Perry promoted, Tierney takes on Carter Caves

Carter Caves State Resort Park has a new manager after its former leader earned a recent promotion.

Chris Perry, who served as the park's manager since 2012, is now the Kentucky State Parks Southwest Region Administrator.

Paul Tierney is Carter Caves' park manager. The park announced on social media Tierney will be in the position until a permanent manager is appointed.

"It's in very good hands with Paul," Perry said. "It made the decision to leave a whole lot easier. He has a love for that park, grew up there. He knows it frontwards, backwards and sideways."

Tierney's father, John, was a longtime naturalist at the park. He passed away in 2020.

Paul Tierney was the program services supervisor at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park for 18 years. In 2018, he returned to his Olive Hill-area roots. He's been assisting with programming, special events, adventure activities and management of seasonal staff at Carter Caves over the past few years.

Paul and his wife, Jennifer, reside near the park, according to the Carter Caves Facebook page.

Perry's new position became official on Sept. 16.

The Olive Hill man will continue to reside in Carter County. He will commute, traveling two days a week to western Kentucky and spending one day a week in Frankfort.

The state parks system consists of 44 parks, divided into five regions. Perry's region includes Columbus Belmont, Wickliffe Mounds, Lake Barkley, Kentucky Dam Village, Kenlake, Pennyrile Forest, Mineral Mounds and Jefferson Davis Historical Site.

"So far, so good. I've visited all eight parks; I was happy I was able to do that in the first week," Perry said. "I never dreamed I'd go to those parks on the banks of the Mississippi River. They're all interesting parks."

Perry said, "being a hometown boy," he loves Carter Caves and always will. He spent his entire professional career there, starting on the former golf course when he was a Morehead State student. Perry said he took pride a several accomplishments.

"We took that park and turned it around, and it started getting the attention it deserved," Perry said. "It's because of the people we had working there. We focused a lot on getting locals back in the park with the events we did and with the meals we offered."

In his new role, he will be in consistent contact with the central office in Frankfort while also assisting individual parks managers in the Southwest Region.

"I'm excited for this new adventure, new challenge," Perry said. "It's going to let me see parts of the state I've never seen before."

(606) 326-2664 |