WINTER ON THE CREEK 2018
We’ve been enjoying the scenery at BCO these past weeks. The icicles have amazed along with the fresh snow fallen creek banks. Although this is a time of hibernation for some favored forest critters, the Boone Creek staff have been cooking up some new activities for this upcoming Spring! We will have our grand opening this April to showcase our new adventures including rappel tours, day camps, guided hikes, and more. Stay tuned for announcements and be on the look out for event dates. See you in the trees!
THE TRAIL
We have been hard at work this winter establishing a permanent hiking loop for guests to enjoy on our property. This roughly 2 mile loop will be open this Spring for guided saunters. Come experience a stroll next to Boone Creek or be on the lookout for one of our scheduled geology, wildflower, or history hikes. The trail will take you under part of the canopy tour, past prickly pear cactus and fossils exposed on limestone from an old quarry, down a pioneer wagon trail to a historic mill, and meander next to picturesque Boone Creek. Our guides are excited to share this new addition to Boone Creek Outdoors with our adventure seeking guests!
VOLUNTEERING AT BCO
Volunteers were lucky to have a warm Sunday in Mid-January to help with clearing vegetation around one of our historic sites. “The Hearth,” as we call it, is the remains of a late 1700’s cabin that once stood steps away from the Cleveland-Rogers Mill. Volunteers cut tons of bush honeysuckle, briars and dead trees away from the hearth and remaining foundation to make the site more accessible and visible for our guests. It is always fun to stop and look out towards Boone Creek and the mill from this homesite imagining what life was like 300+ years ago on our property.
DID YOU KNOW?
We’ve got fossils! Tons of ’em! Darion is a Canopy Tour guide at BCO in her last year at UK for a Bachelor of Science in Geology. She took us out on a guided hike this past week to hunt for these ancient critters and it was a huge success! We found several trace fossils on the limestone shelves scatted throughout the prairie. Trace fossils are burrows of 450 Million year old snails, worms, and cephalopod (tiny octopus). See the photos below for the best finds of the day!
MEET PHOENIX
Pheonix, the corn snake, was donated to BCO this past month. The corn snake is a species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constriction. The corn snake is native to KY and is often killed as they are mistaken for copperheads. In contrast, they are not venomous, docile in nature, and help control wild pests that damage crops and spread disease. They can be distinguished from copperheads from their vibrant color, slender build, and lack of heat-sensing pits (nostrils).
UPCOMING EVENTS
*Feb 11th – Volunteer Day – weather permitting
*March 11th – Volunteer Day – weather permitting
March 31st to April 1st – Kid’s Weekend Camp
April 2nd through 6th – Kid’s Outdoor Adventure Camp
*8 hours of volunteer service grants a FREE canopy tour & guided hike!