NKY Regional Trails Plan
On Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, the NKY Regional Trails Plan was released to the public, including a collaborative 200-page book with CORA, Tri-State Trails, and OneNKY Alliance, over 80 community advocates, and a preview of the OneNKY Connector Route with 80 cyclists throughout Covington. The support throughout the evening showcased the want and need for this plan.
Now that the NKY Regional Trails Plan is released, what does it really mean? In an easy-to-digest way, this plan aims to connect trails and communities throughout the northern three counties in Kentucky: Boone, Campbell, and Kenton. This provides opportunities for neighborhoods to have access to trails right from their front door.
This strategic plan incorporates thoughtfulness for the average resident’s daily tasks, locating the route around grocery stores, schools, parks, and other community amenities. This also brings to life the option to ride your bike on paved paths to natural surface trails for an all-day adventure. Instead of packing up and driving to a trailhead, this gives users access to their favorite trails by foot (or wheels).
As we develop this project, wayfinding and signage will make it easy to locate the braided trail network. This signage will be highly visible, recognizable, and clearly signal that users are on the OneNKY Connector Route, expanding into trailheads and informational kiosks. This will alleviate confusion for residents and visitors alike.
What is the OneNKY Connector Route?
It is the first step in bringing the Regional Trails Plan to life, linking Erlanger to Ft. Thomas for pedestrians and cyclists. This route will go through seven cities and three counties.
Read that again.
Imagine it.
That provides access for a wide range of neighborhoods, connecting to grocery stores, parks, school, employment centers, business districts, along with existing and proposed trail networks. That opens up opportunities for navigation throughout these communities. The route prioritizes low-speed roads at or below 25 mph, encouraging cautious behavior and low-stress for trail users.
The Regional Trails Plan also incorporates an ongoing local collaboration, including the City of Erlanger who will be having an upcoming grand opening for Eons Park. The first phase includes a dog park and a world-class bike park that will attract visitors from all over the country. This is one of the pillars of the project and a grander vision of 4 regional bike parks and 14 neighborhood bicycle playgrounds for CORA by 2030.
This project is not possible without the support of multiple stakeholders, city officials, and community members. This vision came to Jason Reser, CORA’s Executive Director, years ago, and thanks to his proactive spirit and supporters at his table like Olivia Birkenhauer and Brian Bozeman, it is coming to life. This isn’t just for us, it’s for everyone!
As this project evolves, we will be sure to give you information to learn more about this exciting project!
The NKY Regional Trails Plan is the future of trails, and we can’t wait for the next adventure!