Editor’s note:This is the second in a series of five naming the winners of the 2025 Authenti-CITY awards given by the City of Covington at a ceremony last week to mark the National Economic Development Week.
Runners, hikers, and mountain bikers, you can thank Dirt Artisans and its founder/owner Chad Irey for the cool trails you traverse in Covington’s Devou Park.
Partnering with City officials, Irey’s Dirt Artisans has either designed, built, or supervised construction of most of the trail system in Covington’s 700-acre Devou Park.
Last year Dirt Artisans constructed an additional three miles to Devou Park’s Backcountry Trails, extending the total trail system to about 16 miles and making it the longest urban trail network in the region and among the top five overall in terms of length.
Irey, who developed a love for nature as a child, put in significant volunteer hours designing and building trails before he turned his hobby into a business.
Today, Dirt Artisans is a national leader in surface trail design and construction for their contributions to community and conservation, and adds a coveted Covington Authenti-CITY award to its list of well-earned recognitions.
“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 Covington Business Retention and Expansion Manager Patrick Duffy. “We’re proud to recognize Dirt Artisans as the recipient of a 2025 Authenti-CITY award.”
City of Covington