E P Tom Sawyer State Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

E P Tom Sawyer State Park is located in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.


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Summary

There are several reasons to visit, including hiking, biking, camping, and picnicking. The park is also home to several sports facilities, including soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and a BMX track.

One of the park's main attractions is its extensive network of hiking and biking trails, which wind through the woods and offer scenic views of the surrounding landscape. Visitors can also explore the park's fishing lake, which is stocked with a variety of fish species, including bass, catfish, and bluegill.

Other points of interest in the park include a nature center, where visitors can learn about the local flora and fauna, and an archery range, which is available for use by park visitors.

Interesting facts about the park include its history as a former military installation, as well as its role in hosting the Kentucky State Fair. The park is also home to a number of rare and endangered species, including the Indiana bat and the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake.

The best time of year to visit E P Tom Sawyer State Park is in the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the foliage is at its most beautiful. Summer can be hot and humid, while winter weather can be unpredictable and may limit outdoor activities.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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