By Hannah Schultz, Features Editor
The fossil of a mastodon skull, a small herd of bison and almost five miles of hiking through salt-sulfur springs and woodlands — all of these things can be found right in your backyard (or at least an hour and a half drive away). While many are content with limiting themselves to the popular destination of Natural Bridge State Park or Red River Gorge for their excursions into the natural world while at Asbury, you may want to consider some other locations for your next hiking trip. There are 48 other state parks in Kentucky — a wealth of untapped natural beauty — that each highlight different aspects about the state’s unique natural features and varied history.
However, for those who won’t be enthralled by the mastodon skull or Native American artifacts, the park also boasts almost five miles of hiking trails. With all the beauty of the Gorge and a fraction of the tourists, the trails are ideally situated around a lake, and the view is completely worth the uphill trek. For groups with a mixture of history buffs and nature enthusiasts, the Discovery trail may be the perfect balance of facts and fauna. It begins beside a recreation of a bog, with vultures feeding on various trapped Ice Age Megafauna. It then winds through the grasslands, where the park maintains a small herd of bison onsite—a species hunted to extinction by the Native Americans and reestablished through conservation efforts. It also features hiking through gorgeous woodlands along a stream, punctuated by informational plaques detailing the history of the region.
Whichever state park you choose to start your adventure, Kentucky’s unique culture, history and natural beauty is guaranteed to make you thankful to live in the Bluegrass State.