This Brand New Hiking Trail Connects Two Kentucky State Parks
By Sarah McCosham|Published February 01, 2022
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The new Coach Lester G. Mimms Trail is two miles long, and connects two Kentucky State Parks: the Historic Cherokee Park and Kenlake State Resort Park. But as you’ll soon see, this trail does so much more than merely bridge two formerly disparate parks. Named after long-time Kentucky Park Superintendent Coach Lester Mimms, this trail is significant for numerous reasons. Cherokee State Park was originally a blacks-only state park, created to complement the then-whites-only Kentucky Lake State Park (now Kenlake State Resort Park). Today, however, this new trail represents not only a literal bridging between two Bluegrass parks, but also a symbolic connection between two cultures.
It may be difficult to believe, but this beautiful Kentucky State Park has a past fraught with friction.
This 300-acre lakefront park was a favorite destination in the 1950s, boasting a beach, picnic areas, cottages, and more. But after the Civil Rights and desegregation movements of the 1960s, the park was closed.
Last December, the Coach Lester G. Mimms Trail opened, a two-mile trail connecting the historic Cherokee State Park with the Kenlake State Resort Park campground.
Named after the original superintendent of Cherokee State Park, this trail is a welcome addition to the Bluegrass State. It's a way of acknowledging our history -- all of our history.
No group or culture is perfect, and humans make mistakes. But when we can acknowledge the past and move forward together, with awareness and respect, that's a beautiful thing.
