Maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, Kentucky's system of 49
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
s has been referred to as "the nation's finest" and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other
U.S. state.
The state's diverse geography provides a variety of environments to experience. From mountain lakes to expansive caves to forests teeming with wildlife, park-goers have their choice of attractions, and they are all within a day's drive of each other.
Unless otherwise specified, data in the following lists are taken from ''Kentucky State Parks'' by Bill Bailey.
Although the
Kentucky Horse Park is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is administered separately from the Department of Parks.
Breaks Interstate Park is also separate, administered under an
interstate compact with the state of
Virginia, in partnership with the parks departments of both states.
State recreational parks
Kentucky's 24 "rec parks" span the state from
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
to
Pikeville. Each features outdoor camping areas with a variety of outdoor activities.
State resort parks
Kentucky offers more state resort parks than any other state. Each features a lodge complete with dining room and
Wi-Fi wireless Internet access.
State historic sites
Ten of Kentucky's recreational parks and two of its resort parks are simultaneously designated as state historic sites. An additional eleven state historic sites are also maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks.
See also
*
List of Kentucky state forests
The following is a list of state forests in Kentucky.
References
See also
* List of U.S. National Forests for National Forests in Kentucky
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kentucky State Forests
*
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth ...
*
List of U.S. national parks
References
External links
Kentucky Department of Parks
{{Lists of state parks by U.S. state
Kentucky state parks
Maintained by the Kentucky Department of Parks, Kentucky's system of 49 state parks has been referred to as "the nation's finest" and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other U.S. state. The state's diverse geography provid ...