Staff report
Spring is popping out all over, so don’t miss a family visit to Big Bone Lick State Historic Site. There is plenty to do — hiking, camping, birding, picnicking, fishing, visiting the museum, playing miniature golf, shopping at the gift shop, participating in special park programs, enjoying the great outdoors. . .
And it’s where the buffalo roam.
Mom, Short Horn, and new baby among the buffalo at Big Bone Creek
It’s calving season for the buffalo, as calves are typically born between late April and May. The first baby is here already, a sweet girl born just a few weeks ago. See the baby and mom, Short Horn, on your visit.
The park is open daily from dawn to dusk. It’s free.
Remember, just look — and don’t crowd. No need to stress a newborn and reduce critical nursing time. Besides, bison can run 30-35 miles per hour for upwards of 40 minutes and are agile runners who can quickly change directions and jump over objects as tall as six feet. Just don’t get too close or makes noises that disturb them.
If you are so inclined, join the staff and the NKY Sierra Club on Earth Day, April 15, to help pick up litter in Big Bone Creek and along the trails. For more info, click here.
The campground is open too.
Take a hike. There are 4.5 miles of hiking trails with each varying in terrain and difficulty. They meander from forested ridges to the babbling waters of Big Bone Creek. Take your pick.
Birding? Over 50 species of birds over-winter at the park and Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and a host of colorful warbler species visit in the spring. Keep your eyes peeled.
Don’t miss the Visitor’s Center where you can see the new exhibits on paleontology, Ordovician geology, Ice Age mammals, Native American history, the chronology of science at Big Bone, and ongoing research currently underway at the park.
