated hiking trails, you can hike for miles on the gravel roads and dikes that border the marshes.”  Here is a brochure from Big Bend which gives information about Cheyenne Bottoms. Phone 785-233-4400.

?   Smoky Valley Ranch    Here you can see “…bison roaming a prairie as they did hundreds of years ago. Dramatic chalk bluffs overlook large expanses of grassland, rocky ravines and Smoky Hill River.”   Phone is 785-233-4400.   There is a one mile loop here which is described as “relatively easy”.  I hope someone will let me know if it is not appropriate for this website.  Here is a  trail map and instructions. 

Overland Park

Overland Park
Overland Park has 35 miles of paved trails. Ten miles of the seventeen mile Indian Creek Hike and Bike trail are in Overland Park.  Here is a map of the Indian / Tomahawk Creek Bike and Hike Trail System and here is the website.  For more information call  913-895-6109.
Wheelchair AccessibleIndian Creek Hike and Bike Trail  17 miles of paved trail with accessible parking at all trailheads which are in seven parks and a recreation center.