Hiking is a huge aspect of tourism and travel, and Owensboro has tons of gorgeous places to do it! And if you’re staying here for a convention, ball tournament or concert, you may not have much time for a strenuous hiking experience. And that’s why we’re highlighting some of the beautiful places in our city and county where visitors can enjoy an easy hike in a picturesque setting.
The Joe Ford Nature Park is located right in the heart of Owensboro, but you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the center of Narnia. This 15-acre woodland park has a number of hiking trails within it complete with signs and directions to make for easy navigation. The five different trails range from 0.1 miles to 0.6 miles, and there are open 365 days of the year!
While it’s 16.5 miles in length, you can stop and start anywhere on the Adkisson Greenbelt Trail for a quick, easy hike. This trail is designed to encircle the city and link neighborhoods, business districts, parks and schools. The trails that make up the Greenbelt offer a 10-foot wide asphalt surface that provides plenty of room for walkers, runners and cyclists. Click here to see where you can find trail access with parking!
Some of the prettiest hiking in western Kentucky can be done at Yellow Creek Park, and most of these trails are super easy to hike. There’s a parking lot right next to the trails where you can safely park your car. Most of the trails are shaded, and you’ll find a variety of trees, wildlife, historic log cabins, benches, and a beautiful creek running through the area. This is a perfect place for a casual walk–and there are longer trails for those up for it!
You can also find a nice, shaded hiking paths at Panther Creek Park! If you’re bringing small children or babies, these might not be the easiest of the easy hiking trails for you, as there is a swinging bridge and a couple areas along the path that might make pushing a stroller difficult.
Two more great parks for hiking in the city include Moreland Park–which has a flat walking trail surrounding the park–and Legion Park, which also has a walking trail encircling the park. You can bring your pets along for these hikes, and there’s even a caged-in dog park at Legion Park.
And finally, one of the coolest places in town to grab a quick, easy hike–downtown Owensboro. With waterfront views of the Ohio River, a magical playground onsite, plenty of swinging benches and gorgeous fountains, it doesn’t get much better than that. There’s even a Mayor’s Mile located at Smothers Park in downtown Owensboro, where you can follow the path and see some really cool sites along your one-mile hike.