Bell and Knox Counties have a long-history with trail riding. Since 2007, Wilderness Trail Off-Road Park (WTOP) in Bell County has brought tens of thousands of people to our region to enjoy our beautiful mountains. With a new project that is now occupying the land that housed WTOP, we are trying to find new trails to access by OHV (off-highway vehicle) so both our locals and the visitors who fuel our tourism industry can have a legal riding area. Our economy needs the ability to grow its tourism industry…we need to expand tourism in every way possible to help our counties grow. Our tourism here in southeast Kentucky will suffer with the loss of WTOP, and it is critical that we find a new place that will allow OHV trail access. The loss of WTOP has already closed one business and others will soon follow if new trails are not obtained. Ten years worth of work to build this area as an OHV destination hangs in the balance.
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We are in negotiations with a landowner about gaining access to new trails in both Bell and Knox County and creating a 47,000 acre tract that would see both counties working together on huge project that could bring millions of dollars in each year to our area. It has the potential to be THE PREMIER trail system and outdoor recreation area in the eastern United States. The ways in which this project could grow Bell and Knox county would be staggering. This project is supported by Bell County Tourism, the Bell County Fiscal Court, Barbourville Tourism, as well as the cities of Pineville and Middlesboro just to name a few. However, the only way to make this project happen is to help find funding through grants or government programs, OR convince the current managing agency of the land to advocate for OHV use with us to the landowner. Either of these will require the help from the most prominent elected officials in Kentucky.
If you enjoy OHV trail riding in Bell and Knox County and realize how important this project is to our economy, please sign the petition with your name and location. Let those in power know that this project is important to you and to southeast Kentucky as a whole!
Sign The Petition
