Hazard

Two Eastern Kentucky families have opened up more than 10,000 acres of their land near Buckhorn Lake to help further the state’s effort to capitalize on adventure tourism in the region. The Gay and Abner families are leasing their property to the state for free and are allowing access to the public for hiking, horseback riding and four-wheeling. With the area’s extreme terrain making it difficult to diversify its economy, the state is working to develop the region’s tourism market. Plans are under way to create an ATV trail that would span Clay, Owsley, Perry, Breathitt and Leslie counties, in addition to eventually developing trails for horseback riding, hiking and biking.