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Runners, hikers, and mountain bikers in Covington's Devou Park have Dirt Artisans and its founder Chad Irey to thank for the trails they enjoy. Partnering with city officials, Dirt Artisans has played a significant role in designing, building, or supervising most of the trail system within the 700-acre park.
Last year, the company extended Devou Park’s Backcountry Trails by an additional three miles. This expansion brought the total length of the trail system to approximately 16 miles, making it the longest urban trail network in the region and among the top five overall in terms of length.
Chad Irey developed his love for nature as a child and dedicated many volunteer hours to designing and building trails before turning his passion into a business. Today, Dirt Artisans is recognized nationally for its contributions to surface trail design and construction. The company recently received a Covington Authenti-CITY award for its work.
“The trails that Dirt Artisans has constructed have transformed Devou Park into a regional treasure that welcomes thousands of visitors to Covington each year,” said Patrick Duffy, Covington Business Retention and Expansion Manager. “We’re proud to recognize Dirt Artisans as the recipient of a 2025 Authenti-CITY award.”
The Authenti-CITY awards were first introduced by Covington’s Economic Development team in 2021 during National Economic Development Week. These awards aim to honor businesses, places, events, people, and organizations that embody authenticity in Covington.
