Perry County tourism gains momentum as summer travel outlook brightens

Perry County’s summer tourism push is starting with hard numbers, not just optimism. Visitors spent more than $43 million in the county in 2025, and an Ultra4 off-road race scheduled for October is expected to draw thousands to Leatherwood and the surrounding area.

The local outlook comes as Kentucky tourism posts its strongest stretch yet. Gov. Andy Beshear said on June 10 that 2025 was the state’s best year ever for tourism, with a record $14.6 billion in economic impact and 96,993 jobs supported. Statewide, 81.1 million visitors came to Kentucky last year, marking the fourth straight record year for the industry.

In Perry County, the growth is being tied directly to adventure travel. Hazard Perry County Tourism Director John Epperson said the county recently hosted a large all-terrain vehicle event and has another off-road race set for October, a sign that motorsports and outdoor recreation are becoming a bigger part of the local tourism economy. He also pointed to activity in the Leatherwood and Buckhorn areas, where entrepreneurs have opened off-road parks and equipment rentals, and where cabin rentals are increasing as visitors stay longer.

Leatherwood Off-Road Park has become one of the county’s main anchors in that effort. The park says it offers about 250 miles of trails across 50,000 acres in the Appalachian Mountains and includes lodging options, giving Perry County a destination with enough scale to keep riders and their families in the area beyond a single day trip. That matters because the county’s tourism strategy is increasingly about converting outdoor traffic into restaurant tabs, fuel sales, lodging nights and retail spending in Hazard and nearby communities.

Downtown Hazard is also showing signs of broader change. Hazard Perry Tourism says more than 70 new businesses, including eateries and shops, have opened in recent years as the city works through a significant revitalization effort. Along with ATV and dirt-bike trails, the county is pitching hiking, biking, horseback riding, quilt-block tours, specialty shopping, historical attractions, arts and crafts, festivals, wildlife viewing and access to rivers, lakes and streams.

That mix gives Perry County more than one way to benefit if summer travel holds up. The real test will be whether the county can turn trail traffic and special events into steady spending across Hazard’s storefronts and lodging market, not just a burst of weekend activity when riders come through town.