TRIP IS FULL Date of trip: 06/22/2019 Start time: 10:00 am to 01:00 pm Eastern Time Location: Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd, Harrodsburg, KY 40330 Difficulty of hike: Moderate
Length of hike: 2-3 miles
Join Laura Baird, assistant preserve manager and naturalist, on a hike to view the prairie restoration, as well as the adjacent forests at Shakertown. You will learn many prairie flowers, trees and shrubs, woodland flowers, and even some pollinators!
Directions: We’ll meet at the West Trailhead, by the Stables. Enter on Shakertown Road off of US 68. Turn left at the entrance onto West Lot Road and drive past the pond. The road goes to a stop sign at the bottom of the hill by the creek. Turn right at the stop sign and continue over the creek, past the West Lot Dwelling. The road ends at the Stables. You’ll see a large map at the West Trailhead. You can park near it in the grass behind the Stables.
Registration: This field trip was limited to 10 people and is now full, sorry for any inconvenience.
Field Trip Is Full Date of trip: 06/07/2019 Start time: 10:00 am to 02:00 pm Eastern Time Location: Keno and Curt Pond Ridge Conservation Site, Pulaski Co. Difficulty of hike: Moderate – Mostly hiking along a roadside. Length of hike: 2 miles
Join Jim Scheff (Director of Heartwood), Tara Littlefield (botanist at the office of Kentucky Nature Preserves) and David Taylor (forest botanist at the Daniel Boone National Forest) as we explore the Keno and Curt Pond Ridge Conservation Site, a botanical hotspot of prairie and pine oak barrens, seeps and upland ponds just south of Somerset. Wood Lily should be in full bloom along with several other interesting plants. Plus, you will learn about ongoing efforts to protect rare species and communities at this site and how you can help by assisting with monitoring, management and restoration projects. Hike will be approximately 2 miles, moderate, mostly roadside. 10 person limit.
Directions: We will meet in the parking lot of the Davis grocery/Marathon Gas Station off 127 just south of Burnside and then caravan/carpool to the site. See HERE for a link to Google maps.
Registration: This field trip was limited to 10 people. It is now full, sorry.
Date of trip: 05/11/2019 Start time: 09:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time Location: Approximately 4 miles southwest of Cynthiana, Harrison County Difficulty of hike: Moderate Length of hike: 2 miles
Join Dr. Julian Campbell at Griffith Woods and hear all about this iconic bluegrass woodland with old growth oaks and hickories, cane thickets and remnant mesic herbaceous flowers, such as bear grass and running buffalo clover. Julian has been studying bluegrass woodland vegetation for over 40 years and is the authority on past and present plants and communities in the region. Go to http://bluegrasswoodland.com/Griffith_Woods.html for information on Griffith Woods compiled by Julian. Plus, you will learn how you can help in ongoing efforts to protect rare species and communities at Griffith Wood WMA through assisting with monitoring, management and restoration projects. If you would like stay late from 1pm-4 pm, you can help to work on invasive species removal.
Date of trip: 04/05/2019 Start time: 10:00 am to 01:00 pm Eastern Time Location: Located in Pulaski County on Ocala Road, across from the Hazeldell Church Difficulty of hike: Easy Length of hike: 1.5 miles The hike is easy, but some of the hike will be off-trail.
Join Dr. Krupa at Hazeldell Meadow Nature Preserve and hear all about his latest studies of Kentucky’s rarest carnivorous plant, the dwarf sundew, (Drosera brevifolia). He has been studying this plant and its fascinating habitat for over 13 years! We will also learn about other associated species, such as spiders and other interesting plants. Tara Littlefield (botanist at the office of Kentucky Nature Preserves) will also be there to answer any rarity, natural community or floristic questions, as well as John Burnett (Pulaski County Conservation District Land Manager). Plus, you will learn how you can help in ongoing efforts to protect rare species and communities at Hazeldell through assisting with monitoring, management and restoration projects at Hazeldell Meadow Nature Preserve.
Date of Trip: 05/05/2018 Start Time: 10:00 am Eastern Time Location: Clark Co., KY Register: REGISTRATION CLOSED
Shooting Star Dodecatheon meadia
Preserve manager Clare Sipple will lead us through this outstanding riparian site, situated along bothsides of Lower Howard’s Creek where it flows into the Kentucky River. It is home to some unusual, protected plant populations and irreplaceable historical and archaeological features. Many species of wildflowers could be sighted on this field trip, but it is timed to catch the rare water stitchwort (Stellaria fontinalis) in bloom. Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate! The terrain is steep and rocky, requiring sturdy footwear. Bring water and snacks. Restrooms are at the trailhead. Please note that Google directions may be erroneous.
Directions from Interstate 64: Take Exit 94, then KY 1958 to Boonesboro Road/KY 627; follow 627 south to Ford Road/KY 1924; turn left onto Ford Road, then the first right onto Athens-Boonesboro Road/KY 418. Follow 418 to Hall’s Restaurant. Continue 0.7 mile up the hill where you will see a stone wall between two metal gates with a sign that says Lower Howard’s Creek. Enter there and proceed up the driveway to a concrete building and a parking lot where we’ll meet.
Directions from Interstate 75: Take Exit 95, then east on KY 627 (Boonesborough Rd) to the Kentucky River and immediately turn right onto Ford Road/KY1924. Then take the first right onto Athens-Boonesboro Road/KY 418; follow 418 to Hall’s Restaurant. Continue 0.7 mile up the hill where you will see a stone wall between two metal gates with a sign that says Lower Howard’s Creek. Enter through the gates and proceed up the driveway to a concrete building and a parking lot where we’ll meet.
Directions from Lexington: Take Richmond Rd. to Jacobson Park and then after crossing over Interstate 75 continue straight on to the small community of Athens. There is a stop sign in Athens. There are no turns from Lexington until the second stop sign 7 miles past Athens. At the second stop sign, turn right then in exactly 0.2 mile you will see a stone wall on your left. The entrance to Lower Howard’s Creek is the gate between the two stone walls. Proceed up the driveway to a concrete building and a parking lot where we’ll meet. If you get to Hall’s Restaurant on the river, you have gone too far. Turn around and proceed 0.7 mile back up the hill and the entrance is then on the right.
Date of Trip: 04/22/2018 Start Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Location: Powell Co., KY Register: REGISTRATION CLOSED
Showy Orchis
Several botanical hotspots for spring ephemerals will be explored as we are led by Dave Kuehner, a well-known regional naturalist. Short portions of Martin’s Fork, Rock Garden, and Pinch ‘Em Tight trails should provide many floral highlights, including showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis), large whorled pogonia (Isotria verticillata), spotted mandarin (Prosartes maculata), and pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule). Two of the trails are flat and the other has a couple of short uphill sections.
Be sure to pack water and a lunch. Restrooms are at each trailhead.
Directions: Take Interstate 64 to Exit 98 for the Bert Combs Mountain Parkway. Drive 32 miles on the Mountain Parkway to Exit 33 (Slade.) Turn right off the exit ramp onto Route 11 and go .1 mile to turn right into the Rest Area. We will meet in the Rest Area parking lot near the train caboose.
Date of Trip: 04/21/2018 Start Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Location: Pulaski Co., KY Register: REGISTRATION CLOSED
Beech Fork Conservation Area
Join us as we are guided through this special preserve by Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission ecologist Martina Hines. Protected here is the Beech Fork Ravine which flows into the Rockcastle River. Rich spring wildflowers and a mature hemlock mixed forest will be explored and unique species will be highlighted.
Driving directions and meeting information will be provided upon registration.
