Carter Caves State Resort Park will present a weekend of outdoor adventure with its eighth annual Winter Adventure Weekend Jan. 26-29, 2017.
Guests will be able to enjoy hiking, paddling trips, recreational tree climbing, cave tours including wild cave trips, winter survival, rappelling, ice climbing a zip line and other adventures.
A list of trips is available for beginners and advanced winter adventurers alike. All of the trips and events are led by guides.
Each trip level is based on the difficulty and skills required. The higher the level, the more skills and special equipment are needed. Guests will be responsible for appropriate dress, water, snacks and other items.
The list of the trips, along with registration information and other details for the 2017 event are available at www.winteradventureweekend.com. All participants must register online at this site.
The nonrefundable fee for adults (age 18 and older) is $40, teenagers (age 13-17) is $30, and the nonrefundable fee for children ages 6-12 is $20. Some of the trips have additional fees. (All participants must be at least 6 years old. Some trips have additional age requirements.)
New trips added for this year’s event include an ice skating workshop, Yoga in a Cave, tracking workshop, camouflaging do’s and don’ts workshop along with a new presentation on the a dummies guide to water treatment for the backpacker.
The weekend will start with programs and workshops on Thursday afternoon.
Evening programs and entertainment each night includes a presentation on Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota along with a live snake program Thursday night. On Friday night, award winning producer, writer and director Peter Hutson will talk about the documentary “Trail Magic: The Emma Gateword Story.” Emma was the first women to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. On Saturday night, there will be a silent and live auction by the Friends of Carter Caves, a squeezebox competition and Kentucky’s own Heath & Molly will perform.
Participants will be able to submit photos in the Winter Photo Salon competition. Categories include winter adventure, caving and local nature-adventure photos. The images will be shown during the Saturday night program, and winners will be awarded ribbons.
Carter Caves State Resort Park is located at 344 Caveland Drive in Olive Hill. The park has a lodge with a restaurant, cottages and campground. Besides cave tours, activities include hiking, swimming, boating and fishing.
The park is off Interstate 64 at exit 161. Take U.S. 60 east. Go approximately two miles and turn left on KY 182 north. The park entrance is three miles from the left turn onto KY 182 north.
For more information, call the park at 1-800-325-0059.
Hiking Series Planned at Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park
Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park will host a series of free monthly hikes throughout 2017, starting with a First Day hike on Jan. 1 at noon.
The remainder of the hikes starting Feb. 4 will be on the first Saturday of the month at different times. They will all be guided 2-hour hikes and will start from the lodge lobby at the park. The trails will vary by month.
Hikers are asked to dress for the weather and bring water, snacks and a hiking stick. These hikes are not recommended for children ages under 5. Leashed dogs are welcomed. Hikes may be cancelled due to weather conditions.
For more information, call park naturalist Rebecca Clark at 1-800-325-1711.
The rustic wood and stone Pennyrile Lodge, with 24 rooms, sits serenely on a high cliff overlooking Pennyrile Lake. Open year-round, the park has 12 cottages in the wooded lodge area and on the lake’s shores. The restaurant seats 200, including a private dining room for up to 80.
The park also has an 18-hole golf course with a pro shop, riding carts, pull carts and rental clubs. The course is open year-round, weather permitting. The park also offers hiking trails, fishing, basketball, tennis and horse campsites that are available year-round.
For more information about Pennyrile Forest and other Kentucky State Parks, visit www.parks.ky.gov.
From Kentucky Parks Department Communications
