Advocates for outdoor recreation in four counties around Mammoth Cave National Park are stepping up efforts to make the region a destination for ecotourism. Cave Country Trails has hired Helen Siewers as project director to guide the planning to link trails in Barren, Edmonson, Hart and Warren counties.
Siewers says there’s already a good foundation for the expanded trail network.
"Starting with the existing 85 miles of trails that are within Mammoth Cave National Park, the goal is to develop a network of trails that connect to the park,” says Siewers. “Some are already in place, for example, at Nolin River State Park, Barren River Lake State Park, Munfordville, for example, Park City.”
Siewers says Kentucky has a lot going for it as far as ecotourism, starting with good climate much of the year for outdoor activities and all the traffic passing through on Interstate 65.
“A lot of those vehicles are carrying… there might mountain bikes, road bikes, kayaks, canoes," says Siewers. "And we have all the facilities right in this area to draw people to come and explore.”
The part-time position is funded by regional tourism commissions.
Siewers has a head start on the job. She’s the part-time executive director of Friends of Mammoth Cave National Park and will work in both positions.
A workshop to get community input on the plan will be held in Bowling Green on March 31 at the Bob Kirby branch of the Warren County Library.
Cave Country Trails will present a draft of its plan at a public meeting on June 7 at the Cave City Convention Center.