Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

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State Highway 245
Clermont, KY 40110
502-955-8512

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Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest Description

A German-born bourbon baron, Isaac Bernheim gave this 14,000 acre sanctuary to the people of Kentucky as a thank you gift for welcoming him to this country. Much of the forest is reserved for research, but the remainder is open to the public and full of seemingly endless trails, picnic areas, and natural beauty. A small but excellent nature center includes a café, gift shop, and education center; programs range from the annual BugFest to discovery stations featuring the flora and fauna of the forest.

Kid Tips

Toddlers & Pre-K: Toddlers will love the sound tubes just outside the nature center; they're an active listening "game" to identify the sounds of nature. A visit of any length to the Busy as a Bee exhibit in the nature center may be too short.

School-Age Kids: Have a handheld GPS system? Take the kids on a high-tech scavenger hunt known as geocaching. Bring your GPS and visit geocaching.com (use ZIP code 40110) to find directions to the caches left in the forest. If you plan to hide a cache, that's fine, too—be sure to let the folks in the nature center know what you left and exactly where you put it.

Planning Notes

Free for all (almost). Bernheim is fee-free from Monday to Friday; the admission charge is just $5 per carload on the weekends (more for passenger vans and RVs).
Bike and hike. From short walks to all-day hikes, options abound for exploring the forest. Some stroller-friendly paths are available, including the fully stroller and ADA accessible canopy walk.
Short on food. The small café has plenty of drinks, but food is somewhat limited to yummy but basic deli-type sandwiches, fruit cups, and the like, so parents of picky eaters should pack a picnic.

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