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Wildlife Celebration at Woodlands Nature Station: May 27-29, 2017

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Great Horned Owl Nature Station LBL

Gorgeous Great Horned Owl

Woodlands Nature Station is one of our favorite places to visit in the Land Between the Lakes. The animals and birds are simply breathtaking and we, literally, see (and photograph) something new each time we visit… which is, trust me, OFTEN.

The Nature Station will have their annual Wildlife Celebration, Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday through Monday, May 27-29, 2017. Nature Station admission is $5 age 13 and up, $3 age 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under.

Guests can learn all about nature’s superheroes, visit with Smokey Bear and find ways they can assist wildlife in the Nature Station’s backyard at Land Between the Lakes. Special event programs are included with standard admission unless otherwise noted.

“Join us to help celebrate the diversity and complexity of native wildlife through a fun superhero theme. Bring the whole family and see wolves, turkeys and bats in a whole new way,” says Monica West, Land Between the Lakes naturalist. “We’re also offering two canoe trips that weekend for people to view wildlife from the water. We usually see a lot of native birds, mammals and reptiles along the shoreline and on the water during these outings.”

{Continued Below….}

White-Breasted Nuthatch LBL Nature Station

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Nestled in the woods between Honker and Hematite lakes, the Nature Station serves as a gateway to the 6,800-acre Nature Watch Area. The friendly and very knowledgeable staff also serve as “go to” specialists for wildlife viewing throughout Land Between the Lakes.

One of the coolest things about the Nature Station is that, in addition to their many wonderful resident birds, animals, turtles, and snakes, you’ll see birds and animals who also choose to call this paradise home.  A cage doesn’t keep them sticking around… appreciation for being treated like royalty does!  We are a couple of the biggest bird lovers you’ll ever meet. We don’t just have one “feeding station” in our yard… we have multiple feeding stations, suet feeders, houses, and too many feeders to count. So, we are very familiar with seeing a variety of birds. Yet, we STILL see birds at the Nature Station we don’t see regularly in our own yard.

You’ll also frequently see squirrels who call this beautiful place home. If you’re lucky, you might even see a skunk or two (pictured below)! We’ve had that great honor a couple of times. Other visitors to the center looked at me like I was “half crazy” when I stepped closer and got down on their level to take a picture. My husband just smiled as if to say, “If you think she’s half-crazy, you’re underestimating her.”

Gotta admit he’s right. When it comes to animals, I’m off my chain.  That’s why The Nature Station is one of my favorite places on earth. They’re my kind of people.

{Continued Below the Cute Little Stinker….}

Beautiful Skunk at the Nature Station

Adorable Skunk at the Nature Station Last Autumn

Something that I love about the staff (aside from the friendliness and eagerness to “brag” on the beauties they care for) is that, it seems, each member has an “area of expertise.”  One may know everything there is to possibly know about wolves while another could tell you things you’d never even imagined about owls. One may be a walking turtle encyclopedia while another knows more about turkeys than the turkeys know themselves.

They even have a resident snake expert who seems to love snakes as much as I love my cats. Go figure!

Wildlife Celebration Events:

Saturday, May 27, 2017

  • 10am-4pm – Be a Hero for Turtles
  • 10am-4pm – Be a Hero for Hurt and Orphaned Animals
  • 11:30am – Owls: X-Men of the Sky
  • 1pm – Transformer Turkeys
  • 2:30pm – Bats: Power Behind the Caped Crusader
  • 3:30pm – Red Wolves: Wookiees of the Land Between the Lakes
  • 6-8:30pm–Sunset Canoe Trip ($25; Reservations required; call 270-924-2020)

Sunday, May 28, 2017

  • 10am-4pm – Be a Monarch Butterfly Buddy
  • 11:30am – Just-hiss League of America
  • 1:30pm – Fantastic Four of Lake and Shore
  • 2:30pm – Captain America: The Bald Eagle
  • 3:30pm – Nature Station Daredevil
  • 6-8:30pm–Family Sunset Canoe Trip ($25; Reservations required;
    call 270-924-2020)

Monday, May 29, 2017

  • 10am-4pm – Throughout the day–visits with Smokey Bear
  • 10am-4pm – Be a Scientist Hero for Nature
  • 11:30am – Who’s the Real Flash?
  • 1:30pm – Be A Superhero for Baby Birds
  • 3:30pm – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Call 270-924-2020 to pre-register for guided canoe trips Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm. Daily canoe and kayak rentals start Saturday, May 27, 10am-4pm, weather permitting. For more details, call 270-924-2299.

Turtle, Woodlands Nature Station

 

Early March Events at Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes

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 Red-Tailed Hawk, Nature Station
It’s finally that time of year…. The Nature Station will soon be opening its doors for company!
Without a doubt, one of my favorite places to visit in Kentucky is the Nature Station in the beautiful Land Between the Lakes.  Must have something to do with being a HUGE animal and bird lover.
The entire Land Between the Lakes region is, simply put, a perfectly wonderful place to escape the realities of life. A place you can relax and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors, while learning a thing or two or fifty. The Nature Station allows you to do all of these while in the company of birds, wolves, deer, turkeys, reptiles, and a host of other furry, scaly, or feathered lovelies who are lucky enough to call The Nature Station HOME.
Below are some upcoming events I know you and your entire family will love.  Any program ever put on by The Nature Station is outstanding – for people of all ages. Just be sure to bring your camera – you’ll want to capture the moments.
Trust Me!
Alligator Snapping Turtle Nature Station, Land Between the Lakes
Thurs, March 2

 

Fri, March 3

 

Sat, March 4

 

Sun, March 5
11:30am-12pm | Snake Feeding Sundays

 

Wed, March 8
Turkeys at the Nature Station

The Elk and Bison Prairie: Winter Is a Wonderful Time to Visit

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Elk in the Elk and Bison Prairie January 2017
As I said in a previous post, there is no bad time to visit the Elk and Bison Prairie in the Land Between the Lakes. While you automatically think of Spring and Summer as wonderful times to visit (and they are!), winter and autumn are also perfect opportunities to see wildlife, as these pictures prove.

Bison in the Elk and Bison Prairie 2017
You are often able to get SO close to the elk and bison – affording you beautiful pictures and, more importantly, memories that’ll last a lifetime.

Just be sure you put your camera or iPhone down every now and then and simply enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of this one-of-a-kind place.

The past few (read: 6-8) times we’ve been to the Elk & Bison Prairie, the credit card machine at the gate has been broken – so be sure to have $5 with you in cash.  It’s just $5 per car and you can drive around the prairie as often as you like.

Elk in the Elk and Bison Prairie January 2017
Click through the gallery below for more Elk & Bison Prairie Pictures. Of course, to TRULY appreciate this amazing prairie and its gorgeous residents, plan a visit to the Land Between the Lakes and Elk & Bison Prairie as soon as possible.

These animals are just amazing. The Elk on this visit just seemed to pose for me. See the big guy in the last picture in the gallery below? He had been giving me all kinds of great pictures looking forward, then all of a sudden he struck a “profile” pose and I snapped away.

A photographer loves it when their models work it!

Woodlands Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes: An Animal Lover’s Paradise

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Red Wolf at Woodlands Nature Station
Beautiful Red Wolf (Those Eyes!)
As I said in my last post, Turkeys Strutting Their Stuff at Woodlands Nature Station, no two visits to the Nature Station in the Land Between the Lakes are the same. You’ll see different animals and birds doing different things each time.

While our recent visit found feisty turkeys taking center stage, a host of other beautiful animals also made our day extra, extra special.

The best way to enjoy these animals is, of course, in person, but pictures are the next best thing. I hope these pictures – as well as the other pictures of Woodlands Nature Station on Genuine Kentucky – will inspire you to visit them soon and visit them often.

There are a lot more birds and animals (a bobcat that’s one of my favorite things in the world, owls, an adorable possum, etc…) than the ones shown below, these are simply the ones who were wide awake during the time we were there. There are also snakes indoors but, we have a treaty – I avoid them, they avoid me. If you aren’t saddled with a phobia the size of Texas, you’d probably enjoy them.

Red Wolf

I love animals the way other people love oxygen.  They are everything. One of my favorite things is to see how wild animals and our pets sometimes behave similarly. I love to see “big” cats exhibiting some of the same mannerisms my own cats do. I think it’s just too cute for words.

On our recent visit, a coyote and a red wolf both did a few things that reminded me of domesticated dogs. The coyote stood up at his (her?) fence, anticipating lunch. The wolf walked around her (his?) beautiful domain, then laid on the ground for a nap JUST like a German Shepherd we had used to do – right on her belly with her legs kicked out behind her.

Too cute!

Ground Hog

The ground hog apparently keeps a different schedule than we do because most of the time he’s napping while we’re at the Nature Station. This particular afternoon, however, he was wide awake. I’d almost forgotten how adorable he is!

I would have taken more pictures of this little cutie, but I was promptly distracted by turkeys who all but demanded our attention.

Eagle

The word Majestic doesn’t seem to cut it, does it? Like the other animals and birds at The Nature Station, this gorgeous eagle could not survive on his own. This is a wonderful chance to see one of the most beautiful animals in the world up close.

Deer and Turkeys

The deer and turkeys have an amazingly beautiful home at the Nature Station. The entire setting is so uncommonly peaceful and relaxing, I could just sit and watch them all day.

Coyote

Like the Red Wolf, the coyote reminds me so much of a pet… not that I’d EVER make the mistake of treating her/him as such.  I’m an animal lover, but I’m not a dumb one. The way it watched for lunch was too cute for words.

Turtles

There are turtles outside at the Nature Station in a wonderful enclosure – complete with their own pond. There are  some smaller guys inside – near the you-know-whats that I don’t even glance at.  Turtle lovers, like my youngest daughter, will get a huge kick out of these beauties.

Coyote at Woodlands Nature Station

Summer Events in Kentucky Trail Towns

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Carter Caves State Resort Park

Gem Mining at Carter Caves State Resort Park!

Although beautiful Autumn isn’t all that far off, there’s still quite a bit of summer left. Kentucky’s Trail Towns want to celebrate this fact and they’re doing so with a great variety of outdoor events for you and your family.

Kentucky’s certified Trail Towns are some of the friendliest and charming communities you could ever hope to visit.  What’s more, they’re filled with great adventure and endless things to see and do:

  • hike
  • bike
  • paddle
  • ride horses
  • fish
  • camp
  • walk
  • take photographs
  • and more!

You’ll also enjoy my favorite activities – learning all about that particular Trail Town’s unique history and culture. These events include live music, theatrical performances, farmers markets, Kentucky Proud restaurants and food.

Upcoming Events at the Six Trail Towns:

Dawson Springs
Dawson Springs in western Kentucky provides access to the Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park and Tradewater River.

July 24 – Annual Barbecue and Homecoming Festival
July 25 – Barbecue 5K Run/Walk
Aug. 15 – Forget Me Not 5K Run/Walk for Alzheimer’s

For more information, visit: www.dawsonspringsky.com

Livingston
Livingston, an hour south of Lexington, serves the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail and the Rockcastle River.

Sept. 5-6 – Homecoming Festival
For more information, click here.

London
London, located along Interstate 75, serves the Daniel Boone National Forest and Sheltowee Trace and offers several quality cycling routes.

Aug. 14-16 – Laurel County Homecoming
Sept. 24-27 – World Chicken Festival
Oct. 10 – Kentucky Adventure Games Thriller Ride Bicycle Tour

For more information, visit: www.laurelkytourism.com

Morehead
The city of Morehead, in Rowan County, provides access to the northern region of the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Sheltowee Trace, as well as Cave Run Lake.

July 26 – 4th Sunday Bike Ride
Aug. 9 – 2nd Sunday Hike
Aug. 23 – 4th Sunday Bike Ride

For more information, visit: www.moreheadtourism.com

Stearns
Stearns is near the Kentucky-Tennessee border just south of Somerset and provides access to both the southern section of the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

July 26 – Join a Ranger Hike at Yahoo Falls, Big South Fork
Aug. 1 – Moonshine Limited dinner and scenic train ride at Big South Fork Scenic Railway
Aug. 15 – Banjo Boogie at Big South Fork Scenic Railway

For more information, visit: www.mccrearytourism.com.

Olive Hill
Olive Hill in northeast Kentucky connects visitors to Carter Caves State Resort Park and Tygart’s Creek.

July 20-26 – Pioneer Life Week at Carter Caves State Resort Park

For more information, click here.

Gem Mining at Carter Caves!

If you visit Carter Caves during Pioneer Life Week (or any other week!). be sure to check out the  Carter Caves Gem Mine (Pictured at the Top)? This VERY cool attraction is located at Carter Caves State Park Welcome Center Gift Shop.

From Kentucky State Parks’ Website: You can buy bags for $6.00, $8.00 and $10.00 (fossils) and begin your discoveries of real, colorful gemstones and fossils at the gemstone flume. Just place a scoop of rough material on the screen…then rinse with clean water. The gem stones, when wet, will reveal colors and crystal shapes!

There are lots of different gemstones to discover! Anything from locally-found Pyrite, Fluorite and Quartz, to Ruby, Moonstone, Topaz, Crystal Points, Sapphire, Emerald, Amethyst, Garnett, Citrine, Aventurine, Obsidian, Sodalite, Calcite and Raspberry Quartz could be found.

Sharing the experience of mining at the flume mine is a lot of fun. You can compare finds and help each other to identify what you’ve found. We invite individuals, families, and groups of all sizes. Mining is available during regular business hours of the Welcome Center Gift Shop, April through October. – Read More About Carter Caves State Resort Park on the official website.

 

To find information about all of the outdoor opportunities in Kentucky, as well as a calendar of events happening all across the state, visit the Office of Adventure Tourism’s website at www.getoutky.com.

See more pictures of Carter Caves State Resort Park.

"When reading about a Kentucky event, please be sure you check the date. Old events are not always deleted from the website. If you have an event you'd like to see on Genuine Kentucky or a 'Made in Kentucky' food or product you'd like reviewed, please contact us! " ~ Joi ("Joy")

Fraley Music Festival
Maddox
Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park Trail Through the Forest