Chris Ward is eager to ride his mountain bike on the rugged trails in Jefferson Memorial Forest near Fairdale, where he and other patrons now can only hike or ride horses.
"The forest has some of the best terrain in the area for mountain biking," said Ward, 31, who lives in the Highlands and is a member of the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association.
Ward was among about 100 Louisville residents at Fairdale High School last Wednesday for the public unveiling of Metro Parks' plans to add miles of trails for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding and all-terrain vehicles.
Other plans include a campground with electrical hookups and showers, an environmental-education center, a museum, a new welcome center and much more parking for vehicles and horse trailers.
"We want to develop a stronger connection with residents," forest manager Bennett Knox said.
Lisa Hite, the senior planner for Metro Parks, said the hope is to have families, school groups and other organizations stay the night at the campground, as they do now at the Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest and Otter Creek Park.
"This presents a really great outdoor recreation opportunity that is close to home," Hite said.
Hite said she and others who drew up the plans were keenly aware of the need to preserve the best woodlands in the central part of the forest, making sure no bike or horse trails are allowed in these areas.
Kathy Blevins, the community school coordinator at Fairdale High, said she regularly hikes in the forest with her husband and takes a group of students to the forest each year on non-school days. The students climb the forest's alpine tower and ropes course, which helps build their confidence and forces them to work as a team.
As for the planned improvements, Blevins said she believes they will attract more people from around Louisville and surrounding areas, although a part of her wants to keep the forest a secret.
"I thought (the new forest plans) were very ambitious," she said after seeing the plans. "If they come to fruition, I think it will be an absolutely fabulous asset to the community."
Blevins said she likes the separation of hiking and horse trails because horses often leave craters on the trails after a rain, making it hazardous for hikers.
No timetable has been set for work to begin at the forest, which Knox said is the largest municipally owned, urban forest in the country.
"It could take 20 years or less, depending on how fundraising goes," Knox said.
Officials have yet to estimate how much the entire project will cost, he said