edpaffjr.comSunday afternoon we headed down to Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky. Go ahead and laugh at the name if you’d like, I’m guilty of doing so on occasion. With that out-of-the-way understand that the area was named after the big bones, including mammoths and mastodons, found in the swamps around the nearby salt lick.
The Birthplace of American Paleontology
This was actually my first visit to the park, despite it being just over a half hour drive from Cincinnati. The attraction that drew us in was the annual Salt Festival, which celebrates American pioneer life. It was sort of life a small Renaissance festival but geared much more toward explorers like Lewis and Clark. I saw demonstrations on fire building, musket shooting, and even a shotgun wedding.
Festival Site
Fire Building
The Critters in the Classroom group were also present with a variety of birds on display.
Critters in the Classroom
We finished off our day at the festival by eating kettle corn, drinking root beer fresh from a keg, and listening to some traditional Kentucky bluegrass music.
Bluegrass Band
After our time at the Salt Festival, we drove further back into the park to see the bison herd. I’ve seen plenty of bison before, but these were very close to the fence line and didn’t seem bothered by us at all.
Bison Herd
I think this was the 27th annual Salt Festival, so be on the lookout for it next October.