Thursday, August 31, 2017

Biking Lexington, Kentucky's Legacy Trail


Here's the trail map...






This 12 mile trail is paved and in excellent condition. Be aware that here is no shade on the trail.




The northern section begins at the Kentucky Horse Park...




...and roughly follows Cane Run Creek on University of Kentucky land that at one time was three farms and now serves the university's agricultural divisions. Interesting signage along the trail provides information on the area, farms, history, ecology, etc.

The trail crosses the winding creek numerous times...




Remnants of the old farms remain, though mostly you see corn, soybeans, and even trees in one area, but they also study tobacco, grain crops, forage, and turf. This is Kentucky, so you expect the few gentle uphills you encounter.




Lovely meadows also serve as home for horses...



After the trail passes beneath I-64/75, I came to a section where a million dollar project is underway to widen and reshape the creek and its floodplain to more closely follow the creek's original path, replanting the area with native trees and plants, as well as adding over an acre of new wetlands and bioswale.

The scenery then becomes more citified as you pass a mostly-as-yet undeveloped research park (with corn fields until they build on the land) and then the paved path begins paralleling city streets and is far less interesting.

You can park at the trailhead across from the Kentucky Horse Park campground on Iron Works Pike, at Coldstream park on McGrathiana Blvd., and at North Lexington Family YMCA on Loudon Avenue.





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