The stifling summer heat is coming down easy as fall approaches, which means Louisvillians can finally break out their hiking boots and tents without having to worry about sunburns, heatstroke and general sweaty nastiness from the August humidity. Kentucky is home to some breathtaking, natural sceneries, and many of these trails are just around the corner from home. Here are some you don’t want to miss.
- Otter Creek Trail – Otter Creek Park
Total Distance: 9.3 mile loop
Hiking Time: About 5 hours
Otter Creek Park has about 15 miles of hiking trails spread over 2,600 acres of land. A popular location for bikers, hikers, runners and park-lovers alike, Otter Creek is known for its variety of trek difficulty levels and views of the creek. Otter Creek Trail is a 9.3 mile loop and includes a side trip to Morgan’s cave.
Otter Creek located about 15 miles south of Louisville, right by Fort Knox.
- Scenic Loop – Cherokee Park
Total Distance: 2.4 mile loop
Hiking Time: About 1 hour
If you’re wanting to save gas and stay a little closer to town, Cherokee Park offers a 2.4 mile loop with steep hills and is a green escape in the bustling Highlands neighborhood. The loop is about 9 minutes from downtown.
- The Red Trail – Jefferson Memorial Park
Total Distance: 4.8 mile loop
Hiking time: About 2 hours
Just half an hour from downtown Louisville, this trail is situated in Jefferson Memorial Park and is lined with color-changing deciduous trees and open valleys. The trail also offers a 3.2 mile shortcut and is half an hour from downtown.
4. Millennium Trail – Bernheim Forest
Total distance: 13.75 miles
Hiking time: about 6-7 hours
Bernheim Forest offers over 40 miles of hiking trails, many of which are bike friendly, too. Millennium Trail is the longest offered, and stops along the way include fishing spots and valley views. Bernheim is just half an hour from downtown.
“Prairie grass” by Zepfanman.com on Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Generic. No changes were made to the original image. Use of this image does not indicate photographer endorsement of this article. For the image, click here.
