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Kingdom Come State Park’s 8th annual Raven Rock 5K Trail Run is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, April, 20, just in time for spring. The run is one of the most popular events at the park, with people coming from all over the region to participate.

Kingdom Come State Park Manager Sherry Cornett gave some details on this year’s Raven Rock 5K.

“It’s a true single path trail run,” Cornett said. “You’ll run 3.2 miles through our trail system.”

She mentioned each year’s Raven Rock 5K takes a different path through the park.

“We change it every year,” Cornett said. “If you ran it last year or in years past, it doesn’t mean that you’ve run this course, because we change it up every year just to make it a little bit different.”

The route winds through Kingdom Come State Park taking in the views available only during the spring season including budding plants, trees beginning to come to life following winter, and culminating with Raven Rock, the huge rock which extends nearly 300 feet high at a 45-degree angle.

The course is considered difficult because of the many hills participants will encounter.

“You will have a lot of inclines, a lot of declines, and at one point you will run across Ravon Rock, and that’s 290 feet long at a 45 degree angle,” Cornett said.

Although difficult, the course has many advantages.

“This is guaranteed to be the most scenic 5K you can participate in at the park,” Cornett said. “The views are wonderful from Raven Rock, and just running underneath the tree canopy is beautiful.”

This year’s run is shaping up to be a success.

“We’ve got quite a few folks already registered,” Cornett said. “We also have a new design on the t-shirt that’s really cool, I think a lot of people are going to like it, and we’ll have awards for the top finishers in each age division.”

Registration is $25. To register, go to https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/KingdomCome/Events or call 606-589-2478. Registration is also available at the Kingdom Come State Park Gift Shop beginning at 9 a.m. the day of the run. The Raven Rock 5K Trail Run leaves the starting line at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 20.