Well worth a visit - accessible and well maintained. Trails climb to a scenic overlook of the…read moreKentucky River, with miles more to hike.

I love the fact that there were so many different trails with different features. I am not sure if…read moreraven run is pet friendly. It was so much fun looking over the Kentucky river as I got to the top. The maps provided are easy to read.

We were in the area visiting some people, and after lunch we wanted to get outside and do some…read morewalking. There are several nature preserves with hiking trails, all within about 15 minutes drive from where we were. We chose Dupree for our hiking adventure. It isn't particularly well advertised from the road, but Google maps will get you there. There is a small, gravel drive and parking lot. Facilities are limited to a port-a-potty. But it is *literally* the cleanest, well-maintained port-a-potty I have ever seen in my life! There is a sign with a map of the trails. They aren't terribly plentiful, but we took a picture of the map to reference along our way and we were glad to have it. The trails are clear and very well marked. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous! All around you are rolling hills, fields, crazy-looking trees and the Kentucky River. The main trail (the blue markers) take you to the banks of the river. The map mentions something about a boat dock...if there ever was one, it isn't there now. But the view is still pretty nice. Along the way, there are some picnic tables here and there, as well as a couple bench set ups, where it looks like a class field trip could stop for a lesson. The cliff trail (listed difficult on the map) is not as hard as one might think, but it IS a bit of a climb.The Overlook trail is nice, high up on the ridge. But there isn't much look from the overlook. In all, Dupree Nature Preserve is a beautiful, well-maintained place to hike and enjoy Kentucky nature.

I lovee love The Dupree! Hiking paths on the Kentucky River! What more can you ask for....read more

I have not been there to check on the hiking trail yet but the scenery looks amazing! I would love…read moreto see it in person so that I can experience and enjoy the hike and nature surrounding the mountains.

I've hiked the Jim Beam Nature Preserve at least twice, and what I love most is that people don't…read moreknow about it. However, given the current state of the world and every known trail shutting down due to overcrowding, now might be a good time to let everyone in on Jessamine County's best kept secret. According to the JCTA website, you can expect a "dirt trail with little elevation change through a wooded area. Old stone fences are visible. It has a couple of overlooks with winter views of the river." I don't understand exactly why this trail is NOT dog-friendly, but then again, I'm not an ecologist or a botanist. Approximately .8 miles will give you a decent workout considering the elevation changes, and it can get quite muddy given its dirt path construction. Unless it's winter, don't expect much of a view of the Palisades, but wildflowers are visible throughout in the fall. There are NO restroom facilities and view few parking spaces. Still, if you want to escape into nature and play explorer, this is a good place to do it.

Nice natural area to walk around it! It is larger and more secluded than the average local option…read more Unfortunately dogs aren't allowed.

Neat little stop. The walk is mostly paved and flat which I think is a plus for some. The blue hole…read moreis neat and the spring boils up which a neat little phenomenon. There is a pond with fish, turtles and frogs. Informative signs along the path tell the history of the park as well.

A lot of great trails to follow and things plants animals and birds and bugs I've not seen anywhere…read moreelse. Great spring flower walks with experts that know their plants and will answer your questions. Once when I missed a spring flower walk Robert Pendygraft gave me a private guided tour

This is a great area for enjoying nature without having to go too far. It's 500 acre area complete…read morewith trails of various difficulty, ponds, feilds, nice benches to enjoy the scenery, and a bird blind. A few times a month the nature center is open and they organize school trips and community hikes. This year is their 50th anniversary!

Calm relaxing environment for a leisurely stroll on a Sunday afternoon. Enjoyed the beautiful…read morewaterfalls and nature views. Highly enjoyed the meadow trail path. Will be back again in the future.

What a great local park. Just be prepared if it's rained in the recent past as pathways are mostly…read morepacked earth. Lots of pathways, beautiful scenery, waterfalls. Nice people on the paths. Dog friendly. Bathrooms available.

Awesome sculpture park! It's free, but I left a donation. The sculptures are fairly spread out, so…read morebe ready to walk. It may take you an hour to view them all. They also have seating if you wanted to bring a picnic.

Josephine sculpture park is one of Kentucky's best kept secrets. A massive and free to view…read moresculpture garden located off the backs roads in Frankfort Kentucky. Pulling in I wasn't sure what to expect. I was thinking maybe it was a small drive through sculpture garden with a handful of sculptures. Man was I wrong! There are hundreds of cool and unique sculptures. Towards the back is a gravel parking lot where you can get out and explore. You will Find yourself veering off the main path to see a sculpture and realize there are 30 more hidden in an area. My family and down family friends spent a small portion of our afternoon here. We only allotted ourselves like 30 minutes to view so there is absolutely no way that we seen all the sculptures here. But we did see was nothing short of amazing. Some of the coolest and most unique works you will find in Kentucky. Overall this is a must do for any art lover or anyone who likes to get out and stroll in nature on nice days. We will absolutely come back and check out this free sculpture park on a day when we have more time so we can fully appreciate all the Josephine sculpture park has to offer!

Do it!! The Berea Pinnacles is one of my favorite places to hike when visiting Berea Kentucky. It's…read morea 3.4 mile out and back hike to the East Pinnacles. You can gain some extra mileage by visiting other overlooks on the mountain. I would say it's a moderate hike with some steep inclines and rocky areas to navigate. The trek up keeps me sweating. The view from the East Pinnacle is beautiful. Definitely the perfect spot to take in the beauty of nature. At the start of the trail head there is an area to grab a hiking stick. Be sure to pack plenty of water and wear appropriate shoes for hiking. Be safe on the edge of the rocks and make smart choices. It's beautiful but can be dangerous so use caution. @outdoorswithmandy

The pinnacles are absolutely gorgeous. And at the beginning of the trail, there is a gorgeous and…read morerustic amphitheater. If you stand on the stage and look out, the backdrop is the hilly mountains. So cool and really inspiring (especially if you were a theater kid!). We went up to a Indian lookout points, such a lovely view. We started heading West, which the sign did say was a difficult descent. But when we got to the cliff you had to climb down, the trail markers weren't totally clear, plus the sun was setting, so we decided to turn around and go to the Devil's Kitchen. It's amazing how difficult these trails are! We descended to multiple cliff formations with little caves to chill under. The scenery is 10/10. I just think the trail markers could be a tiny bit clearer. Highly suggest!

The arboretum is free of charge if you're not seeing the children's garden, which seemed very…read morepopular when we were there. There's lots of shady areas to get out of the sun. We walked through the Home Demonstration Gardens, which were very nicely laid out with lots of variety and blooms. Plenty of bees and other insects and critters enjoying the gardens, as well. I wish I lived closer so I could visit throughout the year. Although free, donations are very appreciated.

It's been a long time since I've been to The Arboretum. I decided on a brief early morning walk…read more It's lovely to be surrounded by green space. No noise, no traffic. Tai Chi walking, purposefully slow and meditative. It's good for you. Try it. 74

I must write a review of the area and the beginning of the trail to alert future hikers that it is…read moretemporarily closed due to abuse, vandalism/garbage. People were loud and using the creek as a pool, spray painting and damaging the trail/trashing the area. So, if you are headed down to hike on the John Holder Trail, as we were, you will find it closed. The area itself is lovely. Hall's on the River is great (and open during Covid), you can still canoe on the river, and the fort is close by and well worth a visit.

It was too beautiful of a day in February to not try to get in a hike. Decided to head out on the…read moreJohn Holder Trail. The trails were pretty muddy after the snow melt but it was worth it. I would rate it a moderately easy there and back trail but with some beautiful views of the Lower Howard River. Total round trip is just under 3 miles. There is a point that you do cross the river so make sure you have either waterproof hiking boots or the river is low enough to get across. Please don't try to cross if it is deep or flowing fast. Nobody wants to get hurt or wet. There are some elevation changes and several historical sites. For this hike there was a lot of pretty ice hanging off the cliffs. There is a waterfall but that's off property so you shouldn't hike there. And after a day of hiking you can get soon food at Halls On The River and enjoy the scenery from there. As for parking, I usually park across the street from Halls but there is parking behind Halls too.