Reviews of Big Bone Lick State Historic Site. (Sports Complex) in Louisville (Kentucky).

Big Bone Lick State Historic Site

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391 Comments

Sports Complex

State park

3380 Beaver Rd, Union, KY 41091, United States

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Information of Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Sports Complex in Louisville (Kentucky)

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Reviews of Big Bone Lick State Historic Site

Laura Henry

Tent camping in Kentucky during an intense summer heat wave had it’s challenges, but the lovely campground made the best of a very sweaty situation! We had a lot of kids in our party and the campground pool was an absolute life saver for adults and children alike. The pool was right next to a small playground, bathrooms and laundry. All simple and small, but well kept. The campground was very family friendly with lots of kids but very quiet once it got dark. We stayed in site 19 and it was perfect. We had room for larger tent and a couple small tents tucked back near the woods under a canopy of mature trees. We had easy access to the trails and the kids enjoyed playing in the woods near our site. There were bugs as to be expected but the elevation is high enough that there are hardly any mosquitos which made sitting outside much more pleasant! The camp store has your basic things like wood and ice and some supplies, but not much. We did have to do a run to town to get a couple things that weren’t available on site. One warning: There is an absolutely lawless band of trash pandas (raccoons) that run this park at night! The are bold and relentless. Anything left out will be dragged into the woods for their enjoyment never to be seen again! Plan on putting everything in your car when you leave or cleaning up a big mess.

LeeAnn Hull

A great place for visitors of all ages! The museum is small but very informative. The loop trail to the salt spring is paved and easy accessible even for strollers or wheelchairs, mostly shaded too. Be warned, the salt spring itself smells like sulphur but that is normal. The trail to the bison (about 10 of them) is gravel and one way in and back out (uphill on your way back out). There is not much shade on this trail but you work your way around the encloser so you can get a great view of the bison wherever they are. They were all right near the fence as you can see! There was very friendly ranger setup right near the bison that was very informative and answered any questions that anyone had.

draco4444

Wonderful park with nice trails. The bison viewing area was pleasant with highly viewable areas to look at them fairly close. It was in the evening when my wife and I arrived so some of the attractions were closed. The park wasn't overrun with people and was pleasant to walk around.

Zoey Hoffman

CAMPING LOT: The camping spot that my family stayed in was level. However some of the spots did look uneven, so pick your spot carefully. There is no plumbing and for some odd reason a creepy shed was by the spot and I heard noises come from the shed at night. SWIMMING POOL: The pool was a bit small, but clean. It was never so crowded that I didn't want to go in. (I whent in June) BATHROOMS/SHOWERS: Showers could use some TLC. There was some mold and hair on the walls. There is a handicap assessable shower. The toilets and sinks were pretty clean though. ACTIVITIES: There are tons of trails throughout the park. The camping ground also has mini golf course and a playground. Mini golf could kill a hour of time and isn't very expensive. WILDLIFE: I saw tons deer there which was really cool. The deer never got too close as well. That was not the case with the raccoons. My campsite was visited by a raccoon every night that wouldn't be scared away if my dog barked at it or banging pots and pans at it. There were also about 6 raccoons in the dumpsters at night.

Erik Nothanks

We had a great time at Big Bone Lick. The kids couldn't have had a better time. Very educational and fun games (scenic bingo) for us to play while on the trails. A lot of fun and at a very good price.

Tilly Lo

Interesting park... I really enjoyed seeing the bisons and one of my dogs was fearless. The bidons seem to not care about a yappy puppy, and a few checked her out. The trail to the Bison field is gravel, and at first I didn't see any bisons. I decided to hike the trail anyway, and spotted the bisons at the far end of the trail. I am so happy that I got to see them and didn't leave disappointed. I decided to continue with the trail and loop around back to the car. I wasn't pleased to see the trail was quite narrow and was very muddy. I spotted a turtle at the beginning of the trail before it got too muddy that I turned around and back tracked on the gravel trail that I hiked to the bison field to get back to the car. When hiking the trail, definitely have bug spray on you. I felt lots of bugs, and I even sprayed myself with OFF. I did check out the small historic area in the back of the visitor center. It was interesting. If it wasn't so hot; if my dogs weren't so tired; AMF if there wasn't a chance of thunderstorm kept popping up on the Fema app, I would have hiked the 1 mile trail behind the visitor center. It started off paved, but not sure if the enter trail is paved.

Swain Keaton

Nice little park with some amenities. Stayed here while visiting the The Ark and Creation Museum. Looked as if most sites are unlevel and small. There is no parking on the grass so if you have a big rig your truck will need to be parked in another location provided. Park is well kept with one central bath house. If anything this was the weakest link. Although it was useable it was obvious it was not swept and mopped daily like we have found in other parks. Did not use shower so cannot attest to them. YOU WILL NEED an extra hose as the water hookup is far away and shared by 2 sites. I used a 50’ and 25’. There are trails although some were closed. The one we did was a little strenuous and looped from campground down to Buffalo , museum and back. There is a putt putt, swimming pool, playground, and museum on the fossils found on site and nearby. Overall I would recommend this park.

Richard Miller (Rich)

Nice trails, museum and gift shop. Trails and points of interest were nicely marked. No bison to see today so will circle back and try again.

Fiona Vaughan

So interesting. Great artillery demonstration with people in character. Lots of artifacts and picture boards explaining the history. Easy walk. Mostly outdoors. We had a great day for it. History buffs need to visit. Small museum with more in depth history of the different occupations of the native Indians, the French, British and Americans.

Misty W

We stayed at the campground. It was really nice. The park and museum were beautiful. We did find a raccoon when we threw our trash in the dumpster lol.

Jeff B (Jeffery)

Very enjoyable park with nice short trails that are family friendly. You will enjoy the gift shop and the herd of bison.

Shannon Baldwin

Love to visit this park and explore. They have nice trails along with 2 playgrounds, plenty of parking, and picnic areas. Can't wait to go back.

Tanya Kirker

I gave it a 4 star because the lake and lake trail are closed and have been for quite a few years now. Other then that it is a very nice place. Lots to do. Flat and large sites (we were on site 37) putt-putt, Buffalo's, trails, cemetery, basketball courts, muesum and picnic area.

Jeff Grant

Had an absolutely wonderful day at Big Bone Bone Lick State Historic Site, the museum was very educational, had some really cool artifacts and we learned a lot about the area, it's rich history and the Native Americans that lived there. The bison herd was very cool to see, and the trails were in good shape. I gave it 4 stars only because it was lacking in some of the other areas, the models were old and needed some updates.. but we were told they were actually going to be able to make some of those upgrades as soon as this year. Again, very cool place to visit and we highly recommend it if you're interested in artifacts, prehistoric animals and native American history.

Carolyn Chaffins

This park has a few outdoor trails. The trails are mostly shaded and vary in length. One trail will lead you to bison viewing. We have been before, but today we went to see the fossil inside the museum/gift shop. They had some cool artifacts that are on display that were recovered from the area. There are restrooms inside the museum, but hours are limited (it closed at 4 pm) today.

Becky Freker

Pretty cool park with lots of historical information. Loved seeing the buffalo. Hiking trails.

Bill Palis

Wow! We were really impressed. So much information is available to read on the history of the location. The bison were great to see. The young calves were adorable.

Nichole Gantshar

This state park has a wonderful Museum, a herd of totally adorable bison, and a wonderful Trail along a creek. The trail is lined with dozens of informative signs to educate you about the birthplace of U.S. paleontology.

Gina D (NavalAcademyMom)

Lovely walk along the Big Bone Creek trail, and learned lots of interesting facts! Leashed dogs welcome in trails.

Silber Squiggles

Wonderful state park. The campground is very small which is normally something I do not enjoy but we had a friend/family reunion there in July 2021 and rented several camp sites. It was great to let the kids play and ride their scooters around without much worry. There is also a pool which is a bonus for the kids. We will definitely be back to camp next year!

Shelly Hackett

Beautiful place to just relax and take in a bit of nature. Definitely would recommend stopping by for a look at the bison 🦬 or even a nice long hike through the Wonderful wooded trails. Fantastic for family fun! They even have grills so you can have a picnic then walk along the creek. …

Josh Rodamer

Generous offerings of historical information, hiking trails, bison viewing, fishing and camping. Trails from easy to moderate, however caution should be exercised after wet weather and proper footwear should be used if using the Cedar Run or Gobblers Trace trail. The lake area is closed due to an issue with the dam, but there is about 4 miles of other trails to be explored. The museum and gift shop are typically opened in the summer where artifacts and information can be obtained about the birthplace of American Paleontology. COVID has caused some restrictions, including closed playgrounds and museum/gift shop/camp sites. The trails are a great place to see deer, rabbits, squirrels and a multitude of bird species.

Dawn Marie

Love the short walk to see the Bison. We walked the trail to the end and didn't see any but when we were returning we found them in the field by the barn. We got to see them eating dinner.

Abe Bell

Nice short walk and cool beasts, longer well kept trails too. Beautiful array of oak trees and park rager really cool

Nora Fleenor

The park is always clean and very well maintained. The folks in the museum are very knowledgeable and can give you a handful of fun facts. Playgrounds, restrooms, camping, lake, nature trails, and of course BISON are all there! A beautiful place to go. Camping is nice too. We camped there growing up and always enjoyed the pool and putt putt. There’s festivals and other fun activities that happen here too. Check out the Salt Festival in the fall time!

Emma Miller

For this being an unexpected stop on our travels, it was a great experience. The museum had a giant, prehistoric ground sloth and a mammoth.. which was pretty amazing all in itself. This site is also surrounded in history, from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Ice Age. Overall, the museum and grounds were clean and beautiful and the employees were friendly. The gift shop was great, too! I rate a MUST visit! Even for those traveling the highway, just make it a quick stop on your to-do list!

Sam B

We camped here during the cicadas! Great site for RV or camping with tents like we did. My kid really enjoyed everything about it; playground, pool, museum, bison, hiking trails. We spent one whole day just walking to the bison and the museum. Learned a ton of interesting things. Gift shop is not too expensive. It was good stuff for all ages so around the campgrounds. Walk in campers allowed you have to fill out stuff at the entrance(there's a vacancy sign right out front, and each campsite is clearly marked off it's reserved so you know which ones you can pick). Very reasonable priced! 100% have it on the list of spots to stop. Bathrooms and showers were clean and centrally located.

Miranda D

Love visiting Big Bone. It was a nice, peaceful walk. The Bison were in the side pasture when I visited.

Cason Conley

The haunted mini golf was cute. Bathrooms are a walk but clean.

Rick Salas

Great place in Kentucky to go visit and say the Buffalo as well as a great exhibit of some artifacts found in the local area. Small in size and great for families. Heard that in October they have a wonderful festival and I am looking forward to being able to go there sometime.

Patrick Smith

Had a great hike here yesterday! The trails were well maintained and the bison viewing area is awesome! I ventured off the gravel into a dirt path near the viewing area and that's where the adventure really was. Beautiful area. I'm not a fan of hiking paved trails, I want to feel lost in nature.

Life On the Mountain

Super nice and clean. Easy trails to walk on.

Tammy Caruso

We were in lot 57, sites are very unlevel bring alot of boards to help level your rig, and extra hose to reach the water hook up. Other than that the campground is very nice and clean and there are two campground host sites and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Would love to come back for the paranormal events they have.

Stephen Francia

This review is for their annual Salt Fest. Definitely go see the buffalo, and the museum sites, but treat yourself to a really cool historical "salt" fest where yes - they do produce salt! There is plenty to see and do including American Indian drumming ceremonies, raptor classes, interactive living history events, displays and people. Plus - they have a great selection of food trucks! Worth a stop without the fest, but added bonus if you can make both! Go and enjoy!

Charley

I love this park. Buffalo. Hiking trails. A campground. Small museum and gift shop. We take the kids to play in the creek here all the time. There's a couple nice playgrounds. A bridge over the creek to connect them. All kinds of picnic tables and shelters. The cell phone service is horrible out here though. It's one of the things I love the most about it.

Steve

This is for the campground. Small to medium sized paved sites with water and electric. Many of the sites will require moderate to sever leveling. The water spigots are not near the camper and you will need 50' to 75' of hose to connect. Restrooms are functional and clean. There is a laundry with $1.50 wash and $1 dryer, playground, recycling, swimming pool, mini golf and dump station. The road up to the campground is steep.

Raina Fath

Beautiful park! First visit, we drove from Ohio just to do the putt putt course. The course was fun! However, upon leaving, when I tried to change my mind at the register bc of the cost (2 dip n dots and one 20 oz coke for $17.98!), she was very rude about it. I said so I'm not allowed to change my mind? To which she replied "well I already have it rang up" and she proceeded to mouth off as I walked out. No retailer should bully anyone into spending their money.....

Branden Funderburg

Great spot for a short to long hike. You can park within a quarter mile walk to see a herd of bison, which was pretty cool - not something you'd expect to find in Kentucky. We took our dogs on the bison loop and it was pretty navigable but I wouldn't recommend it if it had just rained as some climbs were pretty dramatic. All in all, super clean, lots of fun.

Marcie Timmerman

We didn't see any bison because it was too warm for them but we enjoyed the oath around the Visitors Center, played on a playground, and had a game of minigolf. They are observing social distancing, have plumbed bathrooms, and the paths we took were in good shape. I do not suggest wheelchairs or strollers on the bison path- may get technically possible but rough. The lake area is closed at present.

James Scott

One of the best local parks around! They have some awesome hiking trails, and the facilities are always well maintained. The bison are a real treat to see, and the exhibits highlighting local history and the archeological work that's been done at this site over the generations make it a fascinating and educational location to check out. If you have the time, make a reservation at the campground to enjoy this place at night. Some of the best stargazing you'll find in the Boone County area

Tuf ernhel

Nice park. Semi-accessible. Accessible parking, some paved trails but inclines too steep for manual chairs. Nicely marked trails with maps, information markers, and benches along the way. Small herd of bison kept here.

Ethan Wagner

Well maintained trails, safe place for families and little ones

Jennifer Clausing

Beautiful park with several playgrounds and picnic areas. Trails to the bison and salt springs are relatively short and easy for novice hikers. The reservoir, and surrounding trails are currently closed (as of 7-13-18) due to a dam leak, and no word on when or if it will re-open. There were tons of scheduled activities during the 8 days we were here that the kids thought were awesome. The campground was clean and well kept. Laundry facilities, a small playground, a nice little pool, limited hours and supplies in the camp store. Not all sites have shade, and MOST are not very level. Bring plenty of leveling blocks and at least 50-75 ft of hose. The camp hosts were friendly. In fact, every staff member we interacted with was fantastic. My kids loved Claire, and the girl in the gift shop (I really wish I could remember her name!! Long hair and dark-rimmed glasses...super friendly and obviously loves her job) The park is approximately 30 min from the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. Its also about 35 min from the Newport Aquarium

Melinda Jones

Really nice little park, cool little trails with info about the history of the place. I'd take kids there for sure they'd love it, plus they're Bison viewing and it's all free.

Guaran

Beautiful landscapes and scenery!! I gave 4 stars only because Of the “rocky” road with slight in/de-clines to get to the Bison. As well as feeling unsure of getting to the opposite side to see them up close. Wish there were visible maps and or info on the different trail ways. The Welcome center was very clean, air conditioned, some history , and a small store for snacks drinks and gifts.

Teresa Volta

Small park & visitors' center. Worthwhile. Interesting. Short walks. Easy pathways. Is campground, etc. Which we did not visit.

Kathleen Dickerson

Wonderful display of the Paleolithic history! Beautiful displays. Easy to get around and the live bison herd is fabulous.Be prepared to hike a bit!

Warren

Cool history and great place to go for a walk. I am coming back when I can.

Kitty Collins

Me and my daughter realy enjoyed walking along the paths and then we went to janes saddle bags for a real down home meal and a visit to petting zoo and a walk around the litle play town there she gave it 6 thumbs up lol

Judy Andrews

Interesting small museum in the visitor center, with information about the fossils discovered in the park. There's a short paved walk behind the visitor center leading to a display with replicas of a Mastodon, giant sloth, and giant bison. The one mile loop leads you to the salt pond and back to the visitor center. A slightly longer trail leads back to the bison herd, but sadly, the day we visited, the herd was not in sight. This trail was more rough, definitely not suited to a stroller. We ate lunch under a big picnic shelter, then the kids played on the adjacent playset. Nothing earth shattering here, but a nice park about 45 minutes from our home in Cincinnati.

Ebony Willis

Lovely little place. Trails aren't marked as clear as they could be but we found our way anyway. The Bison were hidden in the shade and we almost missed them. The museum was nice. Overall a good place.

Mark Weaver

Nice campground with hot showers. Some sites require a looong hose for water hookup. Playground. Bison herd. Small museum. Nice trails. Would be five stars once the dam gets repaired and access is granted to the rest of the trails and the lake.

joehammer75

Admission to ghe museum is free, lots of interesting information, covid 19 restrictions do require face mask and social distancing. We counted 11 Buffalo and they came right up to the fence. Trailis to walk around and check things out.

Paige reece

Kids loved it beautiful experience. Great photos and such a safe environment to walk trails. Seeing that owner took the time to us for the short review I figured I'd include a bit more detail. We come every other weekend and there isn't one other place I'd even consider. Not even a consideration. Now if only I could find either a farm who could use help for the ability to ride horses again or a really cheap place to go riding bc a single mom of 3 cant afford it no that that would make it the perfect paradise for us. LOL

Walter Kropilnicki

Big park with trails, some gravel, others requiere more carefull stepping, others well mark and paved. Bison view, don't be surprised to also see deer running around. Picnic areas, RV campgrounds, museum, indoors and outdoors exhibitions.

kathy nungester

We had the BEST time! Everyone was so helpful and nice. They took time out to arrange for my special needs son to get a private tpur to see the bison.Paul was our guide, very respectful, and informative. Included my son in his conversations. Amelia areanged for this all to happen, and drove to our camp site to let us know. The showers were amazing. HOT water and heaters, so you weren't cold getting out. Also have handicap showers, which was a plus for my son. The grounds were very clean and our host was very helpful. The museum, on grounds was very nice and plenty of information on all their displays. We will definitely be returning. Best campground we have stayed at.

Lezlea Hudson

Very nice area! We hiked the couple of trails. Well laid paths with lots of space to share. Lots of picnic tables, we had brought our lunch. The site is a Lewis and Clark stop. I love history and have much admiration for Lewis. I never knew he had found dinosaur bones.

Ryan Lewis

It's a beautiful place and great trails for walks or a run. Sometimes the trails flood so if it has rained for a few days you may want to look elsewhere for trails. Picnic areas, playgrounds, and camping areas are usually quite clean. There's also a nice lake. And of course, there are Bison.

Theo DeCann

Gorgeous out, even for a pretty gloomy day on New Years Day. It was worth it even though most of the park was closed. It's better than what I remember when I was last here when in was a kid.

Seth Hershey

The small bison herd is cool to see, calves in spring too. The trails have a lot of water and mud in spring. Some trails need more maintenance than others and are quite rough. Don't forget to check for ticks after a back country hike.

Ralph O'Hair Jr

The Bison attraction was super cool even though it was hot outside. Be prepared to hike about 150-200 yards on the trail to see the Bison. The museum and gift shop were the highlight of our trip with our grandsons.

Brittany Hamlin

We visited from VA and had a good time. It was smaller than I expected but still fun. We enjoyed seeing the baby bison. There were playgrounds for the kids. We missed a morning event that looked like fun so I suggest looking at their site first to see their planned events for the day.

Dwayne Alborn

Bison were cool to see and they have several nice walking paths. Nice picnic area with Grill and Playground. The lake is a nice plus with easy access areas to fish. A nice place to visit on your day off.

Josh Aguon

We heard of this park while driving to The Ark Encounter and wanted to do something on a day we weren’t doing anything. The gift shop was pretty cool with a mini museum inside and the lady inside was cool and entertaining. If you plan on going on the trails I recommend you where shoes (I know that’s a given) but I wore flip flops which I did fine. The trails were COOL leading you through the woods to different parts in the park. The Salt Springs definitely has an aroma of sulfur. We had to walk quite a bit to see the Bison probably because at the time of day we went they decided to be chillin far from onlookers. We brought a binoculars to see them from afar off. They were pretty cool since they were linked to the ice age. We took our lunch and ate at the lake which was very quite, calming and relaxing after walking the trails. Nice little place if you like the outdoors and hiking a little.

John Brombosz

Great state park to visit. Live Bison to see up close in natural habitat. Very educational.

M M

This was a great place to visit, and I bet it'd be much more enjoyable in warmer weather. The museum was very interesting (more interesting than I expected), gift shop had cool stuff, short walk to the bison, playground was fine, but the lake was temporarily closed so we couldn't go there.

Teresa Parks

It was nice seeing the bison up close. They have a tiny museum with gift shop and clean restrooms. We didn't stay long but the scenery was really nice.

Amanda

Pretty state park! The history and information is really cool in the walk around the museum and in the small museum itself. We went on a hike and it was very muddy and not a lot of scenery. We kinda saw the buffalo. It was a hot day and they were way back in the woods. Lots of picnic areas and a fun putt putt course! Worth a visit for sure!

Janz Adventure

We saw several buffalo. There were even 2 babies. The park's pond is closed as well as the trail around it. There really isn't much to do to there unless you just want to have a picnic.

Julie Bowles

Very cool park. The bison were way around the back so they were hard to see

James Harter

The grounds are beautiful and the bison were easy to find. We saw the first calf of the year!

Curt Menn

A well loved State Park just 10 miles out of Florence, KY. Up on a rolling hill with some views of the lovely countryside. Mostly an RV hangout with water and electrical hookups. There's a pool, putt putt golf, a small store, laundromat and walking trails. Plus, down below, a small heard of Bison and a paleontology museum showing the origins of the park's name. Be aware, the roads are narrow and twisty and can be challenging if you're pulling a trailer or piloting a camper, but worth the visit!

Brad Maney

Nice clean park. We camped with our 5th wheel. Good walking trails. Active bison farm in park.

John Campbell

Enjoyed a week here. The campground was well set up and the staff was friendly. Two things to note about this park. The campsites are sloped pretty harshly ( we had to go buy additional leveling blocks to set up) and you need a really long water hose.

Donovan Strassell

Really cool place. Great hiking trails and camping grounds. Had a lot of fun here.

Janie0914

Beautiful setting. Need full hookups and water closer for rv camping

Stanley Ryan

Great place. It's been a few years since spent any real time there and its changed in a few ways but still a great place. A lot of the fields that I remember kids running and playing in are now part of a natural habitat push and are overgrown, which is good and bad. Appears some work is being done on the dam for the lake but never dug any deeper on that one. The bison area and gift shop are amazing. The campgrounds are well kept and staffed. The lady in the campground store was knowledgable about the campgrounds, events and the local area. It was a real treat to visit again.

Michele Fos

We stayed at a good site. It felt secluded from all other sites. It's a nice park. The lake was closed due to damage damage. They have a small museum and trails. There are a herd of Bison in the park. It was a great place to stay. We visited the Ark Encounter which is about 30 min north. We drove into Indiana and had lunch at the River Watch restaurant, good seafood.

Patricia Gibson-Williams

We loved seeing the bones but it wasn't as exciting as we'd hoped. I'd say 3 1/2 stars but couldn't choose that & since I felt that it deserved more than 3 I couldn't dock the place over not having that option. It was very interesting. My son is a huge rock hound & he learned some things so that was great. We walked back to see the Buffalo. While they were impressive they were also a little sad looking. It was pretty hot that day so we felt sorry for them that they didn't have any shade. Maybe they did in an area that we couldn't see? I enjoyed seeing them much more out west when I was a girl & they weren't fenced in. Still the park was very beautiful & there were areas that we didn't have time to see. So it's very likely that if we'd spent a longer day there that I would have pushed it to 4 stars anyway.

Christopher Smith

I love the historical site of Big Bone, the staff is always friendly, campsite is well maintained. The signs need a little love and I wish they would find a way to get you closer to the sig sites without fear of you and your family falling down a hill. It even has a miniature golf course.

Cloe Nolen

Very pretty park. Didn't get to see the buffalo (not their fault) and the trails could use some better maintenance. Sites and bathrooms were clean enough. Had some bad weather come through while we were there and the owner made sure to check in with all the sites and tell us where to go if it got bad which was helpful.

Professor Xavier

A truly beautiful place to enjoy nature. The only problem is the small amount of parking--but less parking lots are better for the environment anyways.

Susan Wolf

We chose Big Bone Lick State Historic Site because it was about half way between The Creation Museum and The Ark. We are glad we did. We showed up in a new to us camper not knowing much about it. The camp host very graciously lent us a longer hose to fill up our water tank and then showed my husband how to use the dump station before we left. We will recommend this place and be back ourselves.

Elisabeth M

Fun park to go to if you like to hike. Gravel trail with some hill to go see the bison herd and their babies. Other walking trail takes you to the salt lick and a creek you can explore. Gift shop and museum. Clean restrooms. Playground with picnic tables and tennis courts. Not familiar with camp grounds but saw lots of campers coming and going. Check it out.

Gayle Keck

Lovely state park that tells the story of this fascinating spot, dating to prehistoric times, with informative trails, life-size dioramas and a small museum with a few finds from the era when mastadons and wooly mammoths came to the salt springs here. Also a herd of bison.

Jyli Aubrey

Love this place. Last time we saw baby bison. Just watch the trails some are tough and long.

Scott MacLean

Nice campground, friendly staff. Very reasonable cost. We stayed here a week and enjoyed our stay. Campsites were nice, although our site (33) was not level side to side and the water (for our site) was a bit far (50 ft hose would not reach). The positive about site 33 is it was a bit farther from neighboring sites. The pool was nice - rather cold water which I enjoy. Bathrooms were clean and sufficient. Minigolf course needed some work, but they were short staffed. They did reduce the price due to the rough carpet. Course was fun to play regardless. Trails, museum and visitors center were interesting. You can see a heard of bison kept there. WiFi was available only near the camp store/office. I actually found this a plus. If I needed it, I could use it, but having to walk down to the office made me less likely to pick up my phone. Suggestions for improvement. There was no dishwashing station. That would be a help to those of us are in simple campers and tents. Also, while in general the handicapped facilities were good, a curb cut near the bathroom would have made it easier for my wife to get there with the wheelchair.

Grant Grabert

Very steep climb for the first .1 mile at entrance. Many lots are not level (tire blocks needed). Only 30 amp electric available and our site 19 is only getting 106 volts when drawing 18 amps. Water hose connection is on the passenger side about 40ft away. Glad we have spare hose. Very quiet area with many trees. Nice centralized area between The Ark encounter and Creation museum.

Nathan Wilder

Hadn't been back in years, museum is very cool!

Tara

Always had our family reunions here! Lovely State Park

E Todd Fowler

This is a very neat place to view bison up close. The trail is easy but will take a few minutes to walk. Parking is plentiful.

Tommy Clifton

This park is cool! I've never seen a bison live and in person before and we got to see many! Clean trails not overused and a nice lake to sit and enjoy nature.

Jennifer Schenkenfelder

An okay state park. We stopped because we saw the signs on I-71/I-75 and knew there was a fairly new museum on the property. Wish we'd also looked up their times of operation though because they were closing right when we got there at 4pm! The park ranger was nice enough to let us use the restrooms but we didn't want to hold her up any more than we had to. We still were able to walk the short trails by the museum though and to see the salt springs and read about the history of the park.

John Merland

I love salt festival it was fun. thank you big bone park for having this this year the weather was great this weekend. And the park staff was awesome.

michelle mendenhall

Big Bone Lick tried to kill me! The walk to see the bison was easy for the kids, but not anyone with mobility issues. We left Grandma in the car! They need to work on better access for folks who can't trample down a muddy path! Price was right- free! It was a fun little excursion. The newly opened museum is super small, but well-done, clean, with modern bathroom and gift shop.

Tabitha H

We stayed at the Campground inside the park this August. The staff was friendly, and the campsites were a good size. The grounds were well maintained and the Camp Hosts were very informative. There are trails that lead down to the lake, to the Bison, and the Museum from the campground. While we were viewing the Bison we were greeted by their caretaker and he was very friendly and informative. The Museum staff was fun and they offered an entire days worth of family activities. The parks signage about the displays is in desperate need of being replaced. I could not make out what was written on the signage at all. Overall we enjoyed Big Bone Lick and would return in the future.

Loren Trotman

Such a perfect trip for my kids! We got there early and hiked the short hike to see the bison. Then we played at the playgrounds for a bit. Was definitely worth the drive from Cincinnati!

Katie King

Well maintained family friendly campgrounds with fantastic hiking trails suitable for 6 to 65:)

Jill Conley

It was great. I have an extremely hard time walking & I was able to walk (with the help of my trekking poles) the trail to see the Buffalo (which is a little over 1/2mile each way)& they were well worth the effort. The park is very nice & we drove through the campsite which was very nice & had a swimming pool. Nice drive from little road trip from Dayton, Ohio.

Timothy Miller

My wife and camped had a great time very clean park very friendly staff ,plenty of things to do able to get internet on phone and they had it in office some spots need longer hose for water. Sites were not perfectly level but any experienced camper carries plenty of blocks great place we will come back

Gamerrr72

Our first time here. It's a good idea to plan what you want to do and how much time you intend to spend here. There's plenty of hiking trails. We wanted to view the bison and hike the trails. The trails are okay for kids and elderly. We hiked for 2 hours. We really enjoyed our time.

Rachel Mays

Nice place to visit. Nothing fancy.. You can take a short hike to see bison.

Santos Garza

Big Bone Lick State Park was a great place off the beaten path that has a very interesting museum with prehistoric bison and other interesting attractions. There is also a gift shop at the museum. There is a trail that leads to where the bison roam. The trail is .2 miles from the museum. According to their brochure, there are approximately 8 to 14 bison roaming. This is a great place to bring children or grandchildren.

Arun Daniel

Good place to see Bison and walk around. Pretty calm place, not so far from the highway.

Elizebeth Thomas

My 2 year old and I had a great time hiking a one mile trail to the salt creek behind the gift shop. Some areas of the trail were wet, recommend wearing boots if it has rained recently as that trail sits in lower elevation. We saw tadpoles in the water off the boardwalk area and all sorts of fun puddles and things to looks at on the trail. There are some bison and mastodon statues also. There were 2 playgrounds, numerous picnic tables, people biking, restrooms, water fountains, shelter houses, and bison there as well. Worth checking out! Great outdoor friendly and beautiful place. The many staff members we saw all were very friendly and informative. Signage posted with clear directions and historical signs as well.

David Simon

Beautiful park with history, trails, camping and great activities. This is one of the unique sites everyone in the area should visit.

John Meyer

This is a great park and gotta live the Bison. Didn't see them today but the trails and scenery is beautiful..

Laura “BehaviorMomma” Matlock

Drove through quickly at the end of the day -- would love to come back when there's more time! For now, can at least share this pamphlet with any looking for more info...

Felicity Turcott

Love this park! Fun lake with small bass. Don't forget to hike out to the bison and say hi. Neat little museum with facts about the fossils found here.

Mitch Spies

Nice small state park in northern KY. Lots of natural history and we happened to visit when a birds of prey sanctuary was there. Staff at visit center were VERY friendly and gave us helpful suggestions for our afternoon. Would like to go back in the fall and complete the orienteering challenge!

chuck Rowland

This is a very historic and important site. The inside museum / office is well maintained and staffed with great folks..The lake trails were not available due to a problem with the damm that is nearby. I get that and appreciate the focus on safety. Bless all that contribute to this great historic site.

Thomas Hudson

Good hiking trails, nice campground, good picnic areas. Very interesting museum. Also, don't miss the short walk to view the bison herd. Campground hosts very friendly, and helpful!

Jack Jr

Great place to camp in a tent or fifth wheel camper. All spots have water and electricity hookups. Miniature golf and a swimming pool. Decent showers and restrooms. They have a dump for your sanity needs also.

James Snyder

An interesting place but not much here. The buffalo heard is probably the most interesting attraction here. The campground is spacious but many sites are very unlevel.

Chyenne Remley

Love how peaceful this park is, had to stop on my way from Florence one night to use the bathroom and I must say it’s super creepy at night though

Peggy Adams

Nice museum with friendly staff. Nice walking trails and buffalo herd. Plenty places to have a picnic lunch.

Rebeca Walker

We love hiking at Big Bone and seeing the bison!!! Been doing this for 6+ years, several times a year!!! Check out the herd!!!

Ray Crawford

Great showers and we'll laid out park. Clean and comfortable but a little close. Bison are fun to watch too.

scot stoddard

Had a great trip to Big Bone Lick! Learned a lit about the birthplace of American paleontology. Even saw some live bison there. We will definitely go back. Lots of trails for hiking and plenty to do. Enjoyed the museum greatly.

Jill DeLonay

Great park with good hiking trails. We always enjoy watching the Bison.

Dale Sprankel

Been going there for many years. Nice place for reunions/ etc.kids will Love the bison.

BeachDigger Bob

My husband and I stayed at this campground for 3 nights as we wanted to visit Noah's Ark in Williamstown (30 minutes away) while enroute from Mobile to Detroit pulling a 30 ft. Fifth-wheel. Nice scenic two lane roads off I-75 leading to the park. Streets in the campground are wide enough for two vehicles. Check-in at the Campstore went smooth. Staff was friendly. Highly recommend reservations, especially for weekend stays; a majority of the campers were locals. Some sites are level and some are way off. Make sure you have lots of blocks for under your jackstands, we observed many wheels off the ground to maintain a level camper. Also make sure your lot size accommodates your equipment, there is no parking allowed on the grass and is strickly enforced. Water hookups are quite far from some sites, ours (lot #14) requiring to purchase another waterhose to connect to our existing one. The campstore does sell waterhoses. Electric is 30 amp. Lots of trees on the property make for nice shade. Shower/restroom facilities are very clean. A moderately sized swimming pool is on site. They offer programs with neat things to do during your stay. We saw the bison herd, walked trails, saw a Salt Spring and visited the Museum in the park. Nice place to stay for a few nights.

David Davidzik

Very nice very friendly campground! Good mostly level sites left to right but may need a lil help front to back. Water hook up can be at least 50 ft away though. Avoid loop near bathhouse and play ground if your looking for a more peaceful stay .

Danielle Miller

Great little park! Friendly staff. Easy to get to. Although we were bummed the lake was closed, we got to try our hands at the atlatl.

kelly Cooper

I use to live rt across from the park and over the years they have let the place go.. out of all the money the county is spending on roads they could take a little to put back in to this national famous park for tourist and children it's really went down hill

Grayson Gillard

Amazing place but unfortunately no service... I loved playing mini golf and the showers and bathrooms were pretty clean, but there was no Wi-Fi or data anywhere so I was digitally stranded.

TOM HOPKINS

Most under funded state park in Kentucky. It has a huge historic benefit. Well worth a trip lots to see.

amy

Fun to see the bison. Camp sites are nice. Very busy place. Kids seem to love the pool.

Jeffery Tippen

Interesting history of how native Americans killed most of the mastodons and sloths as they came to lick the salty grounds. You can see where the salt oozes up but no where did I see where excavations occurred nor where salt bath houses existed in the past.

LaTasha Jones

Absolutely beautiful! Loved seeing the bison and learning all about the salt springs. Definitely will come back.

Greg Arnold

Nice people, clean bath house. 30 amp power went out throughout the campground overnight, but they got it fixed the next afternoon. Bring a 30/20 adapter to keep your battery charged. As you see in my picture, the water sources are centralized between sites. I needed 85' to connect. Other sites only needed 25-50 depending on location and orientation. The buffalo were neat, but they were in a different pasture, and we could barely see them far away. Other days they sad they were closer. Overall, it was a neat place, lots to do. I would go back.

Rhody Jo

Nice place to take a hike. Great to see the bison up close too. You go up trails in the woods. Be careful on the trails after rain. The trails will be slippery.

Cynthia Brockman

This is the best Kentucky state park I have stayed at.

Lavonna Skeans

We loved it. Would have liked to have been part of a dig. Also, small herd of buffalo. Excellent museum.

Alida Barnes

Fun place to go!! Simple hiking and great exploring for kids.

Robert Wagner

First visit and I liked many things about this park. First, I am an amateur fossil Hunter so I enjoyed the paleontological history of the park. Second, I found the historical significance of the park quite fascinating. Lastly the trails made for a fun and adventurous hike. The bison were pretty neat to. Well worth the drive, only an hour or so from Cincinnati.

Natosha Sparrow

Campground is spacious, quiet, and helpful hosts. We loved the hike to see the Bison.

Rob Moore

Nice place, lots are decent size and the staff is friendly. Gravel area next to the pads are great I would give 5 stars but the pads are uneven and may make it a challenge to level your rig and or make it unsafe to step out of your camper. My site was great but others not so. Some sites required two hoses to hook up to the water supply and there were no full hook ups. I will camp there again now that I know what to expect.

Mama Bear

This is a great state park. Very clean, they even have laundry, pool, and plenty of space between each site. My only complaint is that our site is not level at all, it would have been nice to know this before we booked the spot. For reference, we are in a 36’ class a and towing.

Elizabeth

I did a trail run here. The park is small and has lots of neat locations to visit. There's a playground, visitor center, bison viewing, campground,and trails. The trails ranged from nicely graveled and flat to rougher terrain. I will definitely be bringing the family for a visit.

Samantha Folse

Campground is really nice but bathrooms are small especially considering the number of tent campers on the property

Bandara Dissanayake

This is a small park. The main attraction is Bisons . You can see them from a distance. Other than it, nothing much to do.

Joe Kaufman

LOVE this park. The visitor center is nice and has a small historical display that educates you on the history of big bone lick. The staff are friendly. You HAVE to see the bison. In the hot summer days the bison like to lay down under the shade of the trees. Catch them in a cooler time of the year and they will roam the open pasture. Pretty cool! The park is well maintained.

Candice Talbot

Clean. User friendly, quiet walks in the woods , white tail deer abound. Bison are memorable

William Fleek

As far as state parks go it's certainly not the best. If you are in the area it is nice to see the bison. Also some great history in the museum about the mammoth history, native Americans etc.

William Hernandez2

Nice place to visit with family and friends. First time to see Bison, not disappointed. The small museum/visitor center was great and the staff was attentive.

Ondria Simko

Wow! Camping, bison,pool, gift shop,museum, great halfway stop-over, for a 99 degree vacation start feeuw!!! Thanks 😊. …

Jenifer Bramer

Really cool Lil stop off during a road trip if you've never been. One of the ladies was rude but the other ones were real nice. We bought some things from the gift shop, Che ked out the exhibits and walked the trail to see the Bison!

Melissa Dykman

Very nice campground though the back lots are kind of tilted so you'll need leveling kits. There are some nice little trails for families and the campground is relatively small so the kids can't pedal too far away on their bikes. Also, there are Bison to view within the park. Pretty cool!

Clyde Arnold

Excellent camping, upgraded pool, rumor has it the bathrooms are next after they fix the dam and resulting lake. Bison and giftshop are great!

Kenneth Green

Great trails, Live Buff, Displays and signage. Well worth the trip. Great history here.

Tiffani Doyle

A cool place to spend the afternoon hiking trails and learning about the archeological dig sites in the US!

Ap Gavin

Great adventure. It was a learning experience and nice trails to hike.

Brandon Blandford

Loved the park. Very nice. Weather was great. A lot to see

Dream Chaser

I have been going here since my 32 yr & 28 yr grown children were a few months old. Golfed, fished,enjoyed playing at the different play grounds.Had family gatherings here.Enjoyed picnicking / grilling out with my Mom & my kids over the yrs. Love to see the bisons & ALL the different animals.See the new upgrades & displays throughout the park. Shopped at the gift shop. The swaying bridge is another favorite which my youngest grandchild well she enjoys the swaying bridge too. A nice get away from society.A place I continue to go to make memories with my grandchildren. As I enjoy remembering the memories my kids had with my Mom (their Gram). Salt Festival is awesome..as you get to experience a walk back in time & see a reenactment of the way the past had been.

Allison H

What a fun adventure! I didn't realize how close this place was to us in Cincinnati. I wish I hadn't waited to long to visit. We will be back to check out camping!

Tom K

Great place to visit but was surprised they didn't have more fossils on display in the museum.

David Ochayon

Great hike trails options plus you have to see bisons from close

Lisa Moreland

Small camping area. Friendly staff. Would have loved to use the pool,but it was closed for the season the day before. It was 97 to 99 that week! Maybe should close it when the weather changes instead of the calendar. We had a level site but noticed others had a many blocks.

Zachary Nageleisen

Needs improvement for sure and cleaner bathroom conditions otherwise love the hiking and camping side of it tho 🙂👍 …

Danielle Varner

Great place to visit in see Buffalo and nature

Patti Andrews

Love camping here. Large sites, very clean bath house...maintenance here is the best. Playground, golfing and a pool....perfect.

Ironic Logic

It was an early, foggy morning in October when I went, but it was nice. There were deer everywhere & the hike to see the bison wasn't nearly as bad as I was anticipating. I was standing in front of a herd of bison in less than 10 minutes. There's a pretty decent camping area on top of the hill and plenty of picnic areas, playgrounds, hiking trails and a museum. It was definitely worth the drive. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was the lack of soda machines. 😆

Abby Kincaid

Large sites, mostly level, woodsy area. Plenty of room for large gatherings.

Toney Collins

Visitors center was closed, but we could still visit the bison and walk around the area.

Sam Smith

A day trip, overnight camping, hiking, bison, museum. A great place to visit.

RJ Runowski

Scratch off list...great pit stop. Cherry on top — saw a one-day old baby bison!

wrongeddevil

Very pretty place. Some unique features such as salt springs. Visitors center is pretty small.

Alan Kennedy

We camped there for 4 days..the staff was very friendly..The camp site was nice and the showers and bathrooms were clean...Make sure u goto rabbit hash also if you goto Big Bone

Mike & Judy Snively

Very interesting, didn't know that this place is connected to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Seeing the Bison was also very cool.

Adam Marcucci

Bison were pretty cool. Fossils in museum were cool. Wish there was just a little more to do

Sabrina Short

Great place to camp, take your kids to the park, or just clear your mind. Getting harder everyda6 to find a wooded area just to watch the animals in their natural surroundings away from the busyness of city life. ☺️

Clinton Roushf%f

It was a good day to hike. Dress warm and 30f is just right. Gift shop open 9 to 3 PM. Big Bone is one of our favorite places.

Ashley Searcy

Really cool gift shop that had cool artifacts, fossils and gemstones. Cool nature hiking trails that lead to bison viewing which is cool. Grills to have a family cookout & lots of cool fossils and bones and other artifacts to see.

Petra Matoušková

Very nice park..trails are long enough and it's very nice to see bisons

Holly

Definitely recommend for families! We all learned a lot, had a great visit, and loved seeing the bison. A park ranger let the kids see some amazing bones and an actual mastodon tooth. There is a cute little gift shop. We camped for the night and would NOT recommend site 48 if you want any privacy or space (when booking, it appeared to be -near- a playground, instead we were nearly on the playground which would have been okay except we weren't tent camping & had many small children in& out all evening- I love kids, but they were running near our fire pit& a few were touching our tent& zipping the zippers. A man even walked straight through a few times, presumably to check on his kids, while awkwardly standing around super close, drinking his beer, & making my teenage daughter & myself kind of uncomfortable). Not a reflection on the campgrounds, just not a great site choice.

Karen Dalton

We had a great time at Big Bone! The museum was small, but very nice. There was a surprising amount of artifacts and info. The paths are lovely, the plaques are informative and it was a great time. The trek to the Buffalo is about .5 Miles from the lot, and not the easiest hike for those requiring canes, but it was a lovely hike with the children, with absolutely beautiful Buffalo at the end.

Paula Szekely

Live Bisons and museum. Due to torrential rain some areas were closed off but it was November! We will be back in spring.

Angelo Serra

Excellent park with a very informative visitor center. The fact that you can get within 10-20 feet of the bison gives you a real appreciation for their size. Nice hiking trails and beautiful scenery.

Orlando SH Hidalgo

Great park, nice 2 mile trail, but not very big.

Amy Thiery

Nice little park. It needs some TLC. The signs are no longer legible. The gift shop is nice and reasonably priced. The displays in the museum/gift shop should not be missed.

Sylvia Zehnder

We love Big Bone! Playing in the creek is our favorite!

Janet Miller

Nice park with small museum so kids will enjoy. bison herd was smaller than I expected but fun to go walk out to see.

Chris VB

Nice place to stay. Campground was clean. Playground was a bit small for the amount of campers. Site were horribly uneven, but still it was clean very well kept state run park.

Ron Cordless

Nice, simple, clean park with a small but interesting "museum"/shop, with some trails to observe wildlife, nature, and even some displays. Parking is sufficient.

Nate

Nice quiet campground and a great place to take children. Has mini golf!

mm ll

compact park with ammenaties, small museum, golf coarse, and short hiking trails. little expensive for a someting supported by tax dollars

Angela Burwinkel

Beautiful park with a short hike that leads to the field holding the bison. None were out this evening but it was still a great time.

Anissa Martinez

Bison weren’t too far from the parking lot, not as much to see as I thought but it wasn’t too bad, I’d go back.

Scott Hatten

Great place to go if you are looking to spend some time with the buffalo's.

Sandali Slayman

Okay place.museum was closed due to pandamic and opens few days a week.

Noah Belcher

On the rustic side but has showers and laundromat available. We rather enjoyed our stay. The kids particularly loved the bison.

Drew Driver

We enjoyed it...it was a peace...ful environment to visit...and found a new place to camp affordably

Kelsey Stewart

We just left this spot, April 21,2021. Fantastic area and really great staff :) they were so helpful! A nearby campsites' dog got loose while they were away, and the ranger and staff stayed the whole time to make sure the owners came back and the area campers were safe. (It was a German Shepard who was doing his job- protecting his campsite!) the only downside was the space between the water taps and the camping area- just make sure you bring your hose extension! The sites were equipped with electric and the campsite had a community dump station. It was very clean and the area was beautiful! A half hour drive both ways to the creation museum and the ark encounter! Highly recommend this spot :)

Jacob Wahlman

Nice day trip. Buffalo were great! Park extremely clean.

Stacy Hatfield

Was so peaceful and beautiful very nice relaxed place to visit will def visit again

Donna Heffner

Excellent experience. Wonderful museum which taught me things I never knew (age 73). Great for kids of all ages. Very nice, well kept campground.

Raymond Loren Naylor

Nice camping area and hiking trails. Informative historic signs need to be replaced as they are deteriorated. Buffalo herd is neat.

Yojimbo

Beautiful place to camp out! Stayed here to visit the creation Museum and the Ark in nearby Kentucky, and couldn't be happier with my experience. We were able to do the short walk and see the big group of Bison on the property early one morning as well. Highly recommend for camping whether tent or RV camping.

Bob and Sheri

Nice place to camp. Enjoyed museum and buffalo.

Steve T (Steve T.)

Great place for a walk, playgrounds for the kids... And campgrounds. This place has it all.

Samuel Morgan-Jablonski

I dropped my youngest off here for the afternoon and all I could think to say was, "Bison!" This place has a hilarious name but is actually really amazing! I have done several hikes and trial runs here and always enjoyed it.

Jason Showell

Small park with lots of great history! Clean restrooms, showers. Mini golf. Pool. Playground. Short, easy hiking trails. And Bison!

Beverly Denehy

The space between sites is good-not close. The staff during check in were not very personable. The showers had good water pressure and plenty of hot water but need some general cleaning. The pool was closed during our stay-this was one of the reasons we chose to stay here with grandchildren. The bison exhibit was good and the caretaker who was there was great. He took time to talk to us about the herd.

Rodney Shaffer

Stopped by for a picnic on a beautiful day. We found a picnic table and enjoyed our picnic under 2 beautiful maple trees.

Sherri Fryman

It's very beautiful plenty of trails lake fishing the ground are well taken care of you can put a tent up of rv parking with water and electric shower and laundry it's just amazing

Angela Young

Excellent place to take little ones hiking for the first time. There are many trails that are a perfect length for beginners or ones for seasoned hikers. The bison trail was super fun for our little ones because you can see the bison up close. There's a neat little visitor center with some history of the area and artifacts. There are picnic tables for lunch and a playground that the kids loved playing on. Excellent park and so close to the city! Definitely looking into camping there soon!

Tarah Oglesby

Mask wearing is enforced in the museum theyll kick you out. The trails are well paved and marked. Bison were close to the fence and easily viewable. The salt spring was an interesting stop and I enjoyed reading the informational plaques. Lots of native wildflowers and wildlife. Dogs are welcome on leashes. Great place to bring your kids for a day at the park. Plenty of picnic tables and benches

Jennifer Griffin

Stayed there 1 night, no reservation, walk in. We were able to get a fantastic site near hiking trails. We took our 2 dogs on the trail to see the bison. Highly recommend but don't make the same mistake I did and wear appropriate shoes! It is not a little walk in the woods and flip flops are not appropriate and dangerous. Beautiful area, we are already planning on staying another night on our road trip back south.

Deborah Lane

We spent just 2 nights, but enjoyed this park. The museum is fascinating, including the outside display with life size models of mammoths and sloths. The staff was exceptionally attentive. When I realized I'd hiked too far to comfortably trek back to our RV, I was cheerfully given a ride to it. The ranger who have me a lift was well versed on the history of the park and the bison . The showers at the bathhouse at the pool had hot water and were clean and private. Lots more could be said, but if you have a chance to visit this park, I think you'll love it!

Heather Lynn

I had no idea there was a Bison viewing area here. We didn't see any, but we didn't walk the entire trail. The river has an amazing feel to it. This was a place I'd always wanted to stop. So glad we did!

x20020x

Neat Location good place for a walk.

George blanchet

Very proud of our hometown state park. This park is the birthplace of the American archeology. There is so many thing to learn and do for the whole family at Big Bone. Great trails to hike on and a large bison heard viewing area. I personally love the suspension bridge that goes across the creek. If you like to trout fish in a little creek this is the place to do it. Check the Kentucky department of fish and wildlife for stocking times.

B R

Went a bunch as a kid and teenager but this is the first time back in a long while. The park is still in great shape and the couple park rangers we talked to were very helpful.

Gretchen Rae

I really love this park and would love to come back. Smaller than the parks I'm used to in Indiana but that's ok! If you have kids there is a play area, pool and putt putt right in the campground area. Plenty of spots with a view of this area. We camped in the back because we don't have kids so I would highly recommend studying the map when making your reservation. It was so very quiet other than the sound of nature. Only 60 some camping sites so be mindful of that and plan ahead. All have water/electricity and use of bathhouse. Lots to do for free. I could spend all day reading all the stuff in the museum. Very interesting and educational. Sadly we did not see the bison, too hot for them and the lake was closed due to a leak in the dam. If you need to buy firewood do it early in the day. We made the mistake of waiting till we came back to our site late in the evening. The campstore was closed and there were not any camp hosts on site at the time. I loved how laid back and chill it was. Being familiar with several state parks in Indiana this was so different. Back home DNR are always patrolling around almost with a chip on their shoulder and like they are looking for something to nitpick you about. Not here! All staff was super friendly, they've even won an award for it and I can see why.

Lauren Tucker

It's so cool to know I live so close to such a historically significant place. It's a really gorgeous spot, and the visitors center is nice and well landscaped. The staff were very helpful and kind as well. You'll probably learn something, and you might get to see a baby bison

Jonathan Morrison

Camping, fishing, hiking trails picknic areas and bison heard viewing area. Great outdoor activities.

Charles Keller

Always a fun place to visit. The history is fascinating and the bison that currently live there are impressive beasts. We hiked the area. The trails are clearly marked but it's either up or down hill. That's the nature of the geology. But it was a great walk in the woods.

Nichole Schwartz

Love it. Didn't see bison but did see squirrels, a wolf spider and a doe with 2 fawns.

Jason Richard

Great park, very clean but bring extra leveling blocks and 2 fresh water hoses. This was the largest L to R discrepancy in any park I've been to. We had to raise the passenger side 5". I also saw several sites with a huge front to back difference. One guy's rig was raised so high i could almost walk under the tongue of his trailer (definitely an exaggeration but it was up there). I had a 100 ft fresh water hose and it wasn't long enough, luckily I've experienced this before and had an extra hose. Very cool seeing the bison and there are plenty of hiking trails. I gave only 4 stars for the REALLY uneven sites.

Jason Manning

Fun trails, Awesome bison to see, and a great museum.

Sharon Brown

It was fun to be out in the beauty of God's creation. Even though it was hot and muggy just like always at the park we all enjoyed our time there.

Daphney Winters

Their campgrounds are immaculate. They do a very good job keeping their facilities and grounds clean. The sites all have electrical and water hook-up and are nicely spaced out so you don't feel like you're on top of neighboring campers. It's a great stopping point for michiganders breaking up a trip to Florida.

Emily Rogers

The bison were cool

Charlie Martin

Clean, safe, and plenty to do. The little store at campground is small and has basic stuff so if you coming to camp, stock up before you get here. And putt putt has new turf.

Daniel Mitchell

Awesome place with museum and gift shop. Beautiful grazing fields.

K. Bryan White

We love going to Big Bone to hike there, see bison. Looking forward to the Salt Fest this fall.

Kyle Johnson

The camp grounds are nice, but good use some improvements like full hookups. The hiking trails aren't overly exciting, but very secluded and calming. The play gym was nice, but the basketball courts and tennis courts could have used some work. We last visited at the very beginning of Spring, so this is no surprise after winter. Overall, great place to visit, camp, and you can stay busy during a weekend trip.

P. L. Hackman

Great Family Trip, make a day of it. Museum, hiking to see the Bison. CAMPING area and great playgrounds and picnic areas. Trails are nice, but may be steep. Also an Awesome area that shows the area when the Mammoths were here. Like stepping in the past. Although new signage is needed. Clean bathrooms at the Museum (Parents take note) And great museum store with lots of snacks so everyone can survive the next step of our family fun days. Ladies at the store are pretty Wonderful!!!!

William Hardin

I have been there several times , well worth stopping...

Linda Cox

Great place to camp. Kinda far out, but good facilities. Nice showers, laundry, dump, etc. Our hose would not reach for water as we have a small trailer.. So needed another one. No complaints.

G L

Big Bone Lick State Park on Beaver Lick Road. Insert adult jokes here... Nice quiet park. There is a campground, playground, walking trails and a visitor center. There are also replicas of the wooley mammoths that once roamed the area. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is because there isn't a pool onsite and no primitive tent camping sites. It is still a very nice park to visit and if you have an RV, it is a nice place to stay. Approximately 5 miles away is a small area called Rabbit Hash Kentucky. It is a local place where people that enjoy motorcycles and cars like to visit and have a drink and food while sitting by the river.

Dan Hamilton

Great camping and picnic park, but the other services are limited. It hosts a wonderful Salt Festival paying tribute to pioneers and native Americans each October, but unfortunately, Covid has caused its cancellation for 2021.

Lou Ray

What a beautiful park! We loved the gift shop and the employees are awesome!

Regina McIntosh

Pretty interesting little park. We went fossil hunting and checked out the bison. Amelia was a fantastic park guide during our fossil hunting excursion! Looked like a nice place to RV camp. Didn't see too much shade for tent campers however. Lots of interesting history and natural beauty!

Brandie Capito

One of the greatest places in northern Ky. Want to see a bison, they got it. Need a field to play baseball for it, basketball got it, tennis got it. They have camping as well during certain times of the year. All kinds of events through out the year.

Krystal Baker

Very cool place. We just missed being able to go in the museum (closes at 4), but did the hiking trails by the creek and to visit the buffalo. Very well maintained trails, even with a toddler and older grandparents we had no trouble getting around.

Agent Willis

Nice little campground. Water,electric ans clean facilities. There's a playground, nearby trails and a pool (during season).

Marti W

We are thoroughly enjoying our stay here. The campground has decent size sites, clean bathroom and laundry facilities. The hiking trails are great. And our visit to the museum and to see the Bison was also a treat. A rich piece of history that is begging to be explored.

Kevin Huey

Had been meaning to take a trip here for a long time. Finally made it out on a beautiful summer morning. The trails around bison heard were a little rough, but easy to follow. We hiked about 1.5 miles mostly in the woods. The salt springs were very interesting, and stinky. Kids enjoyed the little museum with bones and fossils. Took a star away because we felt a little put off by some employees assuming that we would ignore the rules about not collecting fossils. Enjoy don't destroy

Garth Goodyear

Very informative about history of salt lick and loved mastadon bones. Live American bison were an extra bonus.

Bill Middendorf

A little bit disappointed. Many years ago, you used to be able to drive down and park in a small gravel parking lot and observe the bison. Now you have to park at the museum and hike down. I'm 64 years old with osteoarthritis in both knees, so it makes that a little bit of a challenge to enjoy. I know with Covid-19 they had to remove a lot of the picnic tables, but they could stand to scatter a few more around in the park, it was a very popular day in November and very difficult to find a place to sit and have a picnic lunch.

Shawn Andrews

This is a nice park. If you get there at the right time you can see the bison really close up. The trails are neat and informative. The museum is ho hum though and the staff there is rude and overbearing. So much for southern hospitality. Paul out by the bison was warm, friendly, and informative though.

John Williams

Had An excellent visit today to Big Bone Lick state park. Paul Simpson was out at the Bison pasture and endured us asking him question after question about the herd, it was a wonderful experience and he was so knowledgeable about the herd and everything about them. He really made our visit memorable.

Sara Wagner-Eversman

My husband and I stayed here overnight. Everyone was welcoming and very nice. Beautiful wooded camp sites. Hiking, bison wild turkey. They have a pool and putter golf. The lake was closed because of a dam leak. But that is something unpreventable, everyone has had so much rain. The camp hosts were so nice and really kept things cleaned up. The lady at the camp store was very nice too. We will be going back. If you haven't been here you should try it out.

Jennifer Hatfield

Very small park. We would like to go back and see the Visitor's Center. The Bison are a 5 min or so hike with small hills. There is also a trail around the Bison enclosure. They have lots of room to roam so be prepared to follow extra trails to see them. A lot of history surrounds the area and a walking path is there with good information.

Jesse Furtick

This was our second trip to Big Bone Lick, and we enjoyed it very much. It is a beautiful area with amazing scenic driving areas and lots of wildlife. It is still close enough to grocery stores and restaurants to be convenient, but far enough away to be out of the hustle and bustle. We had a great time and looking forward to our next trip.

Thomas Palmer

Nice campground, sites are a little short, but they've added parking. Bring extra water hoses, one spigot post between two sites. I needed three 25 foot lengths. Decent short hikes around the perimeter. Great for kids. Playgrounds seemingly everywhere.

Teresa Morris

Clean campsites. Bring an extra long hose. The water is between sites. Also sites are not level so tire chalks and blocks will be needed.. Has laundry facilities. Clean bathrooms and hot showers. Also had several Deer visitors every morning and evening.

Melissa Hollingsworth

This is one of the nicest parks in the state! The camp store manager is awesome and the campground hosts are amazing! We took a group of 16 families from our cub scout pack. The staff was so wonderful with us. They checked in with us numerous times to make sure we had everything we needed. The park ranger was joking around with the kids and even shared some dinner. It was great! They were just so good to us. I can't wait to go back.The kids and parents had a blast!

Alan Inkenbrandt

My wife and son and I camped here for a week this June. It's a small park, but there's plenty of interesting things to do. The campground is well maintained with plenty of shade on most of the lots. The pool is not fancy, but nice, and there's a cute mini-golf course. The trails are easy to moderate, which is good if, like me, you have to carry your child most of the way! But of course the star attractions are the bison, the museum, and the sulphur springs. The museum is quite small, but we enjoyed seeing the huge mastodon skull and other fossils on display. My son was particularly impressed with the life-sized Ice Age sculptures behind the museum. The best part was the fact that there was a real fossil dig going on--we got to observe and ask questions of the paleontologists. We will definitely camp here again!

Blake Myers

Nice easy hike down to the buffalo herd.

Martin Cabela

Have many times passed the sign off of i-75 and wondered what was here. Enjoyed the drive to and from the park through the winding country roads. The park has a few small parking areas, one with a playground, one with restrooms another at the welcome center. Still had to look or wait for a parking spot on a Saturday morning. Very large crowd at the welcome center so we opted to not go in....There were about 25 people huddled in front of the entrance to the trail... We walked around them thinking they were rude during this Covid time. They had an interpretive session in front of the Bison but not enough space to spread people out.

ADG Productions

This is one of my favorite parks in the country. Several trails that total over 3 miles of hiking. Camping area that is gated and fishing. Historical park has information and post around the park providing information about the historical and prehistorical past of the area. There is also quite a few Bison that live protected in the park. Viewing areas lets you get pretty close to them. Great for hiking and camping enthusiasts to the "let's go to the park for a bit" for a short time out. Closes at dusk and had handicapped accessible entrances.

Brian Neuses

It has a pool which is nice. The hiking trails and being able to see the bison is also a plus. Here are the downfalls.... It is pretty far out (which could also be a benefit) and most of the pads are not very level and surprisingly small. Also the very last hill to get to the campground is a monster going up and coming back down.

michael stephens

Great place to go camping . Be sure to bring a extra water hose. Most water hook up are more than 50ft away. Bring extra leveling block . But a very quiet and relaxing place

Christopher Brady

Always a fun stop. They have everything you're looking for: fishing, camping, hiking, mini golf, and bison.

Brandy Hilshorst

Great park for families. Little campground but very nice has a pool and a playground. Had a lot of activities a cool museum. Will definitely be back.

Whitney H

This is a really nice place to visit! They have bison to see. We stayed at the campground & had fun going down the hiking trails. The campground was well maintained & had 3 camp hosts. Very nice shower house. The pool was closed while we were there because of the coronavirus. If we are in the area again, we will stay here again.

PopOff Marketing

Excellent State Park tucked back off the main roads of Boone County. I love coming here for a long hike throughout the numerous trails. There's an amazing lake you can walk around or a bison reserve that you can stop and admire the massive beasts at. Oh, and if you're looking to stay a while there is a camp ground with rv parking and water hookups. Definitely recommend.

Laurina Sigmon

We really enjoyed seeing the bison. The bathrooms were clean. The campsite was well lit. We tent camped with 3 children ages 8, 10, and 12. Four stars instead of five because: The campsite is set up for RVs mostly (one bath house and pretty muddy). We actually weren't huge fans of the museum. It was really tiny and not very interesting to be the birth place is vertebrate paleontology in the US. Also, the camp store had weird hours. It was never open when we needed to buy wood or ice.

Chris Corigliano

I love this State Park. From the many hiking trails to sports courts and camping area this area place has it all. I usually take my dog through the trails and over by the Bison roaming area. They really are amazing creatures. Everything is well maintained and clearly marked. Highly recommend.

Cheryl Pace

Some interesting hikes. The bison are by far the main attraction.

Krysta Wolfangel

I love Big Bone Lick. I took my children here many times when we lived in Kentucky. Kids can play by the creek or observe the lake. I took my kids (3 and 1 year) on the trails but quickly realized the trails are difficult. I returned later to complete the trails alone. Trails are long and in places difficult but very beautiful and great views. Getting to the bison is easy and my young children did not have a problem.

jeff wallace

Pretty cool we went on Sunday cmy kids see museum an outside activity spear throwing pretty cool

Jana MacRae

Always a great walk. History and Bison.

Brenda Warner

This is third time we have camped here and we love this state park. The host & hostess are wonderful! Nice clean place and our lot was a back in. Will absolutely stay here when we come back to see the Ark in Williamstown, KY and B& B Dinner Cruise. Would highly recommend this park!

John Faehr

We were born and raised here in the area. Spent at 3 to 4 days a week in the summer. If they had a space we were in it. We have 4 sons and my wife and I worked opposite shifts so we could spend time with our boys. Have brought our grandchildren here also. We have been here for 2 weeks. And we are disappointed in the way the park is keeper. The beautiful fields that ran along 338 we mowed now weeds three foot tall. And your staff throughout could use some work. You can walk into your museum and not be spoken to. Grass in campground needs to be taken care of better. Still love the park just think you could do more.

Erica Kuhns

Very neat to see the bison! They have signs to read about the natural salt run and other interesting facts about the ice age relating to the bison and mammoths found in the area, I just wish they were more biblically true.

jeff hollman

Sites are paved. However, not all of them are as long or wide as what we like, and a few of them were so unlevel that we could not even use them. Restroom/showers were in need of repairs/maintenance, and could stand to be more thoroughly cleaned, more often. Showers were hot with good pressure! Park is clean and beautiful. Attendants and staff are friendly and helpful. We had a great time and enjoyed our stay!

Jeff Gillman

We love camping at this park. Nice trails, a pool in the summer, mini-golf, and the bison. Showers and bath house are always kept clean. Tough to get a spot sometimes, but well worth it when you do.

Jeremy Peter

My family and I love this park. We go as often as possible. The kids love the bison, museum, and playground. Now that they are getting bigger, we are starting to explore the trails-which are excellent as well. Can't recommend enough.

Andrea Caruolo

We've stayed at this park a few times while visiting Cincinnati. Nice campground, well maintained. Did not use the facilities. There is interesting info in the visitor's center about the Dinosaurs that also visited here!

Abe Coogan

Great family friendly environment with a pool, putt putt golf, hiking trails, baseball fields, playgrounds and plenty of options for camping spots for you campers out there. The sites have water and electricity run to them, but lack a full sewage hookup. Another positive is that on all holiday weekends they have a recreation director that sets up historical activities for the kids. I've been coming here for 15+ years and it's amazing.

Kieran Gill

Loved the experience from the smell of the clover by the carpark, to seeing the bison up close.

crayrobert5

A fantastic and interesting park. Lots of good walking trails, and the bison are awesome. You can see them up close from a trail.

christina fightmaster

Beautiful place with lots of history. We were a little disappointed that we didnt get to see the Buffalo.

Jess Kidding

This historic site is beautifully executed, the trails are clean, and well marked. The animals are magnificent and well cared for. I had a wonderful time hiking with my kids and learning the historal geography and fauna and Flora of the area.

ned hafen

A very nice state park with interesting history. Good hiking trails, but some closures currently. The museum is small but interesting. No entrance fee was charged, but maybe for camping site.

Chris Hill

There are a few short trails to hike, one goes close to the Bison. Great museum. The lake area is closed right now, but camping is open.

Clint Willson

Absolutely beautiful! Now it doesn't compare to Red River Gorge in size, but its good place to fish and hike that isn't very far away from the Ohio River. If you like nature and appreciate history this is a great place to spend time and explore!

David Moore

Just driving around and we made a stop to checkout the park. The drive my opinion is scenic. We made the walk along the trail to see the Bison loved it. The park is nice and maintained and very quiet nice little get away. If you are looking for something to do consider this park.

Savannah Dalton-Ardisson

Great place. This was my third time here. The campground is nice, the pool is great, and the museum, and trails are very cool. The bison trail is a good walk, but it wasn't so long that I felt exhausted afterwards (mostly shaded trail). Great location, and wonderful park :)

Mrs. Frankenstein

I absolutely love this park! We make the 4 hour drive from Tennessee as often as possible. The Bison are BEAUTIFUL! The lady named Shawn at the gift shop is amazing! They have awesome bison gifts in the gift shop and the museum connected has a lot of neat things. Make the trip is very well worth it!

Robert

Nice small museum adequately providing information about the interesting discovery of the mastadon, mammoth and sloth by the French and subsequent involvement of Thomas Jefferson and Lewis and Clark. Folks interested in paleontology and archeology should make a visit. Located in a beautiful area of northern Kentucky. Not difficult to get there. Close to I-75 I visited on a cold day in November and wasn't prepared to walk the trails. The park looks like it is a good place for campers who have young children.

Dayton Dawson

Nice campsite, small park...lake was closed so no fishing

WorthAShotFarm Allie

Beautiful trails that are dog friendly. It was great to see the bison up close.

Cindy S

Apparently they have bison here but we did not see them. Quiet place with trails.

Ethan alex

A good place not best for dogs I recommend bringing water and sit at thare Benches

Susan Cox

Great place to camp with lots to do with the museum, the bison, hiking, etc. Friendly staff and clean facility. Appreciated the spacious camp sites too as opposed to some other state parks. Great value since we had water AND electric.

Tim Marshall

We were looking for something off the beaten path, and this was a great park. We created our own adventures by picking a few blackberries, and hiking the park road from the campground down to the lake. From there we found a steep footpath, and using Google maps found our way uphill through the woods right back to the campsite. Since we camped, we got a bundle of firewood, and enjoyed lots of fireflies at dusk. We went out of the park for dinner one evening and had a great time with the locals and happened to hit "steak night" at Boonedocks Pub and Grub, which was a great deal and quality food at only $12. Everything was great!

Mary Harmon

The campsites are spread out which is nice. Extremely unlevel paved sites. Bring lots of leveling blocks and boards to level your rig! Only one restroom for the entire campground. Not handicapped friendly due to narrow site drives edged by gravel, gravel trail to bison, and steep sidewalk to salt lick exhibit.

C J

Excellent place to take a group of kids. Nice safe trails. Great building with a nice exhibit and gift shop. Park rangers are friendly and knowledgeable. They were great at answering my middle schoolers questions. Kids had fun looking for fossils in creek.

Sara Austin

Probably the only place in America where you can see live bison in their natural environment! It's a national park so they have a huge campground as well. Playgrounds, paved trails, mini golf and more.

Debbie Fryman

we had fun we walked back and seen Buffalo they got a baby

Phillip Gill

While I wasn't here all that long, what I saw was actually pretty neat. The visitor center has some great haitory about the area and they have some cool fossils as well. You can also take a short walk down to the live bison they have at the park. The bison are neat to see and worth the shprt trip. From looking at the map, it also looks like they have an area for camping and many trails to hike throughout the park itself. Definitely a neat trip and there is some neat history to learn about the area.

Jason Vlietstra

We have one complaint on the campground. While the size of the site is adequate the fire pits are too close to the trailer. It could easily be set another 20 feet away but for some reason it wasn't.

Dustin Bingham

Excellent location to explore and spend a day with the family! Great little places to learn about the area and the history behind it. Not to mention the excellent hiking the trails! Also, don't forget one particular attraction, the Bison! What amazing beasts!

Larry W.

Employee was rude on the phone when asked if hammock sites were available, they have a policy of no hammocks even though ours just sling around the trunk with no hooks or anything. It's fine they don't allow hammocks but she was very rude about it. Cool to see bison herd, great views and the museum is cool.

Kathy Patton

The park was clean and enjoying. We will be back to see more sites in the area.

Crisandra De Sousa

Great campground, very well maintained. Quite and well run. 45 min drive to the Ark, and Creation Museum. The park was perfect for our stay. Nice pool for the kids, water and electric hook up with a very well placed dump station.

John Campbell

Campground itself is awesome. Most sites do not have a lot of shade if any. Be aware, there is only one bathhouse/restroom for the entire campground. This usually results in lines to take a shower during high capacity.

Adam A

Nice camp! Sites around 11 are real nice I stayed in 28 and it was a hike.

Angeline K

Not a lot to do. Bison where a bit far out in a field to see.

James Fields

So, honestly, we came here because of the name - could not resist, and you have to admit there's a juvenile level of humor there. But - it was a super nice state park. There's a lot of very interesting exhibits, there are live bison, the interpretive center is well done, the store has nice souvenirs, and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I am really happy we detoured to see the place.

Nathan Hollenbeck

Went because of the awesome name! Pretty park.

Eric E (ericemn)

We love the Big Bone Lick State Park campground. It's always a great experience.

John Abraham

We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Big Bone Lick. Amelia was absolutely terrific in making us feel at home here during our stay. Paul, the Bison-Go-To-Guy, was great in helping us understand the park, its history, and the importance and mechanics of the bison program. The park could definitely use some updating, but it is still special and well worth the visit.

Chris Waller

Arrived at park water connection was pretty far away had to purchase 100 ft hose used all of 90 ft. Wasn’t to happy about that. Lots are paved and clean Not very level. People working are friendly and nice.

Douglas Battson

Nice campground. Hadn't been here camping before. Only wish that the weather had cooperated better. Activities are fun. Unfortunately due to the virus, the pool was closed. Little disappointed in the amount of wood that was included with their bundle.

Agustta Stevens

The bison were great! We happened to be there during the time of a tour which was great! The sulfer spring area was a little off season but the wood was VERY slick. My husband slipped. (Be extra careful!)I wish we had had more time time and better weather! We'll be back!

DecalRanch

This is a place for all ages. Nice parks for the kids to play. Nice little museum about the parks history. Then add in a heard of bison that are basically as right in front of you. To it off one just had a baby a few weeks before or visit. Love the place and normally head there a few times a year.

Ronald Julio

Very nice smaller campground with very easy to back in spots. Sites where very nice size. We where there in March so it was rather cold. The roads to get to the campgrounds are rather narrow and be ready to have a ship in the open seas experience. Otherwise a very nice place.

Bob Wil

This is a great Kentucky State Park lots of hiking trails interesting things to see and our campground host Howard and Debbie just some great people. Julie it's so helpful in the office to get us to where the camping site is. to help us out and Tanya in the office is also very helpful and cares about what we need.

Matthew Gegner

Very nice people in the camper host trailers. The girl in the shop is not too people friendly. Acts like she hates her job and you are bothering her to be in there.

John Campbell

We only stayed at Big Bone Lick State Park one night. The campsites were well-spaced and ours was fairly flat. There were some that were almost unusable in my option. We were not with children but there were lots of kids there, having a great time in the swimming pool and the playgrounds and riding their bikes. By 10:00 everything got real quiet so that was no problem that way. If you're going to use the water at your campsite bring a really long hose cuz the spigot is shared between the well spaced sights. We didn't use the dump station but saw other people using it. It could accommodate two vehicles at a time and it was very busy when everybody was leaving. I would not come here again because it's 10 miles off of I-75 on a very narrow country road and the people that live there locally were driving over the centerline quite often. Kind of scary when you're driving a Class A coach on an unfamiliar road.

William Drake

Nice park, spent 2 nights.

Javin Mink

Enjoyed seeing the Bison. Pathway could use a little TLC.

Alyson Gerwe

This small gem of a park boasts a herd of Buffalo, a natural salt spring, hiking trails, playgrounds, and a nice small exhibit in the Visitors Center showcasing fossils found in the park. Also, there is a campground. A word of warning. While there is a paved trail to the salt spring and a mulched trail leading to the buffalo, the other hiking trails are super muddy if it has rained recently. The trails are mainly natural clay and there is no mulch on the trails, so it’s super slick. The staff at the visitors center apparently can tell which trail someone has been on by the amount of mud they come covered back in. The history of the park is fascinating and worth checking out in the Visitors Center.

Kimberly Berry

We camped there last summer and it was a nice park but they have a serious raccoon problem. I walked by the dumpster after dark and there were several mean raccoons. I'm glad I didn't have my little dogs with me. They were ready to attack. We saw a few raccoons wandering around camp sites late at night too. I've done a lot of camping aver the years and have never encountered this.

Tristan V

If you have an RV, this place has good sites with electricity and water hookups. However, there aren't any biking trails, and they're really bad for hiking too. No cell service, and really slow WiFi at the camp store. (Password is Blue1234) Camping is OK, and the pool is nice, but there's really not much to do here other than look at the bison.

Ashlee Overton

Such a beautiful park, I love hiking around the lake. They have a campground for those who want to stay overnight. The bison are always fun to see, especially when the babies are first born.

Rhonda Churchward

The campground is a nice little place. The area around is beautiful. The museum is nice and informative. We will definitely be back.

Reginald Smith

Came into campground in the dark. Left the next morning in the rain. Early November 2019. Bathhouse was modern and heated. Camp sites were paved. Very nice. Did not take a photo.

David Rowell

Campsite was nice and clean. Liked the hiking trails though I wish there were more and the Bison weren't near the fence to see when I was there. The nature center/museum had some cool things inside though

Kimberly Beck

A history lesson in a day trip. Short hiking trails through old Maples, Oaks and Ash trees. I visited in early November so the leaves we're changing. There were several bison calves with their mothers in the field. The campground is placed on top of the hill with great views and privacy. The museum has fossils of the giant creatures that used to roam the earth there including a giant ground sloth. The gift shop has cute, kitschy items for kids and adults.

Geoff Sebesta

Once you go to this park, you will understand why they can't change the name. It is the lick of a river, and they found a lot of big bones there. Everything from mammoths to giant sloths. The modern science of paleontology began right here. I went with my little daughter, and we had a wonderful time. She even saw a bison. They have actual living bison there. Recent studies are showing that the animals that died at the lick did not just wonder passively into muddy ground and perish. The First Nation tribes that lived in the area were very enthusiastic about leading animals into that morass and killing them while they were defenseless. Interesting.

K. Payne

This was a good place for a quick hike (1.5 hrs). Great for families, dog friendly, 'hike' .5 miles to visit the bison, most of the paths we hiked were well shaded.

Star Staubach

We attended a Native American Festival held at Big Bone Lick. The festival was shaving. I loved the dancing, drumming and singing. Be sure to visit the local herd of Bison who live in the park, but adhere to signs advising you against feeding them. There are a few feisty bison who can be aggressive. Great historic destination.

Russell Milbourn

I walk the little creek to fish, its a ton of fun, full of bass and trout. The trails are well maintained. The signs about keeping your dog leashed are not for show..... They will say something to you.

Corey H

I wanted to stop by here for awhile and I had finally had the chance. I enjoyed walking the trails and checking out the exhibit inside. I was disappointed the gift shop wasn’t open. It said it was open 11-3 but it was locked up. I would like to come back in the summer and enjoy the park in better weather.

Amos Gaylord

Stayed at the campground for a night on our trip out west, our pad was not level and most of the amenities were closed early. Pretty location however and the trails were nice

David Phelps

This place helped us out in a pinch. I cannot say enough good things about Big Bone Lick Campground. We ran into a situation a few miles away at another campground (Oak Creek) double booking our site. After arguing with them for a while (they told us "it wasn't their problem") we demanded our money back. We had our travel trailer already hooked up so we called Big Bone. Could not get through because of being after hours. We decide to drive there as our last option. When we get there we talked to the camp host about our situation and he is more than helpful. They put us on the last site they had which was the emergency site they have. They had other sites opening up the next day so it was just for the night. We moved to site #25 that was shady and quiet the next morning. The campground was very kid friendly and clean. The kids had a blast and our weekend wasn't ruined. Everyone we met there was very nice. THANK YOU VERY MUCH BIG BONE LICK STATE PARK

Daniel & Donna Glembot

Great State park in a great location, very clean with an incredible dedicated host staff. The only reason for the 4 star is because of a huge grade entering and exiting the camp site, and because of non-level lots. Our initial lot was so non-level we were moved to an emergency lot, which was perfectly level - outstanding customer service.

David Blair

Nice walk to see the bison. They were in the furthest grazing field so we got plenty of excersize.

Virginia Barriera

I like history so it was my first time here with my family. I recommend it so one can learn about the excations going on here, in addition one can go to the museum and see bones, teeth of the mammoths. In addition to other fossilized animals found at this mountain.

Chloe Mudd

We visited the Salt Festival today and it was wonderful! Definitely worth going to. Admission is $5 a person (over 5), and it's cash only. There were vendors and crafts folks as well as reenactors. Tons of food. We watched a dulcimer music performance, and it was beautiful! I learned a lot and my family had a ton of fun.

Shilpakala Chetan

Beautiful State Park. There are two eater options before entering the park, Before entering the park Boondocks and Beaverlick. The visitor center is closed on weekends. There are restrooms facility enroute to visitor center. The trails are quite easy to moderate. One of the closest place to Cincinnati for Bison watching. I could sight good number of bisons on my visit in December. A very good place for kids to enjoy the sight of Bisons. There are rest areas as well before entering the park through highway.

Tyrone Brown

So peaceful here. A wonderful place for you to take your family to take walks & look at the boison! Also you can camp here & there's playgrounds for the kiddos to play at. My son had a blast. The ladies at the gift shop was welcoming, comforting & so nice!

Cindy Criswell

Showers and laundry need to have lighting. Women's bathroom was dirty. But we enjoyed our stay this is our second time.

Carrie Schneder

What a wonderful experience right in our backyard if you live in the Cincinnati area!!

Peggy Murriner

The bison were busy when we visited and the new calves were running around. I could not believe how rich in American history this site was- the foundation of paleontology, the birth of the word extinction, Thomas Jefferson & even a vacation spot for British Royal family. We were early, there were no crowds, the gift shop was SO affordable for my kids & the gift shop manager was an enthusiastic hostess for all of Kentucky beauty.

Sooner Rosario

Great place to camp and sight see and hike and play. We camped here for 4 nights, was able to wash laundry ( pretty cheap), close to bathhouse, and park has a museum and lots of trails. Beautiful area.

Darrel Hutton

It's been a favorite of mine for years. It is a beautiful spacious park, That have both daily picnic areas, and camp sites for long term camping. A beautiful lake. Hiking trails. information & historical building. Basketball courts. Something for everyone who love the outdoors.

Dennis Pike

This state park was a delightful surprise as we were traveling through the area. The gentleman running the office was wonderfully helpful with information about the park and the surrounding area. As can be expected of most State Parks the utilities at the site are only water and electric and there is no wifi...and sprint phone service is virtually non existent. We loved the trails and the Bison heard and the historic nature of the Park. Would definitely stay here again when passing through.

BRD Gray

Awesome place to take the kids. Buffalo's were cool and the welcome center is brand new.

Shelley Gale

Camped four nights because of its location between the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. Very quiet. Staff patrols a lot which is actually kind of comforting. Staff was very helpful.

charlie keyes

We had a great time and great weather for July. There were a ton of kids there that our kids hung out with. Neighbors were nice and camp host were great. FYI do not go on trail around the lake. Very overgrown and my son and I now have poison ivy. Not to much fun at the time or now

Kara Johnson

We had time to kill in the morning so we searched for places to visit in the area. This was 20 mins from our hotel so we decided to run over and see this state park. It's a free park, easy walking trails with informational signs throughout the walk. When we got back to the information center/gift shop, we were asked if we had seen the bisons yet.... So of course we walked across the parking lot and went through the lovely trails to where the bison were being kept. The are slowly reintroducing bison to the area after they had been wiped out in that national forest. We learned about the natural salt springs that occurred here and how people used to collect salt from them. It turns out that the marshy salt springs were an archaeological gold mine! The topping to all this was the lady who was working at the gift shop that day. She was fantastic! Very helpful, had tons of stories and just enjoyed her so much! We eve went back to the site on our last day to pick up a few more gifts and donate to the park. It was worth it for us!

Catherine Corelli

My first visit to a historic place like this. Great park, fascinating scenery, excellent way to learn or to dip your toes into the history of our planet, our great country,and our wonderful state of Kentucky. I'll come back ♥️

Richard Kilgore

Great place to visit, archaeological state park interesting places to see.

Michelle Robinson

Lots of fun for the family.

Number Number

Nice little park with 50 to 60 sites, most of which are uneven, some very uneven. Some of the sites are under the trees, while others by the bathroom are more clustered together with less privacy. One very clean bathhouse with 3 or 4 showers. Top part of the campground sites 28, 29, etc have a pretty good Verizon 4g LTE signal with up to 5 to 10 Mbps download speed. Less of signal down by the bathroom and campoffice. Everyone was very friendly here, and they kept to themselves. Some trails. The lake trail was closed because of dam work. Some bison can be viewed here which is cool. The campground is somewhat off the beaten bath along a very curvy and HILLY rural route, but still pretty close to civilization - Florence Ky.

Guano

It's not all that amazing, but as a Paleontology nut, I really did enjoy learning about the history of Big Bone and the Salt springs. Be sure to take a look at the native Buffalo herd, and if you're lucky you may even catch a glimpse of a baby. If your kid is interested in prehistoric stuff, this would make for a fun day out, just make sure to bring hiking shoes as the trails can be muddy

Leslie Ballard

Trails are short. Walking on the gravel was rough. The womens bathroom at the visitor center was disgusting. They make you wear a mask regardless due to covid but you're more likely to catch something from the restroom.

Deborah Darington

I was so excited to be able to see the Bison. There was a sign when we walked in that said they may not be out because of the heat. Great experience!

debbie newman

Pretty cool place to hang out. Go on trails, check out Buffalo 🐃 playground and picnic areas can grill out. Loved learning about history of this area. Recommend for all ages and furbabies …

Lori Smith

Of the 3 state parks we stayed at, Big Bone Lick was the best. Camp sites are a nice space apart with Grass, nice pool and bathrooms were clean. We liked the exhibits on bison and trails with visitors center.

Sallyann Gullett

Wonderful state park. The Salt Spring trail is an easy trek and there is a nice view of Big Bone Creek and the salt lick. The salt lick gives off a sulpuric stink. The bison are not far from the museum/gift shop. The museum is small but has plenty of information about Big Bone Lick and if you enjoy rock collecting the gift shop has a nice, inexpensive selection.

Halbert Thomas

This is a historic site. Not just Early American historic but also pre-history historic. The park is beautiful and well-maintained and the campground area is very popular.

Kristina Rose

Ok this place is fantastic but don’t expect to come and have cell service. I was happy about this others not so much. The grounds are beautifully kept, the staff at the museum are very friendly. We took the walk to visit the bison, nice walk and they’re lovely.

Larry Clark

Great place to visit for a couple hours. Museum and hiking trails.

Anthony Kirby

Nice historical site. Unfortunately the lake is closed off. My only complaint is that the walking path isn't clearly marked. We thought the trail circled. It does not. And if it's hot, the bison will be found off the service road.

Matthew Houston

My family always enjoy it here. Fishing at their big pond, seeing the bison, visiting the salt lick museum where the "Big Bones" are displayed, and car camping during the decent weather. They have small festivals (the Salt Festival is a favorite) and activities often. The boys like to explore between multiple playgrounds and hiking paths.

Pat Taylor

We like this campground but a lot of the sites are not very level. Restrooms and showers are clean and plenty of hot water. Hiking trails are nice and hilly.

That Dude

Awesome park.....highly recommend hiking back to see the Buffalo herd

Rick Adkins

Outstanding with a small but very nice museum showing some of the archeology done onsite. Very nice campground, but no sewer hookups, and great hiking trails. Almost forgot to mention the small bison herd they have.

Michael Pfeiffer

This park has bision and lots of trails to walk on with beautiful landscape and wonderful photo opportunities. Check out a couple of my pics 😎 …

James Turner

Drove to Big Bone Lick State Park, arriving at dusk on Sat., Nov. 3, 2018. Destination picked as a terminus for a leaf-changing tour. Restrooms were open and clean, a definite plus. Park looked well-maintained. Only wish the bison could have been viewed from the road. Climb uphill from visitors center non-negotiable for 92-year-old mother-in-law and wheelchair-bound wife.

Mark Copen

We didn't get to see much of the park as we were only here for an overnight camping stay while traveling. The campground seemed clean and good showers in the bath house.

Lisa Romine

Very clean campground. Kids LOVED the playground. Weren't able to do spot the bison. Self guided trail was good - needs a bit of maintenance, but good and informative.

Kimberly Wolfe

It was a great week. I enjoyed going on hikes and setting around the fire. The park and shower house are very clean. They have a 5 star rating with me

Mark Cousino

Loved being so close to the bison. Also enjoyed the trail along the salt licks. Then we found a shaded area where we put out our lawn chairs and read & relaxed.... enjoyable, cheap entertainment

Angelo Lewis

Great place for family outdoor fun and camping.

James Southe

This was a nice park too visit.

daschel upton

Very nice, clean and quiet campground. Many of the rv sites, but not all, have an unusual side slant to them so make sure you bring your leveling bricks, boards or whatever to drive up on. Camp host is exceptionally nice and accommodating though a strange check-in anomaly did occur. Our reserved campsite was still occupied upon our arrival. Although check out is 1pm and check in is 3pm, the previous tennent deliberately didnt pack up til 2pm. Now me being early violated no rules, while his deliberate delinquency did violate the rules. This may be a distinction without a difference. I mentioned it to the host and he politely told me it doesnt matter. Well it really doesn't matter, I'm just crying foul. I've been in places where they actually fined you if you didn't leave on time. They build that hour buffer in so that there is not a confrontation. Like I said, it was just an anomaly and I've been camping for over 20 years and have never seen this happen once. Although i have been confronted several times across the country by people asking when i would vacate my site. Big Lick is nice, tho the spaces may be a bit close together, tempting several neighbors to want a conversation. PLEASE, i come from a major city for a few days of solitude. Camp your heart out but ignore your neighbor. Not everyone finds it amazing that you both have the same camper, dog or are from the same state. But I actually came to the area for the Creation Museum and the Ark encounter. The big lick museum, buffalo Overlook, lake, pool and paths were on a modest scale tho mostly ignored by me. Overall a nice getaway but dont expect large scale entertaiment, tours or national monuments, but i'd gladly trade all of that for clean sites and restrooms. (which they did have!)

JEREMY TACKETT

There was a walking trail that took us to see the bison and all through the wooden area and it was a journey up and down hills. Our 3ur old hiked it, take some water to drink. I thought we were never gonna get out of there.

Marc Eliany

A well maintained park with a museum and trails, picnic and camping areas, very close to Cincinnati and northern Kentucky towns and cities.great for kids too.

yellowbusguy

Very nice campground. Lots of space between sites which affords privacy. The entire park is very well maintained, clean bathhouse. Expect raccoon raiding parties at night!

IceKeyblade

Beautiful little park with hiking, camping, boating, play areas, mini golf, and a small free museum/gift shop. The highlights of this park is the natural salt and sulfer springs as well as the bison herd that lives in an enclosure on the property.

James Riley

Had a great time at the park today. Seen the Bison, Loved it. Checked out the Museum and learned some interesting things. Took one trail, want to come back to check out the other trails. A must see.

Doug Crabtree

Big Bone Lick State Park is Deep in Boone County Kentucky.. This Place is Amazing with the deep woods the Historical feelings your left with from the land and The Buffalo that Rome the lands to the Old camp Grounds to the Fishing Lake... Big Bone Lick State Park has Everything you'll need to enjoy a day out by yourself or a Walk in the Park with Your companion or to a week long trip with your family.. Enjoy Big Bone State Historical

Josh Bosse

Our family loves this campground. Friendly hosts and overall pretty clean. We love how close some of the sites are to the park and the pool.... Perfect for camping with little ones. On site laundry too.

Krista Gingrich

Awesome camp experience! Bummer about the lake being closed though.

John Farrar

Nice trails, though fairly easy. Cool to see bison right at the fence. Really interesting local history.

Sarah Jackemeyer

Such a fun place! Would love some more tree cover but all in all it's a great little park and we will be back again!

Sharon Peeples

Great park. Spacious sites. Water sometimes further away than most, between 2 sites. We used 2 hoses. Great for summer camping with pool. Nice museum and cool bison.

Mark Van Netten

Very interesting place. Museum was small but well done. We camped here for 6 nights. The campground was quiet and well maintained. The staff was friendly. I recommend this park.

Kyle Broussard

Admission is free, and they're open till dusk. It's a great stop, even if you're just passing through. It's the birthplace of paleontology in the US, and has plenty of walking trails. They even have a herd of bison, which is awesome

Bradley Huth

Weather was nice. Museum is really just a lobby with 3 exhibits. Outdoor paths and Buffalo pen we're fun. Kids had fun which is all that matters

April Jones

Was ok. The Bison looked terrible. Flies in their eyes and nose. Didn't see any water for them to drink anywhere. The hair was matted and not taken care of. Felt sorry for them.

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