Big Bone Lick State Park - Funny Name, Fantastic Park!
Written: Nov 04 '01
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Pros: Well maintained, beautiful, and great historical information
Cons: Museum/Gift Shop closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
The Bottom Line: This beautiful, well maintained state park gets three big thumbs up from this family!!
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| BearySweet's Full Review: Big Bone Lick State Park |
Saturday was a beautiful autumn day in northern Kentucky. The bright blue, cloudless sky and crisp air beckoned you to be outside. We decided it was the perfect sort of day for a picnic, so I packed a nice lunch and we headed out to Big Bone Lick State Park. That's right, I said Big Bone Lick. (When you are done giggling I’ll continue.) Big Bone Lick State Park is located in Union, KY and is a quick 20-minute drive from our house. This was not my first trip to this state park, but it was my first time using the picnic facilities. Let me tell you I was more than impressed with the cleanliness of the facilities and how nicely the parks and playgrounds are maintained. Let me tell you a little about the park and what a lovely day we had!
What is Big Bone Lick?
Big Bone Lick State Park is known as the 'Birthplace of American Vertebrae Paleontology'. During the end of the Ice Age, this area was apparently rich in salt and minerals. The animals that were driven south by the ice were drawn here for that reason. Unfortunately, many of the animals that came for the nourishing salt and minerals, would sink into the marshy bogs. These animals eventually fossilized, the remains were found in the 1700s. This information is located on many informational boards around the start of the walking trail at the park. Additionally, this and more information is available at the park’s website which can be found at: http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/parks/bigbone.htm
Our Trip
As I mentioned before, this was not my first trip to Big Bone Lick State Park. We have come before just to go walking along the trails. This was my first picnic and I wasn’t sure what I would find as far as picnic accommodations go. We drove around the park area for a few minutes deciding where we wanted to stop. There are a few different pavilions each with picnic tables set up as well as a back-up stash of tables sitting off to the side. (Smartly stored at an angle so as not to collect water and damage the wood.) The first area we saw had a large pavilion and a wonderfully large playground. The playground consisted of state of the art climbing equipment, swings, merry-go-round and a bridge that crossed a small stream that lead to another playground. This additional playground had swings, monkey bars and a nicely paved basketball court. The pavilion itself was across the street from the playground. Next to the pavilion was a makeshift baseball field. Both the playground and pavilion areas had large grassy areas suitable for Frisbee, football, catch, races or any other fun picnic games. This pavilion had a few families picnicking so we decided to look around some more.
The next picnic area we came to was a little smaller. There was a pavilion and a small playground. There was no one at this picnic area so we stopped and unloaded. We hauled our stuff a short distance to the pavilion. Right away I was impressed, the tables were clean, the floor was clean, everything was nicely maintained. The pavilion was quite large and would easily accommodate a company or group picnic. Our picnic area had about 15 additional picnic tables. The pavilion itself had lights, electrical outlets, a soda machine, three grills, and a water fountain. This picnic area also had an area for playing horseshoes and a paved and fenced tennis court. There was a large trashcan at the end of each pavilion for disposing picnic waste. We decided to play first, so we took our 17-month-old son over to the swings. They had two special toddler swings and 6 regular swings. Even the swings were well maintained! No rusty chains or torn, mottled rubber here. We spent some time on the swings and then headed over to the merry-go-round. The merry-go-round was a bit worn and I expected it to be very squeaky as well. But not so, it was a nice quiet ride. This was Jake’s first ride on a merry-go-round and he handled it a lot better than his mom! I must be getting old! We spent a little time playing ball in the huge grassy area and watching the colorful leaves fall from the trees. We finally ate our lunch and then headed up to the walking trail.
I feel that the walking trail is the heart of Big Bone Lick State Park. It is here where you can read all about the history surrounding the area, see a timeline from the discovery of the bones and fossils to current discoveries, see a scene that describes what life was like at Big Bone Lick hundreds of thousands of years ago, and visit the small museum and gift shop.
There is a large handicapped-accessible boardwalk that leads around the diorama from so many years ago. Standing on the boardwalk, you can see a mastodon, a giant sloth, a bison, and a woolly mammoth, some even sinking into the marshy ground. You can even see vultures feeding on a carcass. Boy, they didn’t leave any detail to spare here either; you get to see entrails and everything! This will be an instant hit with 10-year-old boys. I would guess that the animals are made from resin or fiberglass. The boardwalk has informational boards that tell about post Ice Age life in northern Kentucky. This attraction should not be missed on a trip to Big Bone Lick!
The museum and gift shop is small but quaint. There is a mastodon tooth at the front for you to touch. But honestly, I didn’t even know it was also a museum until I had come out, it is mostly a gift shop. The selection is typical gift shop fare, some local pottery and artwork and the usual toys that your child MUST have before going home.
The walking trail is partially paved, but the rest is pressed rock. It was difficult to get the stroller over the rocks, so we didn’t walk as far as we usually do. We did make our way down to see the bison. That’s right, live bison roaming in their large fenced pen. They were not as close as they usually are. Often they lie next to the fence and give a good look. If you want to get a better look at the bison, there is an observation deck just past the museum/gift shop.
Campgrounds at Big Bone Lick State Park
I have not been camping at this state park, but I felt this review would not be complete without a mention of the camping facilities. Big Bone Lick State Park offers year-round camping with 62 sites. The park offers electrical hook-ups and grills and water at every site. There are restrooms, showers and laundry facilities located in the campground. (Which are wonderful if you are my kind of camper!) There is a swimming pool, 18-hole miniature golf course, playground areas and a grocery store. The park offers games and activities for children during the summer and there are numerous trails to explore. I hate to quote prices because they can change so quickly. However I will post them, but please be aware that they can change and you should contact the park directly if you are interested in their camping facilities.
Nov 1-Mar 31 $10/night for 2 people
Apr 1-Oct 31 $16/night for 2 people
There is an additional charge of $1/night for each additional person over 16 years of age.
Big Bone Lick State Park offers discounts for senior citizens and disabled Kentuckians.
As I stated before, I have not used the camping facilities. However, if they are as clean and well maintained as the rest of the park the will more than exceed my expectations!
We had a wonderful afternoon at Big Bone Lick State Park. The park is perfectly suited for a small family outing or a large corporate picnic. You can be sure that on the next beautiful Saturday in northern Kentucky, you will find my family at Big Bone Lick State Park!
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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Epinions.com ID:
BearySweet
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Member: Michelle
Location: The Buckeye State
Reviews written: 85
Trusted by: 68 members
About Me:
Taking a break...life is a bit crazy right now.
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