GREENUP, Ky. — Kentucky, known for its fast Thoroughbreds, put smiles on the faces of Western horse enthusiasts when Greenbo Lake State Resort Park opened its equine campground in April. It makes the 33rd such equine-friendly park in the state, but only the fifth with camping sites such as this one.

The nine primitive sites for campers with horses were built with help from Greenup County Fiscal Court and Judge-Executive Bobby Carpenter. The county provided the equipment and crew to prepare the sites.

“Greenup County has been a great partner to Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, and we appreciate the assistance we’ve received,” said Parks Commissioner Elaine Walker. “We hope to forge more partnerships like the one here in Greenup County to help support our state parks.”

The equine campsites are near the park’s original campground, which has 58 sites for trailers and RVs along with 36 primitive sites. The equine sites have picnic tables, fire rings and hitching posts for horses. Greenbo Lake State Resort Park has about 20 miles of trails suitable for horseback riding.

The other sites with equine camping are Carter Caves State Resort Park, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Taylorsville Lake State Park and Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park.

“The horse camping sites and trails at Kentucky state parks are an important part of our adventure tourism offerings,” said state Sen. Robin Webb (D-Grayson). “This addition at Greenbo Lake will bring more visitors to the area and will also provide equine opportunities for local riders.”

Walker and Webb were joined by Carpenter, local horseback riders and area officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the campsite. Immediately after, riders and their mounts took to the trails.

Greenbo Lake State Park suits Bobby Salley and his mount, Chester, just fine. The two were among the first to test a few of the many trails at this park. “It’s nice and shady, plenty of trails that are calm and shady,” he said. “It’s really good for kids just getting started with horses.”

Steve Thompson was giving his steed, Thumper, a test on the trails as well. “You need plenty of room for these big horse trailers. It’s very accommodating here, a real nice location,” he said.

Greenup County hopes to reap $250,000 a year in tourism from this venture. The joint state and county effort cost roughly $5,000. The Greenup Lake horse campsites run $18 a night on weekdays and $20 on weekends.

Greenbo Lake State Resort Park is on KY Highway 1, 18 miles north of Interstate 64 from the Grayson exit, or 8 miles south of U.S. Highway 23, the Country Music Highway, on KY 1. Greenbo Lake features the Jesse Stuart Lodge with 36 rooms, convention center and Anglers’ Cove Restaurant.

The park has a 225-acre lake for boating and fishing, tennis courts and 25 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The campground is open April 1-Oct. 31. Greenbo’s amphitheater features musical concerts and plays during the summer and fall.

“I used to head to Cumberland Lake for fishing, but I’ve found a better paradise with this equine-friendly setup they have here,” said Gary Beckman of Louisville. “It’s a bit of a drive for me to get here, but they designed things with the horseman in mind and that’ll keep people coming back.”

Some parks in the state offer trail riding and stalls while a few have more amenities. At the DBark Horse Camp near Mammoth Cave, there are 100 miles of trail with 26 campsites. At Bear Lodge in Stearns, there are 10 trails and 100 miles of horse trails. And at the latter there are two- and three-room cabins, each with a 12-by-12-foot stall for horses. There’s also a fully equipped equine campground at Carter Caves State Park in Carter County.

There are 33 parks with horse trails throughout Kentucky, each with varying terrain and difficulty. Each horse campground in the country is listed at www.horsetraildirectory.com