Big Bone Lick

Stomp in Big Bone Creek with park naturalist Todd Young to stay cool while learning about nature.  This Creek Stomping event is on Saturday July 3, 2010 from 12:00 pm -  2:30 pm. 

Caution: You will get wet, extremely wet.  Parents must accompany children, and registration is required.  Not recommended for young children.  Weather permitting.  To register and get more information about what to bring, please contact Todd Young at todd.young@ky.gov.

The Boone County Public Library is hosting a traveling exhibition about the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.  The pair is best known for their cross-country expedition to the Pacific Ocean.  However, the explorers also visited Big Bone Lick in separate trips.

The exhibition titled “Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country” runs from July 1 through August 13, 2010.  It’s held at the Main Library at 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY.  The exhibit tells the story of Lewis & Clark’s 1804-1806 journey from the point of view of the Native Americans who lived along the route.

The exhibit has many special programs scheduled throughout July including a talk about Lewis and Clark visiting Big Bone Lick.  Stanley Hedeen, author of "Big Bone Lick: Cradle of American Paleontology," hosts the program at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, at the Main Library.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson asked Lewis to stop at Big Bone Lick to collect bones and send them back to Jefferson before meeting up with Clark in Louisville.  Unfortunately the bones were lost when the boats carrying them sank at Natchez, Mississippi.

Undeterred, Jefferson sent Clark to Big Bone Lick in 1807 to retrieve another set of bones.  In 1808, Jefferson finally received his long-awaited shipment and arranged 300 big bones on the floor in a room at the White House.  (source)

More Information

Ahoy, ye land lubbers!  Pirate Week is coming to Big Bone Lick State Park.  There will be pirate games and pirate crafts.  Find the captain’s lost treasure and return it for a special surprise!  Don’t forget to visit the pirate’s cove, pirate’s hideout, and the shipyard pub.

So set yer sails ya swabbies and have a swimmin’ good time.  Just be careful or the cap’n might make ye walk the plank!

Pirate Week festivities run from Wednesday, June 9 through Saturday, June 12, 2010, and are available only to campers in the Big Bone Lick Campground.

The Free Fishing Weekend on June 5-6, 2010 is a great time to gather some friends and head to Big Bone Lick State Park.  Enjoy the 7.5-acre lake, a stream stocked with trout, or visit the mighty Ohio River. 

Bait and year-round hunting and fishing permits are available at the park campground store.  A permit is not required to fish Kentucky waters during the Free Fishing Weekend.  Call 859-384-3522 for more information.

After enjoying a Mother’s Day buffet with Mom, how about working off those calories with a short hike? 

Join local botanist Matt Maley and the park naturalists on a short walk in Big Bone Lick State Park to see and learn about the many beautiful spring wildflowers that bloom in the park.  The Wildflower Walk will take place on Sunday, May 9 from 11:00 AM to about 1 PM.

For more information, call 859-384-3522 or email park naturalist Todd Young at todd.young@ky.gov.

Catfish Country is hosting a fishing tournament at Big Bone Lick State Park on Saturday, May 1 from 4 PM to 10 PM.  There will be another tournament at Big Bone on August 21.

About Catfish Country:  “In the early 1990s, a group of fisherman with a passion for the sport of catfishing decided to start holding regular fishing tournaments amongst friends.  Over the years the friendship circle grew, and as a result, our tournaments continued to grow as we met more catfish enthusiasts.  In 2003 we adopted the name Catfish Country as a club name.  It is amazing how much this sport has grown, and we have met not only great fisherman, but great individuals as well.  We look forward to a great year of fishing and friendship.”  (source)

The date and time may vary depending on weather.  In the event of inclement weather, check with Scott Wilson (859-321-6020) for cancellation.

Kentucky Pondhoppers Bass Club is holding a fishing tournament from March 27 through August 28.  Fish with partner or alone.  Boats must be 14 feet or shorter, and motors must be 15 hp or lower.  There is a $50 fee per boat membership to the Bass Club, and $30 fee per boat per tournament. 

Division III will be held on Guist Creek, Bullock Pen, Elmer Davis, Boltz, and Big Bone Lick Creek.

Contact Paul Hanley at 502-845-5391 for more information.

Source

Sierra Club Northern Kentucky (NKY) is meeting on Saturday, May 8, 2010 to perform trail service at Big Bone Lick State Park on five miles of mostly wooded hilly trails, including two blazed by the NKY group.  This is one of several service outings scheduled throughout the year.

This outing will include routine trail repairs and upkeep, especially weed-whipping and bush and branch trimming.  The work crew will depart from the meeting location 15-20 minutes after the scheduled start.  So don’t come late unless you know where they will be working.

Be sure to wear weather-appropriate work clothing, shoes with good treads, and work gloves.  Bring your own liquids and trail snacks, as desired.  Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Rating: easy to moderate, suitable for beginners, sometimes including labor in cool, damp, hot or humid conditions.

For more information, contact John F. Robbins by email or phone at 859-363-0376.

JOIN THE SIERRA CLUB

The Boone-Union Masonic Lodge is hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt at Big Bone Lick State Park starting at noon on Saturday, April 3, 2010.  Over 2,000 eggs will be hidden for children ages 3-11 to find.

Cincinnati Museum Center Heritage Programs have been presenting historical, cultural and architectural tours for over 20 years.  Each month, Heritage Programs offer scheduled tours of unique sites of local or regional interest.  All tours include lunch unless specified.

On Friday, June 4, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, Cincinnati Museum Center Heritage Programs will tour Big Bone Lick State Park.  Cost is $70 for members, $75 for non-members.  The registration deadline is May 28.  Here is a description of the tour:

President Thomas Jefferson asked explorers Lewis and Clark to bring back animal remains from Big Bone Lick, now considered the “Birthplace of American Vertebrate Paleontology.”  Dr. Glenn Storrs, Withrow Farney curator of vertebrate paleontology, leads us through the trails of the Kentucky State Park while interpreting the Ice Age events that have preserved the fossilized remains of mastodons, wooly mammoths and ground sloths.  This tour involves long periods of standing and hiking up hills and through woods on uneven and wet trails, so please dress accordingly.

To register for a tour, call (513) 287-7031.  Please note that payment must be received at the time of booking.  For more information about the Heritage Program Tours, send an e-mail to: heritageprograms@cincymuseum.org.