Wanderings And Ponderings

This January, I had the chance to visit Kincaid Lake State Park, and it turned out to be a quiet, unexpected gem in the coldest of seasons. The lake was mostly frozen over, and the snow-covered hills gave the whole park a stillness that felt almost sacred. Few people probably get to see the park like this—blanketed in snow, hushed, and glistening. One of the coolest moments? I skipped a piece of ice across the frozen lake—something I’d never done before. The sound it made as it glided across the surface was like a low echo bouncing across a natural amphitheater. A small, unexpected memory I won’t forget. The wildlife was active too. I spotted turkeys moving through the woods and a few deer foraging in the open snow-covered fields, searching for anything edible beneath the crust. It was a simple reminder that life keeps going, even when everything feels frozen in place. Quiet Beauty and Warm Hospitality Beyond the views and the wildlife, one thing stood out during my visit: the ...

I took some time during this cold snap to visit Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park, and I have to say—winter might be my new favorite season for park visits. There’s a peacefulness that settles in with the frost, and the views take on an entirely different character. You notice things you might overlook in the green of summer: subtle contours in the land, low winter light casting long shadows, and wildlife moving through the stillness. I especially enjoyed watching a few deer foraging calmly in the open patches, unfazed by the quiet chill in the air. If you're in Lexington, KY or Cincinnati, OH, this park is an easy day trip, offering a scenic and reflective escape into both nature and history. History Beneath Your Feet Blue Licks is more than just a beautiful natural space—it’s the site of one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War, fought on August 19, 1782. In a tragic and pivotal moment, a group of Kentucky militiamen—led by figures like Daniel Boone...

Located in Boone County, Kentucky, Big Bone Lick State Park is one of the most fascinating—and underrated—historic and scientific sites in North America. While the name might raise a few eyebrows, the story behind it is anything but a joke. This park is widely recognized as the birthplace of American vertebrate paleontology and offers a unique look into the prehistoric past of the continent. A Quick Big Bone Lick History Lesson Long before highways and hiking trails, this land was a salt and mineral lick—a marshy area where animals came to ingest essential nutrients. During the Pleistocene era (about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago), this spot became a gathering ground for mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, and other now-extinct megafauna. Many became trapped in the soft, boggy terrain, leaving behind a treasure trove of fossilized bones that would one day revolutionize science. Indigenous peoples, including the Shawnee, Cherokee, and others, knew of the lick’s significance fo...