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Mostly flat and partly shady. Concrete. One long bridge with steep grade at each end. Phases 1 and 2 complete. Lots of benches, security cameras/emergency alerts.
I have a different perspective than most trail users. I am paralyzed from the waist down. My "daily driver" is a manual wheelchair. However, I also have a handcycle: basically a three-wheel bicycle that I pedal with my hands. The rear two wheels are just along for the ride. The front wheel does all of the steering, braking, and propelling. As my weight is all on the back wheels, it spins out on too steep of a hill. There is one hill on the west end of this trail (right next to Parrish Avenue) that I had to ride down the street to bypass. There's another hill about 1/4 mile from this one that I could just BARELY handle. Otherwise, this trail is fairly flat with a few small hills. A completely flat trail is kind of boring, but I just can't do a really steep one. The Greenbelt is, for me, the perfect blend of flat and steep.
Handcycle considerations aside, Owensboro has done a commendable job with this trail. It is very nicely constructed and maintained. There are several good places to park, with ample parking spaces. I have ridden it several times now. I suggest doing what I did - try parking at different lots and seeing which one you like best. My personal favorite is the one off of Higdon Road. It is somewhere in the middle of the trail and lets you go either direction. A 15 mile trail (so 30 miles if you do both directions) gives you a lot of options, especially if you're looking for a 5 or 10 mile ride.
As other reviewers have noted, they could have done a better job with signs. In town sections of the trail, it's sometimes a bit difficult to know if you're still on the trail. I'm from here, so I have been watching the trail being constructed for years, so it makes sense to me. If you're new to it, download and study a map of it and you should be good. A map will also show you the numerous parking lots.
There are a large number of road intersections. Owensboro drivers aren't known for paying attention, so be careful! There are good markings and flashing lights at all the intersections. Plus, it's fun to take little side quests down many of these roads that are wide enough for cars plus a wheelchair-width handcycle.
The trail provides a good mix of city streets, farm fields, and woods. There are a lot of spots without shade, so bring some sunscreen if the sun bothers you. The parks departments do a great job maintaining the trail, but there are quite a few tree root bumps in some of the sections. Watch your front wheel, slow down a bit, and you'll be fine. There are about half a dozen portable toilets along the trail, and tons of benches for a rest stop.
Like I said, I live within easy driving distance of the Greenbelt. The only thing more handy for me is to just leave my driveway and hit my local roads on my handcycle, which I do often. However, when I don't want to fight cars or when I have my daughter on her bike with me, the Greenbelt is my first choice. It is an asset to our community. Come check it out. I hope to see you out there!
Trailhead in Greenville is across from Clark Tire Center and has nice picnic table nearby. The trail is in good condition, saw some birding along the way and a nice city park at Powderly. Bathrooms at the HS were closed for the season.
A diverse trail running alongside busy streets, fields of soybeans, wooded areas, and into small communities with lush greenery and small lakes. Not well marked.
We only did the short section due to the heat, but it was actually really pleasant underneath the green shaded path! We did run into two downed trees that required going around as they were pretty big. (There was a big storm two nights ago and lots of cleanup going on in the area.). Took a few detours to the campground and the green river ferry crossing. We also ended up on a road that was closed off to cars but a national park bus came down and dropped off some serious cavers. We watch them gear up and go down into the bowels of the earth. Not for the faint of heart! I believe it was called the wild cave tour. Total of 9.6 miles over 2 1/2 hours for a wonderful morning ride! Loved it all.
If you enjoy getting of the roads and paved trails, and ride trails through the woods, but don't like narrow, technical, dangerously unkempt trails, this is the trail for you! Nice wide, easy going in most sections, with a couple of steeper sections (which can be ridden easily on an e-bike...otherwise walked, as they recommend). Surface is hard-packed dirt, but with a layer of pretty course gravel (trap rock, etc.), so definitely best for fat tire bikes. As for the starting point, no need to start in town (not that interesting anyway, unless you need to go to a store, or something like that). As others have said, best option is to start on the southern end, if you can get one of those couple of gravel parking spaces on Zion Cemetery Road, right off of the Mammoth Cave Parkway...otherwise, you can go up the Parkway just a little ways to the paved lot near the big Mammoth Cave Park sign, where there are 4-5 spaces (but you'll miss a couple of cool sections of the trail that start on the cemetery road). Enjoy!
Lousy, traprock surface, twisty, steep hill that require walking bikes, unmarked dead end fork. Rode on hybrid with 28 mm tires. Took road back. Never again.
Reminded me of Ohio trails I've ridden. Wish Bowling Green, Ky., had something that long. Only real suggestion is that an emergency call box or two would be nice. Saw five people total on perfect Thursday afternoon ride. You wanna be prepared
I agree with the previous review about starting at the south end on Zion Cemetery Rd; however, be aware that there is only room for about 1 or 2 cars there (see photo). You can park just north of there on Mammoth Cave Pkwy, but only have about 5 spots there (see photo).
Nice wooded ride. Rode it on our hybrids with no problems. Several signs about the history of the railroad and the area. 2 or 3 steep hills….I got off and pushed. Bone shaking ride if you go down them fast. Trail definitely diverged from the old railroad grade 😀
Our original plan was to bike up the Visitor Center and take a cave tour, but read about boot wash when exiting the cave and didn’t want to bike in boots. Turns out the wash barely got the soles wet. Could have done the tour in sneakers. Saw folks doing it in flip-flops.
Grab your coat, hop on your bike, ride to a great cave tour. A unique Kentucky experience. Enjoy….bikin-mike…Aug 2022
We’ll maintained with pretty views. An easy ride for the entire family.
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