From mountain bike races drawing out-of-state visitors to the rising demand for pickleball, Owensboro is ramping up its investment in outdoor recreation — with major improvements underway at Rudy Mines trails and new pickleball courts planned across city parks.
Parks and Recreation Director Amanda Rogers said the Rudy Mines trails have become a “jewel” in the city’s offerings, drawing tens of thousands of users each year and increasingly serving as a hub for recreational tourism.
“This location is very unique in the park system, in the sense that it’s almost 200 acres of woodlands, which we don’t normally have in city parks,” Rogers said. “It’s a great home for mountain bikers, nature enthusiasts, and hikers.”
Initially opened in 2012 in partnership with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association and funded through a recreational trails grant, the trail system is tucked away off U.S. 60 West and adjoins the Ben Hawes golf course. In 2024 alone, more than 16,700 visitors accessed the trails, with users traveling from as far as Florida, Illinois, and Arkansas.
The park hosted the Kentucky Interscholastic Cycling League’s state championship race in 2023, drawing more than 2,800 visitors over a single weekend. That success helped land Owensboro a spot on the Bluegrass Mountain Cup circuit, a competitive adult mountain biking series. That event will be held on July 13.
To prepare for increased usage, the city recently added a parking area off Overstreet Road and is working to install water access. A request for proposals is also out to repair and improve the aging trail system, which is seeing natural wear after more than a decade of use.
“We’re going to focus on those areas that have been heavily used and are looking at rerouting for sustainability,” Rogers said.
Rogers said the trails are also part of a critical natural habitat, serving as a monitored site for the endangered Indiana bat. The city works closely with a state wildlife biologist to ensure responsible woodland management and to preserve the area’s rich biodiversity.
In the same presentation to city commissioners, Rogers also shared plans to expand pickleball access across the city — including new courts at Moreland Park and possibly Chautauqua Park.
The city recently replaced Moreland Park’s playground and is now preparing to relocate the basketball court to the corner of Hickman Avenue and West Parrish Avenue, where the old armory once stood. That move frees up space for a pair of pickleball courts and improves visibility and accessibility to the basketball area.
“We want to design parks using the concept of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design,” Rogers said. “Relocating the court helps avoid conflict between user groups and gives it more visibility, like we’ve seen successfully at Legion Park.”
Rogers said the push for pickleball was heavily influenced by public feedback during the city’s recent master planning process. While a larger pickleball complex is planned at Ben Hawes Park, adding courts to neighborhood parks allows younger residents and those without transportation more access to play.
“We want to make it accessible while being mindful of all user groups,” she said, noting that the city is in ongoing conversations with local baseball, tennis, and pickleball communities.
Bids for both the Rudy Mines trail work and the Moreland Park upgrades are expected to go out early this summer, with construction targeted for completion by fall.
