Big Bone Lick

Northern Kentucky Sierra Club is organizing an evening of trail service at Big Bone Lick State Park on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM.

The group will hike along the trails and clean up as they go during this moderate, self-paced event.  Great for older kids and teenagers who like the woods.  You’ll likely see deer, turkey, hawks, etc.  This will mostly be trail cleanup such as pulling downed limbs off the trail, trimming back bushes & trees, etc.

The work crew can be 30-40 minutes from cars or restrooms.  Wear work & weather-tolerant clothes, shoes with good treads, and work gloves.  Bring liquids and snacks.  Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian.  It would be useful if you can bring tools such as loppers or a bow saw.  Some tools are available as well.

Rating: easy to moderate hiking and work, sometimes in cool-damp or hot-humid conditions.

Sign Up at the NKY Sierra Club

The Tri-State Hiking Club has a hike planned for Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 10:00am at Big Bone Lick State Park.  As of this writing, 21 people have signed up for the hike.  From hike organizer Kelly:

“Saturday’s forecast is calling for some sunshine and I need to stay close to home — so I thought a hike at Big Bone was in order.  The park has been a favorite of mine since childhood.  It is well maintained and holds such great history about the region.”

More Information

The Sierra Club is planning a late winter hike at Big Bone Lick State Park on Saturday, February 26, 2011, from 9:00 am to 12 noon.  The group will hike all park trails, including two blazed by the NKY Sierra Club Group.  The hike will be easy-to-moderate, covering 4 miles in about 3 hours.

Wear weather-appropriate clothes and shoes with a good tread.  Bring liquid and trail snacks.  Minors must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.

Please RSVP by noon on Friday, Feb 25 to John F. Robbins (johnfrobbins at insightbb dot com).  Include your name, email and phone number.  Requested donation: $1 per Sierra Club member, $2 per non-member.

Hiking is a healthy, low-impact activity that can help you lose weight.  For example, a 175-pound adult can burn 500 calories per hour with regular cross-country hiking, 580 calories/hour backpacking, and 625 calories/hour climbing hills! 

Fortunately, the Kentucky State Park system provides nearly 300 miles of hiking trails.  Along these Kentucky trails you may see waterfalls, lakes, caves, cliffs, natural bridges, age-old fossils, birds, deer, wild turkeys, and many other plants and animals.

Trail Shape is a free program from the Kentucky State Parks that will inspire you to discover these amazing Kentucky sights while getting or staying in shape!  To complete the Trail Shape program, you must hike 16 designated trails in a 1-year period.  The trails total nearly 40 miles and vary in length and terrain. 

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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.

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

KYPetalPusher, aka L.K. Niceley from Union, Kentucky, documented her hike with friends on a sunny winter day at Big Bone Lick State Park:

“We started at the museum/gift shop, took Gobblers Trace up to the campground, then took the Coralberry trail around the lake.  Finally, we dropped down to see the herd of buffalo at the park.”

Check out her trail and photos:

Map your trip with EveryTrail

The Northern Kentucky Sierra Club (NKY) is hosting a Winter Hike that covers all of the trails in Big Bone Lick State Park, including two trails blazed by the NKY Group in the past few years.  The hike is Saturday, February 27 from 9am-12pm EST.

This hike includes up to 5 miles of trails that climb and descend many hills.  Wear warm, weather-tolerant clothing, especially waterproof hiking shoes or boots with good treads.  Bring your own liquids and trail snacks, as desired.  A restroom is encountered midway on the hike.

RSVP to hike leader, John F. Robbins @ 859-363-0376 or johnfrobbins@insightbb.com by noon on Thursday, February 25, and include email and phone contact information.  Cost: $1 for Sierra Club members, $2 for non-members.

Rating: Easy to moderate, suitable for beginners.  Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.