Between the sheer size of The Parklands, the range of its topography, and the private-public partnerships that nurtured its growth, things can sometimes get confusing. So we’ve provided a few common Q&As regarding Louisville’s newest park system.
The Parklands is a visitor-supported public park system totaling nearly 4,000 acres of land across four parks along Floyds Fork creek in eastern and southeastern Louisville: Beckley Creek Park, Pope Lick Park, Turkey Run Park, and Broad Run Park. All four parks, along with the Strand (the middle section that connects them), are open to the public. Nineteen miles of the Louisville Loop, as well as over 60 miles of hiking and biking and paddling trails, thread throughout The Parklands. With more than three million visits each year, The Parklands is one of the nation’s largest metropolitan parks projects — a well-loved destination for Louisville residents and visitors of the region.
In Jefferson County just beyond the Gene Snyder Freeway between Shelbyville Road (near Middletown) and Bardstown Road (near Fern Creek). Each of the four parks (Beckley Creek Park, Pope Lick Park, Turkey Run Park, and Broad Run Park) are named after tributaries of Floyds Fork — a stream that runs the length of The Parklands before emptying into the Salt River.
The Garden Gateway Entrance of Beckley Creek Park is on Shelbyville Road across from the Valhalla Golf Course near Middletown and Eastwood. The entrance to Pope Lick Park is on Taylorsville Road, east of the Gene-Snyder Freeway just past the train trestle. Take Gene Snyder’s Billtown Road Exit to get to Turkey Run Park’s northern entrance, then turn left onto Seatonville Road and follow signs to Turkey Run Park. Broad Run Park’s southern entrance is off Bardstown Road (just before exiting Jefferson County). Access the Strand via the trailhead off Echo Trail.
Here’s a simplified version of those directions:
21st Century Parks, Inc. and The Parklands of Floyds Fork are one and the same. 21st Century Parks, Inc. was founded in 2004 to develop and preserve new public parklands. By February of 2013, we met the capital campaign goal for the land acquisition to develop what is now The Parklands of Floyds Fork. In order to better clarify the identity of our donor- and visitor-supported public park, we are now known as 21st Century Parks, Inc. d/b/a The Parklands of Floyds Fork, meaning that all future communications will be under the name of The Parklands of Floyds Fork. This 501(c)(3) organization maintains, operates, and fundraises for The Parklands, as we do not receive tax dollars for annual operations. To learn how you can support The Parklands, click here.
21st Century Parks raised more than $130 million in its Capital Campaign to acquire land and construct the park system. That includes $70.5 million from private sources and $49.5 million from public sources. (The public money includes $38 million from the federal government, $10 million from the state, and $1.5 million from Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government.) Memberships, private donations, rental fees, program revenue, and an endowment support the annual funding of The Parklands, which is expected to run to about $4.5 million per year. The Parklands does not receive taxpayer support for annual operations. To learn how you can support The Parklands, click here.
Great public parks add green space, encouraging healthy lifestyles and promoting the conservation of nature. Parks enhance the quality of life for citizens around them and generate economic growth and prosperity.
Our parks are open every day, the whole year round, from dawn till dusk, unless otherwise noted. Facility hours are site-specific and vary based on events.
The Parklands does not receive tax dollars and relies on donations from the community to support its annual operations.
The Parklands is a visitor-supported public park. We are able to maintain the Parklands for future generations only because of your generosity. Volunteer, share our story, rent our facilities, or become a Member to contribute to The Parklands. Call 502-584-0350 or click here to help support us.
The Parklands is fortunate to have such partners as Louisville Metro Government, the Future Fund, Inc., the Metropolitan Sewer District, the Kentucky Division of Forestry, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and the Federal Highway Administration in the construction and maintenance of our park system. Additional partners help deliver programming to visitors throughout the year — including events, educational programs, and equipment rentals.
Click “Events” in the top navigation of our website, or click here to sign up to become an e-newsletter subscriber and receive our monthly emails. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook, where we post information on seasonal occurrences like blooming flowers, bird migrations, and trail recommendations. If you’re in the parks, stop by the nearest trailhead to view our bulletin boards with event calendars and program flyers, or visit the PNC Achievement Center and ask one of our rangers about upcoming events.
The Parklands is free to enter and open to the public 365 days a year. Many times we offer free events to the public, and sometimes we offer events for a small fee. These events generally offer something above and beyond the park amenities, and they are usually available to Parklands Members at a discounted price. The Barklands in Beckley Creek Park is only open to members of the Louisville Dog Run Association, since their membership application ensures that all dogs are up-to-date on shots and their dues that support the maintenance of the parks.
Canoe, kayak and bike rentals are no longer available in The Parklands. While canoe, kayak and bike rentals are not currently available at The Parklands, visitors can still canoe, kayak, and bike at The Parklands using their own equipment. The Parklands offers visitors more than 60 miles of trail for hiking and biking, plus access to 22 miles of water trail on Floyds Fork. Learn more about paddling at The Parklands here and more about biking at The Parklands here.
The Parklands offers many open, uncovered picnic areas at no cost and on a first-come, first-serve basis. Our covered picnic shelters are popular areas, especially in warm weather, so the best way to guarantee a space for your event is to reserve it. The Parklands also offers indoor spaces that can accommodate your event. To view a list of our reservable spaces, click here. For questions related to pricing and availability, contact our Facilities Team at 502-815-0277 or events@21cparks.org.
Membership is a vital source of support for The Parklands. All of your Membership donation is tax-deductible and 100% of it helps us preserve our trees, trails, landscaping, and facilities, as well as deliver programming to the community. Although The Parklands is free and open to the public, we often offer programming for free or at a discount to our Members as a gesture of thanks for their support. To learn more about becoming a Member, click here.
The Parklands opened to the public in various phases from 2011–2019. In 2011, Phase I construction of The Parklands began when we opened the Marshall Playground and Sprayground. The northern portion of Beckley Creek Park — an area of fishing lakes, picnic pavilions, and roads and bridges — opened in November 2012. The Gheens Foundation Lodge and PNC Achievement Center opened in February 2013. The remainder of Beckley Creek Park and all of Pope Lick Park opened in September 2013. Turkey Run Park opened in October 2015, Broad Run Park in April 2016 and the Strand in September 2016. Our newest amenities, the Silo Center Bike Park, opened in September 2017 (and stays open seasonally), while the Moss Gibbs Woodland Garden opened in May 2019.
Well, not quite. The Parklands of Floyds Fork is a nearly 4,000-acre donor- and visitor-supported public park system, while the Louisville Loop is a Metro Louisville initiative that has been blueprinted to circle the city with over 100 miles of multi-recreational paths linking neighborhoods to parks and civic attractions, including The Parklands. The Parklands built and will maintain the 19 miles of the Louisville Loop that run the length of it, from Shelbyville Road to Bardstown Road. Graded for ADA accessibility, the Loop is nonmotorized and unfurls through a variety of landscapes, providing plenty of space for people to run, walk, skate, skip, or bike together. The city is responsible for planning, funding, and building the remaining 81 miles of the Louisville Loop, which are currently in various phases of construction. Learn more about the progress of the Louisville Loop.
We’re eco-friendly and just friendly, so we want to hear from you. Contact us and we’ll do our best to give you a shout in a timely manner.
The Parklands is free to enter and open to the public 365 days a year. This is your park, so we want you to feel involved at all times. Volunteer with us, donate to become a Member, sponsor an event, or purchase a commemorative.