CURRENTLY CLOSED! March 2024 NOT SURE WHEN IT WILL RE-OPEN
Asbury University’s 341 acre Equine Center property (aka the Palisades Farm) has many hiking trails. The hiking trails are open to the public. The trails run along and down the palisades of the Kentucky River. They offer wildflower spotting spring through fall, and river views during winter. The gate is closed and locked at 8:00 PM daily or at sunset from October to March!
Safety: Consider bringing drinking water, sunscreen, bug repellent, and sunglasses.
Activities: 
Facilities: 
Facility and Trail Map
Trails
|
Trail
|
Uses
|
Difficulty
|
Length
|
| ▬▬ Hilltop Trail Loop Via Road | |
 |
0.8 miles |
| ▬▬ Old Stage Road Trail | |
|
0.4 miles one way |
| ▬▬ Great Wall Trail | |
|
0.35 miles |
| ▬▬ Unofficial Great Wall Trail Extension | |
|
0.25 miles |
| ▬▬ Pump Station Road Trail | |
|
0.6 miles one way |
| ▬▬ Spring and Cave Trail | |
|
0.1 miles |
Trail Descriptions
Hilltop Trail Loop via Road: Follows the cliff line through a wooded area, over a ravine and out to a meadow. Follow service and gravel roads back to the parking area to make a loop.
Old Stage Road Trail: Starts off following an old, wide road down to the Pump Station Road. The trail continues narrower and very steep alongside a ravine down to the river level.
Great Wall Trail: A narrow trail that follows the base of a palisade on the Kentucky River. A waterfall is near the end of the trail, but its hard to tell where the official trail ends and what looks like an unofficial trail begins. There is a rock with some painted writing that shows where the property (and trail) ends.
Unofficial Great Wall Trail Extension: A trail continues along the base of the palisade on the Great Wall Trail that doesn’t look like an official trail, but continues quite a distance. Trail falls off rather steeply at points.
Pump Station Road Trail: A gravel road that provides a wider path to get from the parking lot level down to the river. Can use it as a loop trail with the Old Stage Road Trail. Very steep.
Spring and Cave Trail: A short, very steep trail with stairs, steps, and small bridge that starts along the Great Wall Trail and heads straight uphill. The reward is a small cave/arch at the top with river views when the leaves are off the trees.
Directions
740 Shanty Hill Rd
Wilmore, KY 40390
Take US 68 south and veer onto KY 29 through Wilmore and take Shanty Hill Rd, the first road past the 3 way stop. As Shanty Hill Rd takes a sharp left turn, the Asbury University Equine Center gravel road is on the right. Parking is almost immediately on the left.
Google Maps Driving Directions
Jessamine County Trails 