Big Bone Lick State Historic Site (2.0 miles; d=2.30)
Read MoreBig Bone Lick State Historic Site Hike Route Map
Our hike at Big Bone Lick State Historic Site as depicted a la Google Earth...
Big Bone Lick State Historic Site Hike Route Map
Our (approximate) route...
Big Bone Lick State Park Entrance
After a pleasant and short drive through the rolling Kentucky countryside we arrived at the park...
Big Bone Lick State Park Visitor Center
A rather unassuming visitor center...
Visitor Center - Mastodon Skull
You are greeted, upon entering the visitor center, by this giant mastodon skull which was found nearby in the 1950's. Roaming the area as recently as 10,000 years ago these massive creatures could reach 8-10 feet in height and weigh in at 4-6 tons...
Visitor Center - Mastodon Tibia
The strength of these creatures is apparent in this massive tibia (leg bone) which had to support the mastodon's 4-6 ton weight...
Visitor Center - Mastodon Vertebra
One of the massive bones from the spine of a mastodon...
Visitor Center - Mastodon Tooth
Mastodon bones have been recovered in the Big Bone Lick area since 1729. In fact, some of the first natural history specimens sent back to Europe by the first explorers of the area were giant teeth like these...
Visitor Center - Lowland Meadow
This tiny patch of tall grasses represents the pre-settlement landscape of the river lowlands. These lowlands were very prairie-type with few, if any, trees. After settlement these grassy lowlands were cleared and/or burned so they are virtually non-existent today...
Prehistoric Bog Exhibit - Mastodon
Though most people use the names Mastodon and Mammoth interchangeably, they were actually two distinct species. This is a Mastodon which had a flatter head and shorter tusks than its relative...
Prehistoric Bog Exhibit - Giant Ground Sloth
Yet another of the prehistoric creatures whose remains have been found here was the Giant Ground Sloth. More modern creatures' bones have also been found here including moose, caribou, elk, deer, and bison...
With a mastodon in the rear, a mammoth (note the longer tusks and domed head) half submerged in the middle, and a hopelessly mired buffalo in the foreground, the bog exhibit displays how creatures would become trapped in these wet lowlands. Their bones would then be preserved in the salt containing sediments...
One of the more famous people who passed through here was the unfortunate Mary Draper Ingles. Captured by the Shawnee in 1755 she was brought to the Big Bone Creek area to collect salt for the natives and observed a number of the bones scattered about. Fortunately, on the return walk to Ohio, Ingles and a companion managed to escape...
Dave Kathy Weemhoff
on May 26, 2015Very Unique-- looks like an awesome place to check out! Lots of work put into it, for sure!