Date of trip: 09/06/2025
Time: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Location: Crooked Creek SNP, Lewis Co., KY
Difficulty of hike: Easy – The hike will cover a distance of approximately 1.5 miles on an established trail. The terrain is mostly flat with some small inclines or declines, but attendees should be prepared for hiking trail conditions like navigating occasional spots with rocks, mud, or woody debris. We will leave the trail at one or two spots to view some of the grasslands.

Join KNPS member and OKNP biologist, Devin Rodgers for a hike to Crooked Creek SNP in Lewis Co. The hike will highlight the Bluegrass Cat Prairie, a unique type of grassland that features some of the highest concentrations of rare plants in Kentucky. The ecology and rare plants of this grassland will be discussed along with a focus on morphology and identification of the sunflower family, Asteraceae.

Prairie species such as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and prairie dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum var. luciae-brauniae) occur in the barrens areas. This site also protects five rare plant species: starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum), white rattlesnake root (Prenanthes alba), slender blazing-star (Liatris cylindracea), earleaf foxglove (Agalinis auriculata) and scarlet Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea).​

There are no restrooms or facilities at the preserve. There will be some shaded portions of the hike, but attendees should be prepared for being in open areas with full sun. Short water and shade breaks will be taken. Make sure to bring plenty of water and tick protection.

Because of limited parking at Crooked Creek SNP, the group will meet in Maysville and carpool to the preserve. Meet up coordinates will be sent to participants in a separate email.

Due to the sensitivity of the site, registration will be limited to 12 participants.

If you have any questions, send an email to FieldTrips@knps.org.

To register for this field trip, fill out and submit the form below.

Meaghan Petix & Alan Abbott

On April 19th, KNPS partnered with the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition for a botanical hike of their Miller Fork property in Lee County.  Approximately 20 members of KNPS and RRGCC were guided by Dan and Judie Dourson, the authors of the book Wildflowers and Ferns of the Red River Gorge and Greater Red River Basin. 

The hike began along the banks of Hell Creek, where there was a striking display of spring wildflowers, including Red Trillium (Trillium erectum), Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata), Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis), Creeping Foamflower (Tirella stolonifera), and Buffalo Nut (Pyrularia pubera). Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) was emerging. 

The group then followed a trail into an enchanting rock garden before stopping along a sandstone cliff line to discuss its fragile ecosystem, which harbors many specialized plants and animals.  The exposed rock was adorned with vivid crustose lichens. Dan Dourson spotted a Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) nestled in a rock crevice.  

KNPS is funding the reprinting of Wildflowers and Ferns of the Red River Gorge and Greater Red River Basin.

Meaghan Petix is the Volunteer Coordinator of the Kentucky Native Plant Society. Alan Abbott is Field Trips Coordinator of the Kentucky Native Plant Society.

Jeff Nelson, KNPS President

On Saturday, April 26, KNPS led a group of Kentucky Master Naturalists on a botanically oriented hike around Hematite Lake in the Land Between the Lakes in Trigg County. With beautiful weather and lots of native species in bloom, the 2 mile loop around the lake was a wonderful way to spend the day.

Hematite Lake is a small, man-made lake, created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The orientation of the lake, which runs roughly east-west, makes for some interesting habitats. The southern side of the lake, with a northern exposure, is a mesic woodland. The western end of the lake, where Long Creek enters the lake, is a wetland. The northern side of the lake, with its southern exposure is a much drier woodland.

The mesic woods had many species of native spring flowers in bloom or just getting ready to bloom. Among the species we saw were dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides), wild comfrey (Andersonglossum virginianum), violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea), star chickweed (Stellaria pubera), spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), woodland phlox (Phlox divaricataI), common greenbriar (Smilax rotundifolia), and prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum). In a drier ridge area, we saw several patches of cranefly orchid (Tipularia discolor).

As we walked along the southern portion of the trail, we began seeing many zebra swallowtail butterflies (Eurytides marcellus). This was not surprising as this part of the trail had lots of pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba) and pawpaws are the only host plant for this lovely butterfly.

The west end of Hematite Lake is wetland. Few of the wetland species were in flower, but we did see lots of young, swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii), broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), and buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

The woods on the northern side of Hematite Lake are much drier than the southern side and have a different mix of natives. Lots of two-flowered Cynthia (Krigia bicolor) were blooming throughout the woods. We also saw an interesting native tick-trefoil, round-leaved trailing tick trefoil (Desmodium rotundifolium).

By Alan Abbott, KNPS Field Trip Coordinator

The Kentucky Native Plant Society led a hike at Bullitt County’s Pine Creek Barrens Nature Preserve on June 8th. The preserve has a mixture of oak-dominated woodlands, shallow limestone glades, and grasslands and is one of the best examples of Kentucky’s limestone/dolomite barrens open to the public.

Member Alan Abbott led a group of around a dozen KNPS members for a three hour stroll along the trails. Plants identified by the group included: two species of Coneflowers (Echinacea simulata and pallida), Vase Vine (Clematis viorna), Climbing Milkvine (Matelea obliqua), Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), Scaly Blazing Star (Zanthoxylum americanum), and Glade Heliotrope (Heliotropium tenellum).

The group also discussed the natural history of the region, tools like iNaturalist and Floraquest, and grassland land management techniques.

By Jeff Nelson, KNPS President

On Saturday, June 15, a group of KNPS members and friends enjoyed a field trip to the Ballard WMA in Ballard county in far western Kentucky. Ballard Wildlife Management Area is 8,000 acres located in the Ohio River bottomlands ecoregion in far western Kentucky. The WMA is mostly wetland with 39% of the acreage in wetland, 28% forest, 27% open land, and 6% open water. Much of the wetland is comprised of rare, cypress-tupelo swamps and sloughs which many Kentuckians have not had the opportunity to experience. The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves lists cypress-tupelo swamp as a state endangered ecosystem.

Date of trip: June 8, 2024
Start time: 10AM EDT
Location: Pine Creek Barrens Nature Preserve, Bullitt County, KY
Difficulty of hike: Moderate, approximately 2 miles and 2 hours.

Join KNPS member, Alan Abbott, at Pine Creek Barren for a hike. Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) will likely be near full bloom in this beautiful grassland. We’ll probably see other prairie plants like orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Senega snakeroot (Polygala senega).

We’ll start at 10 a.m. and hike about two miles. Prepare for some walking off trail by wearing appropriate footwear. You’ll want to practice tick prevention and bring water to prepare for heat and humidity.   

This grassland near Shepherdsville is about 20-30 minutes from Louisville.  Meet in the parking lot by 10 a.m. We’ll be done around noon.

Registration is Required

Please fill out the form below to register for this field trip. This trip will be limited to 15 participants.