Why Big Bone Lick is a Great Place to Visit
Big Bone Lick is a great place to visit. The 512-acre Kentucky state park is recognized as the birthplace of American vertebrate paleontology. The U.S. Secretary of the Interior has also recognized Big Bone Lick as a National Natural Landmark.
Big Bone Lick is significant for its combination of salt springs and late Pleistocene bone beds. Ancient creatures like the mammoth, mastodon, ground sloth and bison once roamed here through mineral springs and swamps, now grassy plains covered with trees and shrubs. Your can learn the history of Big Bone Lick in a new museum with displays of fossilized bones and artifacts from the last 18,000 years.
The park features several nature trails, including the Outdoor Museum with Discovery Trail that includes a boardwalk around a marsh bog diorama with recreations of a woolly mammoth and other scavengers feeding on carcasses and skeletal remains. The Discovery Trail winds through several habitats, including grassland, wetland and savanna, and is accessible to the physically-challenged. A small bison herd is also maintained on-site.
There are 62 campsites with utility hookups, grills, swimming pool, playground, showers, rest rooms and laundry. There is a 7.5-acre lake filled with largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish for bank fishing. An 18-hole miniature golf course includes a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. Nearly 40 acres of picnic grounds with tables, grills and a playground are ideal for family outings. Tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, softball fields, and horseshoe pits are available for the enjoyment of park visitors.
Things to Do at Big Bone Lick
Big Bone Events
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