This KY Hidden Gem Honors a Legend, Makes for Phenomenal Fall Photo Ops

As I write this, our region is in desperate need of rain and this looks like the week we'll get it. But it's hard to argue with the weather we HAVE been getting since fall announced its arrival last month.

On Sunday--as beautiful a day as we may have ever experienced--it was time to hit the two-lane roads and explore, and that's exactly what we did. And after riding the Rochester Ferry across the Green River, we found the John Prine Memorial Park in as perfect a location as you could imagine.

JOHN PRINE MEMORIAL PARK

This incredible picnic area sits right on the river and right where visitors can enjoy the tri-state's own miniature Niagara Falls--the Rochester Dam. I'd always known it was there, but this was my first visit; it won't be my last.

But the park is a new addition and honors an icon and former Muhlenberg County resident who passed away in 2020 due to complications of COVID-19.

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THE DEDICATION OF JOHN PRINE MEMORIAL PARK IN MUHLENBERG COUNTY

It's been just within the last month that John Prine Memorial Park opened and it kind of aligns perfectly with Prine's signature song "Paradise," which corrects a common misconception about the legendary singer. It was Prine's PARENTS who were born here; John was born in Illinois. But his enduring connections to Muhlenberg County have made him a de facto native son, and Prine ALWAYS loved writing about it.

Here's the official acclamation from Governor Andy Beshear dedicating the park:

INCREDIBLE FALL PHOTO OPS AWAIT YOU AT JOHN PRINE MEMORIAL PARK

We ended up spending more than an hour there--an hour that passed pretty quickly. You can actually climb down and chill out right next to the Green River on some beautiful rock formations.

Talk about a perfect fall afternoon. And what a tremendous way to honor a local icon. Prine's widow, Fiona, told WBKO-Bowling Green that she looks forward to joining the rest of her family on visits to the roadside park.

So you might just run into her on your next visit. You might just run into me, too. I will absolutely be back.