By Gage Wilson
For Glasgow News 1
Nearly 160 years after naturalist and explorer John Muir walked through the area on his famous journey to the Gulf of Mexico, his connection to Park City is being incorporated into a trail project that could give visitors an opportunity to follow part of his historic route.
The John Muir Legacy Trail is one of several trail projects involving Park City that were highlighted by Park City Tourism Director Linda Watts in her July tourism report. Work also continues on the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail, a proposed connection between Bowling Green and Mammoth Cave, and a broader regional trail effort involving the 10 counties of the Barren River Area Development District.
Muir passed through Kentucky in 1867 as part of what would become his “A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf,” a journey that took him from Indianapolis south toward the Gulf Coast. After visiting Mammoth Cave, Muir continued north toward Glasgow Junction, writing in his journal, “Started for Glasgow Junction.”
The John Muir Legacy Trail is based on that portion of Muir’s journey, with the proposed route connecting Mammoth Cave, Park City and Glasgow. The project is being developed through Cave Country Trails with assistance from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.
Information provided by Park City Tourism describes the trail as an opportunity to share Muir’s journey through the area while providing visitors with information about the naturalist and the route he traveled.
The project remains in development. Public input sessions were held earlier this year as planners gathered feedback on the proposed trail.
While the John Muir trail remains in the planning stages, Park City already has a connection to Mammoth Cave through the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail.
The approximately nine-mile trail follows portions of the former Mammoth Cave Railroad, which began carrying visitors between Glasgow Junction and Mammoth Cave in 1886. The railroad made its final run in 1931, and portions of its former route now serve hikers and bicyclists.
The trail’s southern portion begins near Park City and continues toward Mammoth Cave, making the community an existing access point for visitors traveling between the two destinations.
Another proposed trail could eventually extend that connection north toward Bowling Green.
The Barren River Area Development District completed a feasibility study in March for a proposed off-road trail connecting downtown Bowling Green with Mammoth Cave National Park through Park City. The study examined a potential route through Bowling Green, Plum Springs, Oakland, Smiths Grove and Park City, crossing Warren, Edmonson and Barren counties.
The proposed trail would connect Riverfront Park in downtown Bowling Green with the existing Mammoth Cave Railroad Hike and Bike Trail in Park City. The feasibility study examined potential alignments, right-of-way, cost estimates, construction impacts and long-term considerations.
The Bowling Green-to-Mammoth Cave project is one part of a larger regional trail discussion. Watts’ report also noted that work continues on a regional trail concept involving the 10 counties within BRADD.
At the local level, Park City has completed projects funded through its Trail Town grant cycle. Those projects include pole banners, a John Muir sign, trail-wayfinding logos, repainted pedestrian crossings and bicycle parking along the Bike & Hike Trail.
Bike racks also have been placed near the Senior Community Center and several local businesses, including Miss Betty’s Diner, Slice & Scoop, Grateful Hearts Subway, Ester’s Farm Café and Diamond Caverns.
The projects vary in size and development stage, but each adds another piece to the network of trails connecting Park City with Mammoth Cave and other communities in the region.
For the John Muir Legacy Trail, that connection also carries a historical significance.
After arriving at Mammoth Cave in September 1867, Muir explored the cave before beginning his walk toward Glasgow Junction. His journal entry marking the beginning of that portion of his journey – “Started for Glasgow Junction” – now provides a direct link between a trip made nearly 160 years ago and a trail project being considered today.
The route Muir traveled has changed considerably since 1867, but Park City’s tourism commission and trail organizations are working to identify ways to preserve and interpret the connection between Muir, Mammoth Cave and the communities he encountered along the way.
Key Facts
– Park City officials are highlighting several current and proposed trail projects tied to Mammoth Cave National Park.
– A John Muir Legacy Trail is in development, inspired by the naturalist’s 1867 journey through the area.
– Park City already anchors the nine-mile Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail into the national park.
– A feasibility study outlines a dedicated off-road trail from downtown Bowling Green to Mammoth Cave through Park City.
– Officials say the projects aim to boost safety, accessibility, connectivity and tourism across Warren, Edmonson and Barren counties.
– Recent Trail Town grant projects include signs, wayfinding logos, crosswalk repainting and added bike parking in Park City.
