STATE PARK WONDERS One Word: Wow! See the “Niagara of the South” crashing over a sandstone outcropping and into a jumble of boulders below at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin. A pot of gold is overrated; what’s waiting at Cumberland Falls is not: a moonbow — a rainbow created by mist and a full moon in a rare and awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. X Marks the Spot A whole world yawns beneath your feet at Carter Caves State Resort Park in Olive Hill. Headache Rock, Giant Turkey and the Great Chandelier await at the bottom of X-Cave’s stone staircase. Enter the Dragon’s Lair at scenic Cascade Cave and see a 30-foot underground waterfall. Swamp Things A fitting tribute to the naturalist/ornithologist for which Henderson’s John James Audubon State Park is named: The 649-acre Audubon Wetlands is where a bald cypress tree slough, shrub wetland and floodplain forest converge to form a unique ecosystem. A quarter-mile boardwalk overlooks a habitat lively with woodland birds, beavers, bald eagles, otters, fish, waterfowl and other creatures. They’re Back … A crowd-pleaser has returned to Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg. Guided Elk Viewing Tours, which take place offsite at nearby viewing locations and include discussion of the history of the elk restoration in Kentucky, happen September through March. Eastern Kentucky reclaimed surface mines provide wildlife habitats for the nearly 11,000 elk. Bison on the Horizon See the bison herd that links Big Bone Lick State Historic Site to its Ice Age past and roams about not far from a diorama capturing a scene at the salt springs where a mammoth, ground sloth and other mega mammals are trapped. This National Natural Landmark in Union is considered the Birthplace of American Vertebrate Paleontology. Land of the Giants Once upon a time, there was a family of 14-foot giants who brought their magic to Dunmor’s Lake Malone State Park . Meet the Twiggs: Bobber, Oakley, Happy and new additions Annette, Paige and Watson. These lovable larger-than-life characters relish the camping life — fishing, hiking, roasting marshmallows and catching fireflies and butterflies — in their beautiful lakeside setting. 24 #TravelKY
The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide The Official Kentucky Visitor's Guide 2024: Page 24
