Horse Cave and Cave City Approved to Become Trail Towns
Two South Central Kentucky cities may soon become renowned tourism destinations all because of their nature trails.
Cave City and Horse Cave have been approved for Kentucky Trail Town certification.
The two cities sent in a joint application to the Kentucky Department of Adventure Tourism due to their sharing of multiple amenities.
“They are putting focus on smaller communities that have a lot of scenic opportunities that were bypassed when the interstates came through,” Sharon Tabor, Executive Director of The Cave City Convention Center says.
Being a Kentucky Trail Town means being recognized by outdoor adventure tourists as a city of interest for outdoor recreational activities, in hopes of bring more visitors to the area and boosting the local economy.
“Cave City and Horse Cave are sister cities, but we’re completely different and we compliment each other,” Sharon says, “Cave City has access to a lot of trails and Horse Cave has the culture.”
Executive Director of the Hart Co. Tourism Commission Sandra Wilson agrees, “the application was huge, but the things that came out of that are going to be valuable as we go down the road and make plans to do other things.”
Both cities do have to host an event to prove why they should be a trail town.
During the “Cave City Proud Days” the weekend of September 21st-22nd , a 40-60 mile bicycle ride will serve as their trial run—running all the way through Cave City, Horse Cave, and Mammoth Cave National Park.
“Local people always think that we don’t have anything, anywhere you live you think that,” Wilson says, “visitors though, if we can get them in here they’re going to see how charming our small towns are, how much fun the attractions we have are, and of course we want them to spend a little money while they’re here.”
Leroy Alvey, owner of The Olde Generl Store in Cave City for the past five decades says he’s ready to welcome any tourist with open arms as they always do, “we always ask them wherever they say they’re from, we say “come on in anyway.””
Whether the two cities will become officially certified trail towns will be decided upon after the bike event in late fall.
