Spring at Kentucky State Parks

UPDATED April 14, April 18, April 19, May 4

• Summer Author Series "The Waveland Summer Author Series will begin May 17 at Waveland State Historic Site in Lexington. This free series, sponsored by Waveland, the University Press of Kentucky, Friends of Waveland and The Morris Book Shop, will feature University Press of Kentucky authors speaking about their works in the context of Kentucky’s rich history. For its inaugural event May 17, the series will feature author James C. Nicholson and his book “The Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event.” Nicholson provides an intriguing and thorough history of the Kentucky Derby, examining the tradition, spectacle, culture, and evolution of the Kentucky Derby – the brightest jewel of the Triple Crown. This event will give visitors a chance to interact with the author and hear firsthand how the most exciting two minutes in sports earned its title."

• Equine Camping "Greenbo Lake State Resort Park officially opened its equine campground today, thanks to assistance from Greenup County. The nine primitive sites for campers with horses were built with help from Greenup County Fiscal Court and Judge-Executive Bobby Carpenter. The county provided the equipment and crew to prepare the sites."

• Special Rate for Heritage Trail "Rough River Dam State Resort Park is offering a special lodging rate to celebrate the opening of the Rough River Lake Heritage Trail. The heritage trail is a driving trail that allows guests to visit historical or cultural sites in Grayson and Breckinridge counties. The trail kickoff is May 19."

• Spring Hoot 5K "Barren River Lake State Resort Park wants to know: Who…who…who… will fly past the competition in the park’s Spring Hoot 5K race on May 12? This is the second race in the Kentucky State Park Race Series. Run or walk this challenging course that takes you through the beautiful scenery of the park. Awards will be presented for each division and overall male and female winners for the 5K run. Prizes will also be given and all participants are eligible."

• Buffet Specials "Need a night off from the kitchen? Then make your way out to Lake Barkley State Resort Park’s Windows on the Water Restaurant for one of the park’s special buffets starting in May. The first Friday of the month will feature a seafood buffet with crab legs, frog legs, shrimp, and fried oysters – all for $22.95 for adults and $7.99 for children. The third Saturday of the month will feature a whole hog roast, barbecue chicken and assorted sides for $18.95 for adults and $6.99 for children"

• Mother's Day Tea "John James Audubon State Park in Henderson will host a “Mother’s Day Tea” on Saturday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m."

• Scrapbooking "Creative Memories presents a Spring Scrapbooking Weekend, April 27-28, at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, designed for the experienced and the novice scrapbooker."

• Mother's Day Buffet "The Kentucky State Parks will be offering a Mother’s Day buffet at all 17 resort park restaurants on Sunday, May 13. The menu includes salad bar, fruit, cheese, roast beef, roast pork with apple dressing, chicken and dumplings, fried catfish and hush puppies, vegetables and desserts."

• Adventure Races "Kentucky State Parks will host the 2012 Unbridled Adventure Race Series, four adventure races that will test participants’ physical and mental skills for beginners and veteran racers."

• Nature Photography "Cumberland Falls State Resort Park’s Nature Photography Weekend is April 20-22. Nature photography enthusiasts will enjoy this event, which features a 24-hour digital competition. Photographers of all skill levels can pick up helpful tips from guest speakers. There will be amateur and accomplished classes. Plaques will be given in several categories. The cost is $35 per person."

• Quilt Show "Greenbo Lake State Resort Park’s 27th Annual Quilt Show will be held April 21-22. Registration for the show will be Friday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. Show hours are Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 22, noon to 4 p.m."

• Mudathlon "General Butler State Resort Park will host its first Mudathlon – a 3-mile, 40-obstacle course with a muddy terrain from start to finish – on Saturday, June 2."

• Snakes in the park! "Snakes. Frogs. Salamanders. What more could any kid want to see? You and your family can see and learn about these animals and more during Herpetology Weekend at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, May 11-12. The weekend is an opportunity to see and discover the mysterious world of reptiles and amphibians that reside in eastern Kentucky. This is a great weekend for children, as well as adults who are kids at heart, to visit the park and experience “herping” with biologists, ecologists, and other trained professionals."

• River of Stars "Celebrate Astronomy Day and view the universe as Barren River Lake State Resort Park and the Louisville Astronomical Society (LAS) present “The River of Stars” on Saturday, April 28, at the park’s Highland games field."

• Women on the Frontier "Find out about the life of a woman on the frontier during a special program at Fort Boonesborough State Park, April 28-29. During this interpretive and interactive “Women on the Frontier” event, there will be demonstrations and hands-on learning of 18th century life skills and daily activities in the lives of women. On the frontier, women were frequently called upon to do many things that might be more commonly associated with men."

• Earth Day Events "The Kentucky State Parks invite everyone to help celebrate Earth Day 2012 by visiting a state park to learn about nature, enjoy a hike or clean up trash. Earth Day is April 22, and several parks will have events on that day while others will be celebrating through other special events in late April. For more information about Kentucky State Parks, visit www.parks.ky.gov. The parks system includes lodges, cottages, campgrounds, hiking trails, fishing, boating, wildlife viewing, historical sites and many other outdoor recreational opportunities."

• Wildflower Weekend "The Kentucky Native Plant Society’s Wildflower Weekend, April 27-29, is a chance for botanists, gardeners and nature lovers to enjoy the hundreds of species of native plants at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. Field trips and walks will be offered at 8:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday; 8:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. on Saturday; and at 9 a.m. on Sunday. All field trips leave from the Hemlock Lodge lobby."

• Family Adventure Quest "The Kentucky State Parks is for a seventh year offering the Family Adventure Quest – a trivia and digital photo contest for families or friends in teams of two to six people. The Family Adventure Quest presents a series of challenges that teams complete by seeking out facts or objects in various Kentucky State Parks and supplying a photo as the answer. It’s a great goal-oriented way to have fun exploring the natural and historical resources of this fascinating state!"

• Geocache Weekend"Lake Cumberland State Resort Park will host the 7th Annual Earth Day Geocache Weekend, April 20-21. Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches.”"