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| State Park Overview: |
 | During the Pleistocene Epoch, over 15-thousand years ago, a huge ice sheet covered the ground all the way from Canada down to the Ohio River. On the edges of this ice sheet, great herds of giant mastodons, wooly mammoths and ground sloths were attracted to the warm salt springs that still bubble from the earth at Big Bone Lick State Park.
The salty marsh that attracted these prehistoric visitors sometimes proved to be a fatal attraction. Animals became trapped and perished in what the early pioneers called "jelly ground," leaving skeletons and interesting clues about life in prehistoric Kentucky.
The fossilized remains of these prehistoric animals were discovered in 1739 and displayed extensively at museums throughout the world. Notable Americans such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin personally examined the fossils, many of which are on display today at Big Bone Lick Museum. The scientific community recognizes the site as the "Birthplace of American Vertebrate Paleontology." |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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all around great
it has the best fishing around, and its no wait just go right to the water. the people are very friendly and its a great place for food.
(name not given)
21-Apr-2008
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(name not given)
27-Apr-2008
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very clean , family friendly. Our favorite park to go to. The Pratts are terrific host!!!!
Written by john newman
20-May-2008
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Our First Real Camping Trip
This was a very clean and well kept camp ground. The host (The Pratts) were very helpful and nice. There is a lot to do for kids of all ages and the fishing was great also.
Written by Firt time tent campers
6-Jul-2008
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| Camping: |
| Spacious campground features 62 campsites with utility hookups, grills, a swimming pool and playground. Showers, rest rooms, and laundry facilities are available at a central service building. Campground grocery on-site.
Camping rates are $20 per night for 2 adults. Each additional person over 16 years of age $3 per night. Pets are allowed if restrained. Campground open Year-Round. Campground grocery open April 1-October 31. |
| Picnicking: |
| Nearly 40 acres of picnic grounds with tables, grills and a playground are ideal for family outings. The two picnic shelters have tables, grills, water and electric, and may be reserved for rental up to one year in advance. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | The Wallace House Bed & Breakfast - Comfortably elegant lodging for business accomodations and romantic getaways. Minutes from Cincinnati & Newport Aquarium, The Wallace House Bed and Breakfast is located in historic Covington Kentucky. | | Christopher's Bed & Breakfast - Award winning for Best Design/D?r. Renovated late 1800s church near Newport Aquarium/downtown Cincinnati/riverfront restaurants. Spacious rooms; private bath, Jacuzzi, shower, stained-glass windows. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| KET - Kentucky Life on KET visits Newport Aquarium, Big Bone Lick State Park, Cumberland R - Kentucky Life on KET visits Newport Aquarium, Big Bone Lick State Park, Cumberland River. For Release: Jan. 12, 2001. Kentucky Life visits three spots guaranteed to delight the armchair tourist... | | http://parks.ky.gov/stateparks/bb/index.htm - Information Page in Big Bone Lick State Park Frameset |
| Area Attractions: |
| Gift ShopA gift shop adjoins the museum and features Kentucky handcrafts and souvenirs of all types. The gift shop will be closed February and March.
Learn the history of Big Bone Lick in our brand new museum with displays of fossilized bones and artifacts from the last 18,000 years. Open year round.
Outdoor Museum - Discovery TrailThe new Discovery Trail addition to the Outdoor Museum at Big Bone Lick gives visitors a glimpse of the drama that unfolded at the springs in pre-history.
Recreated grasslands, wetlands and wooded savannas lie along the trail leading to a "bog" diorama. Shown going into or struggling inside the marsh bog are a woolly mammoth, a mastodon, a giant sloth, bison, various skeletal remains, and scavengers feeding on the carcasses. Visitors approach the diorama on a boardwalk that rises above the floor of the marsh, enabling them to "look history in the eye." An amphiteater upslope from the diorama can be used as an outdoor classroom. The diorama and the Discovery Trail are sited to provide the physically challenged visitors with the opportunity to experience the varied grassland, wetland and savanna environments and the bog diorama.
The outdoor museum continues for a mile past the entrance to the Discovery trail. The paved Big Bone Creek Trail wanders through the original swampland, now growing wild with brush and flowers, and the last remaining salt-sulphur spring. The final portion of the loop, the Bison Trace, brings a live buffalo herd into view. Year-round.
Buffalo Herd: The American buffalo, or bison, is the largest of all North American land mammals. Great buffalo herds once roamed this area and provided food, clothing and shelter for the Indians and pioneers. Hunted to near extinction, the last wild buffalo was seen in Kentucky around 1800. The park?s herd is an effort to reestablish these animals at Big Bone Lick. |
| Area Campgrounds | | Cincinnati South Koa
3315 Dixie Hwy
Crittenden, KY
(859) 428-2000
| I-75 Camper Village
940 Curry Ln
Dry Ridge, KY
(859) 824-5836
| Lakewood Mobile Homes
10088 Dixie Hwy
Florence, KY
(859) 525-0525
| River Ridge Park
8637 Lower River Rd
Burlington, KY
(859) 586-7282
| Woodland RV-Mobile Home Park
7631 Daly Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 931-8845
| Hidden Valley Storage
9797 Reading Rd # Aa
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 733-5330
| Lake Terrace Park
8223 Stahley Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 741-7676
| Hamilton County Park District
10245 Winton Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 521-7275
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| | Area Fishing Related Businesses | | Adrien Fly Fishing Outfitters
7829 Cooper Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 794-1100
| Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
300 Cincinnati Mills Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 826-5200
| Cincinnati Wholesale Bait Co
3901 Spring Grove Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 542-1300
| Latonia Bait & Tackle
3408 Rogers St
Covington, KY
(859) 581-2002
| Fehrmann's Live Bait & Tackle Shop
3901 Spring Grove Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 542-1300
| Fly & Shot Outfitters Inc
3516 Dixie Hwy
Erlanger, KY
(859) 342-7700
| Folz Fishg Lake
7312 Bridgetown Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 941-4765
| Queen City Tackle
2971 Saddleback Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 232-5355
| Weezel Bait Co
2971 Saddleback Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 232-5355
| Casterline's Lake & Grill
3996 Pruett Rd
Covington, KY
(859) 356-3717
| Fins
1500 Interstate Dr
Erlanger, KY
(859) 282-0583
| Lake Gloria Golf Fishing
10511 Pippin Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 825-9900
| Lake Chetac Fishing Lake
8616 Lake Chetac Dr
Cincinnati, OH
Unverified listing
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| | Area Resorts and Lodging | | Red River Gorgeous
4303 Kirby Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 245-0025
| St John's Lodge
817 Windham Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 559-9052
| Mountain View Chalets
7044 Royalgreen Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 231-7100
| Quality Inn Evendale
1717 Glendale Milford Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 771-5252
| Kingsgate Marriott Conf Hotel
151 Goodman St
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 487-3800
| Cinti Ski Club Voice Message
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 768-3245
| Hyatt Hotels & Resorts: Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
151 West 5th Street
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 579-1234
| Marriott Hotels Resorts Suites
6189 Mulhauser Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 874-7335
| Cincinnati Airport Marriott
2395 Progress Dr
Hebron, KY
(859) 586-0166
| Marriott Hotels & Resorts: Cincinnati Marriott at River Center
10 W Rivercenter Blvd
Covington, KY
(859) 261-2900
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| Directions: |
| The park is located 22 miles southwest of Covington on KY 338, off US 42 - 127 and I-71 / I-75. Here is an area map. |
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