Darren Doyle, story and photo: One local businessman is asking Edmonson County Fiscal Court for their support in his ongoing disagreement with Mammoth Cave National Park in a park decision that he says is hurting his business. Kevin Davis, owner of Mammoth Cave Horse Camp says that the park has closed horse traffic on Houchin Ferry Road, specifically the north side of the river. Davis said the road was first closed “illegally” to horses and riders in 2010, despite a resolution passed by the county in 1945 that said the road would always remain available to the public for normal use. Davis said the first closure came under the direction of former MCNP Superintendent Patrick Reed. “He did it with no warning, no public comment, no input from anybody,” said Davis. “What this did, in effect, when he closed that road, was he took away two significant loop trails which were parts of the back-country trail system.” Davis said that the closure has caused a negative impact on businesses in Edmonson County and that normal usage for that particular road should (and according to the original ordinance, does) include horses and riders, being as it’s in the heart of the horse camp tourism area.
“I’m not here to ask Edmonson County Fiscal Court to join in any legal issues, spend any money, or get involved in any kind of a court battle,” Davis said. “But I am asking you to support the citizens of this county that ride horses in Mammoth Cave National Park, and the businesses in this county that rely on tourism dollars that are generated as a result of that, by adopting a resolution simply defining what the usual use of Houchin Ferry Road has been.” Davis said he’s attempted to work with three different superintendents of Mammoth Cave National Park over the past 8 years to reopen horse traffic on the road with no success. Magistrate Mark Woosley asked if Amish horse drawn carriages were allowed on the road and Mr. Davis said they were, because they were considered vehicles. Magistrate Joe Durbin asked about the amount of vehicle traffic that was normally seen on the road, and Mr. Davis said it was little to none since the ferry closed. Magistrate Edd Rich asked if the trails were still open and Davis said yes, but because the road is between two trails that form a loop, riders don’t want to take those particular trails. Judge Wil Cannon said he was in favor of passing a resolution that defined normal usage of the road to include horses and riders. The court agreed to examine Mr. Davis’ submitted resolution and vote on it in a future meeting.
17 Comments
Donna Riley
9/10/2018 05:46:29 pm
We've gone to Mammoth Cave Horse Camp twice this year to ride and enjoy the trails. With the size of Mammoth Cave forest it's a shame to limit the trail system. While there we visited the little local store for supplies and a pretty good lunch and took a drive to Nolin Lake State park. We would come more often but riding the same trails in and out of camp gets a little bit boring when there are places not too far away that offer terrific trail systems like Shawnee National Forest, Land Between the Lakes and Big South Fork. As riders spending time in these camps we have to go to stores for supplies and just going out for meals. We really enjoy the horse camp and the state park, but we would like to see more of the trail system. Thank you
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Paula Buechele
9/11/2018 05:45:21 am
I totally agree with this statement. We used to go to Mammoth Cave horse cape 3-5 times a year and now only go only once, maybe twice. There are other places fairly close by to go and that gives you the ability to ride other trails. This is a shame too because Mammoth Cave Horse Camp is the best most friendly horse campground I have been to. I love it there but it is a lot to do with the riding as the camping.
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Phyllis Bohn
9/10/2018 06:01:17 pm
I believe the road should be open to horse travel..Simply because if you look back into laws and travel from way back... You will find that horses have the right of way on roads and it is stated in the old laws.. ,,,so many of the horse trails are being taken from the horse people. I talked to several State Park Officers and other officials ... and their words to me were" I hardly EVER have any problem with horse people no matter where I run into them... They are always willing to help in any situation and and always clean up after themselves,unlike a lot of regular campers or tourist" To me that in it's self is amazing..I have rode on paved roads that some travelers in cars deliberately try to scare horses and also have had a few that swerve at our horses..
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renee Errett
9/10/2018 06:57:42 pm
Trying to hike on trails that the horses use is not fun. They throw their trash on the ground, make Creek crossings impossible since the muck is wide since the horses don't want to go in single file or go through the mud with the horse.They take dogs off leash ignoring the rules, take short cuts where they are not support to, the trails are destroyed and not one of them wants to do any trail maintenance.
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cathy s mosier
9/11/2018 09:26:45 am
before you deliberately trash horse riders, take note that hikers also throw down their garbage, including toilet paper, bottles and hiking gear consisting of back packs, coolers, sleeping bags that they deem too heavy and must lighten their load.
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Kevin Davis
9/11/2018 10:25:04 am
I am sorry that you have such a poor impression of horseback riders. I don’t disagree with you that there are some bad apples that do not follow the rules. There are bad apples in every user group; I can’t even count the number of full bags of trash that I have hauled out of the back country that were left at primitive campsites by hikers. Every guest that stays at Mammoth Cave Horse Camp gets a printed list of proper trail etiquette upon arrival, it is right on the trail maps that I hand out. I do take issue with your statement that “not one of them wants to do any trail maintenance”. We have an active volunteer group, Mammoth Cave Back Country Horsemen of America, that does trail maintenance, rehab and trash pick up. We go out and cut downed trees off of the trail, have worked on creek crossings and performed many other “trail maintenance” activities over the last 10 years. Our group performed over 500 hours of “trail maintenance” last year and that was actually down from the previous few years. Maybe working together with other users would be more productive than finger pointing?
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Kathy Caudill
9/12/2018 08:03:08 pm
Please research as I was an avid hiker & backpacker when I was younger. I now trail ride due to age and am active on 5 trail committees and also a level B USFS sawyer volunteer trail crew. Yes Horsemen work on the trails, cleaning, maintenance & occasionally packing in 2,400# of concrete for trail building projects on a pack mule that was for hikers, friends packed in sign posts & signs just last month. We always need interested people to help volunteer ... so be sure and send me your contact info... look me up on the Kentucky Backcountry Horsemen FB Page
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Chester Guy
9/13/2018 09:13:03 am
Renee, I'm on your side. Every since the Park opened up the backcountry trails to horseback riding (decades ago) the trails have become useless for hikers and backpackers. All the things you talked about are true, and more. Unless you try to hike in sub-freezing weather you're forced to wade through massive amounts of waste and trash all left behind by the horse people. As to the assertions that backpackers and hikers are leaving a bunch behind, NOT. I'm retired from Mammoth Cave and had to spend countless hours in the backcountry cleaning up the debris left behind by horse people. I NEVER found the first backpack or any other gear that would lead me to think it was abandoned by folks on foot. As for hurting the business in Edmonson county, the only business that is being impacted as far as I can tell is the Horse Camp. I still work in tourism and can assure you and other readers that activity on the north side of the Green River is fine, most campgrounds and boat rental places being used to capacity. As the park has spent a fortune on facilities for the horse riders, and virtually nothing on the hikers and backpackers, I think the horse people need to be grateful for what they've got and not try and destroy what's left of the backcountry, which isn't much thanks to them.
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Sharon Hester
9/10/2018 07:03:53 pm
I am a rider. I completely agree and back Kevin Davis. I used to ride that road often on my horse to access the McCoy Hollow Trail off the back side of the First Creek trail.. It was entirely too long of a rude for most riders and horses to complete both in one day. The closure prevents many riders from enjoying the beauty of both these trails without committing to an extremely long ride.
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9/10/2018 07:18:07 pm
Well I hit the wrong key so I have to start over again.what I said the first time I wish more people would look out for us horse people like Kevin does.we spend a lot of money in this economy an a lot of times we feel overlooked.The only way we have of getting around these beatiful parks is the trails at places like mammouth cave an thst is our relaxing time raising our kids an after our kids are raised an we get to retire an thst is our relaxing time an we enjoy it to no end.So please pay attention to people like Kevin an do us all a big favor .Thank you very much sn I hope you enjoy riding the trails to.
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Jeff Gillespie
9/10/2018 07:51:41 pm
I have ridden the loop trail and on the road that is closed . The trail is beautiful and the road made it easily accessible. It would be a shame to close it
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Lee Banks
9/11/2018 08:37:14 am
I use that road to access the cemetery where my grandparents and other relatives are buried. On more than one occasion I have met groups of 5, 6, or more horses on the road riding 2 or 3 abreast, simply ignoring the fact that a car might be coming in the opposite direction. Sooner or later there's going to be an accident where a car strikes one or more horses (who shouldn't be on the road anyway.) I support keeping the horses off the road. Interesting that the comments that all the horse people are screaming about wanting more trails, but then insist on riding on the road instead of the trail anyway!
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Colby Carroll
9/11/2018 01:29:16 pm
The last time I checked there weren't any blind curves or really bad hills on that road and it was gravel for the most part...how fast do u have to be going to worry about running into a group of horses and not being able to stop? Its gravel....probably shouldn't drive so fast and you wouldn't have any problem.
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Abby Wilson
9/13/2018 07:13:24 am
So is this what it comes to? A person makes a legitimate argument that they are concerned about everyone's safety and you immediately attack them and say it's their fault for driving too fast? Anyone who knows Lee Banks knows that the odds of him driving too fast ANYWHERE is zero. If you want to break the law and ride on the road, I hope the rangers catch you. And if you get hit doing so it's your fault for being on the road in the first place, not a driver who is legally using the road and not expecting to meet horses. (There are plenty of hills and blind curves on that road, by the way.)
Colby Carroll
9/13/2018 02:08:05 pm
I dont know Lee Banks. I dont have to know Lee Banks. I am not saying it isnt a legitimate complaint. All I am saying is that I have driven that road a thousand times always knowing there could be a horse in the road ahead and NO it isnt that bad of a road (see I can use all caps too lol). I drive that road with extreme caution because there is a chance a horse could be in the road...there is a horse park at the end of it...could happen
Michael "Doc" Dillingham
9/12/2018 07:54:00 am
I have ridden MCHC several times. You will not find better people anywhere than the folks that work there and the folks that come there for recreation pleasure.But the fact is I have read positive and negative comments on this subject. I'm a Kentuckian that pays taxes state and federal. With the isolation of this road and remotely being located there should be availability of use rather it be auto, tractor, motorcycle, horse/buggy, horse or by foot. What's the issue here. It's not like it's a major highway with an abundance of traffic. I am asking for support of a resolution to allow usage of this area.
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R. L. Vincent
9/13/2018 05:39:33 am
The Mammoth Cave park gives the horses miles of trails; yes they tear them up and yes they throw lots of beer cans and other garbage on the ground. The horses don't need to ride the road. They are going to get hit by a car or truck, and somebody, maybe more than one, is going to get hurt or killed. You don't have to accuse people of driving too fast; they are not expecting to meet head-on and the car driver or horses can spook. Why don't the horse-riders just ride out a trail as far as they want to go, then just turn around and come back? No law says they always have to ride a loop.
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