Community Information - Parks and Nature Centers

Welcome

Metropolitan Louisville and Central Kentucky provide some of the nation’s most scenic countryside and breathtaking topography. Throughout the region, state and federal parks, forests, and recreation areas combine with municipal and county facilities and services to ensure year-round activities and adventures.  Kentucky offers exceptional state resort parks that are brimming over with natural beauty and resort amenities, while deep forests are waiting just across the Ohio River in Indiana. Multi-purpose trails, modern and rustic campsites, sparkling lakes for boating and water sports, and well-managed wildlife habitats encourage residents to relax in the beauty of natural surroundings.

STATE/FEDERAL PARKLAND
National Recreation Areas

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

Oneida, TN 423-286-7275

Kentucky Center 606-376-5073

www.nps.gov/biso

Covering 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, this area protects pristine riverfront with scenic gorges and bluffs.

Cumberland Gap National Historic Park
Middlesboro, KY 606-248-2817
www.nps.gov/cuga
The "Gateway to the West" is filled with natural wonders including the Gap Cave and mountain scenery.

Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave, KY 270-758-2180
www.nps.gov/maca
Named for its mammoth size, the world's longest cave system has been explored for 365 miles.

Kentucky State Parks 

Big Bone Lick State Park
3380 Beaver Road
Union, KY 859-384-3522
www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/lewisandclark/bbo.htm

Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park
10299 Maysville Road
Mount Olivet, KY 800-443-7008
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Carter Caves State Resort Park
344 Caveland Drive
Olive Hill, KY 800-325-0059
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park
3000 Freys Hill Road
Louisville, KY 502-426-8950
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Fort Boonesborough State Park
4375 Boonesborough Road
Richmond, KY 859-527-3131
http://parks.ky.gov

General Butler State Resort Park
1608 US Highway 227
Carrollton, KY 866-462-8853
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Green River Lake State Park
179 Park Office Road
Campbellsville, KY 270-465-8255
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Kincaid Lake State Park
565 Kincaid Park Road
Falmouth, KY 859-654-3531
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Lincoln Homestead State Park
5079 Lincoln Park Road
Springfield, KY 859-336-7461
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

My Old Kentucky Home State Park
501 E. Stephen Foster Avenue
Bardstown, KY 502-348-3502
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Natural Bridge State Resort Park
2135 Natural Bridge Road
Slade, KY 800-325-1710
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Nolin Lake State Park
Kentucky Highway 1827
Bee Spring, KY 270-286-4240
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Old Fort Harrod State Park
100 South College Street
Harrodsburg, KY 859-734-3314
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Rough River State Resort Park
450 Lodge Road
Falls of Rough, KY 800-325-1713
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Taylorsville Lake State Park
1320 Park Road
Taylorsville, KY 502-477-8713
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/find.aspx

Indiana State Parks & Forests 

Charlestown State Park
State Road 62
Charlestown, IN 812-256-5600
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Clark State Forest
U.S. Highway 31
Henryville, IN 812-294-4306
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

Clifty Falls State Park
1501 Green Road
Madison, IN 812-273-8885
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Deam Lake State Recreation Area
1217 Deam Lake Road
Borden, IN 812-246-5421
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

Falls of the Ohio State Park
201 W. Riverside Drive
Clarksville, IN 812-280-9970
www.fallsoftheohio.org

Hardy Lake State Reservoir
4171 E. Harrod Road
Scottsburg, IN 812-794-3800
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Harrison-Crawford State Forest & Wyandotte Complex
7240 Old Forest Road SW
Corydon, IN 812-738-8232
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

Lincoln State Park
State Road 162
Lincoln City, IN 812-937-4710
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Morgan-Monroe State Forest
6220 Forest Road
Martinsville, IN 765-342-4026
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

O'Bannon Woods State Park
7240 Old Forest Road SW
Corydon, IN 812-738-8232
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Owen-Putnam State Forest
RR4 Box 214
Spencer, IN 812-829-2462
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

Patoka Lake State Reservoir
3084 North Dillard Road
Birdseye, IN 812-685-2464
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Spring Mill State Park
3333 State Road 600 East
Mitchell, IN 812-849-4129
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Regional Highlights

Hidden River Cave
119 East Main Street
Horse Cave, KY 786-1466
www.cavern.org

Iroquois Park
2120 Rundill Rd
Louisville 502-456-8100
www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks

Jefferson Memorial Forest
11311 Mitchell Hill Road
Fairdale, KY 502-368-5404
www.louisvilleky.gov/metroparks/parks/jeffersonmemorialforest

Nature Centers & Gardens

Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve
3745 Illinois Avenue
Louisville, KY 502-458-1328
www.louisvillenaturecenter.org

Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest
Kentucky Highway 245
Clermont, KY 502-955-8512
www.bernheim.org

Blackacre State Nature Preserve
3200 Tucker Station Road
Jeffersontown, KY 502-266-9802
http://blackacrefoundation.org/

Forest Discovery Center
533 Louis Smith Road
Starlight, IN 812-923-1590

Hidden Hill Nursery & Sculpture Garden
1011 Utica-Charlestown Road
Utica, IN 812-280-0347
www.hiddenhillnursery.com

Kentucky Native Plant & Wildflower Garden
Oldham County History Center
106 North Second Avenue
La Grange, KY 502-222-0826
www.oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org

Louisville Nature Center
3745 Illinois Avenue
Louisville, KY 502-458-1328
www.louisvillenaturecenter.org

Six Mile Island State Nature Preserve
River Road
Jefferson County, KY 502-573-2886
http://naturepreserves.ky.gov

Whitehall Gardens
3110 Lexington Road
Louisville, KY 502-897-2944
www.edisonhouse.org

Parks & Recreation Contacts

Indiana State Forests
317-232-4105
www.in.gov/dnr/forestry

Indiana State Park System
317-232-4200
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake

Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Parks
502-456-8100
www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks

Louisville Olmsted Parks
502-456-8125
www.olmstedparks.org

Kentucky State Park System
800-255-PARK
http://parks.ky.gov

National Park Service
Midwest Region
402-661-1524
www.nps.gov

Oldham County Parks & Recreation
502-225-0655
www.oldhamcounty.net/P&R/P&R.htm

Quicklinks

Earth Day Network
www.earthday.org

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
www.gsmit.org

Indiana Camping Reservations
http://indianastateparks.reserveamerica.com/

Indiana State Park Inn Reservations
www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2435.htm

Kentucky Audubon Council
www.kentuckyaudubon.org

Kentucky Inn/Camping Reservations
http://parks.ky.gov/reservations

Kentucky Lakes
www.kylakes.com

Kentucky State Nature Preserves
http://naturepreserves.ky.gov

Kentucky Sierra Clubs
http://kentucky.sierraclub.org

The Nature Conservancy
www.nature.org

National Outdoor Adventure Guide
www.gorp.com

National Parks Camping Reservations
http://reservations.nps.gov