Northern Kentucky Sierra Club

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Northern KY Sierra Club will have our tent and tables setup at Salt Festival again this year at Big Bone Lick, Sat Oct 18 - 10am-6pm and Sun Oct 19 - 10am-5pm. We do our setup 8-10am Sat. We want 2 per timeslot to help greet visitors, tell them about Sierra Club and about Northern KY Sierra Club's local projects and events. Non-members are welcome to help!

Here is the schedule, with volunteers as of Thurs 9/25. Please post in a comment if you can volunteer. We'll update the schedule until all timeslots are filled. Volunteers get free admission to the festival and can usually tour the many other exhibits during slow periods at our tent.

Saturday Oct 18, 2025
8-10 setup by Bill Thoeny + Jerry Junker
10-12 Bill Thoeny + Susie Renee Wright
12-2 Ron Colwell + Susie Renee Wright
2-4 Ron Colwell + Fred Warren
4-6 ? + ?

Sunday Oct 19, 2025
10-12 John Robbins + Susan Patton
12-2 John Robbins + Anne & Christopher Hosking
2-4 Bill Thoeny + Christine W
4-5 tear-down with Bill Thoeny + Christine W

Northern KY Sierra Club’s October General Meeting will be on October 27, 2025, featuring a presentation by Dave Cooper titled "The Bourbon Barrel Road Show". The meeting will be held 6:30-8pm in the Newport Public Library's “Presidents Meeting Room" on the library’s lower floor. Newport Library is at 901 E. 6th St in Newport KY, across the street from Newport High School. There is a large off-street parking lot.

Worldwide demand for Kentucky bourbon is increasing pressure on Kentucky’s precious hardwood forests. By law, bourbon must be aged in new, charred barrels made from mature white oak trees. But white oak trees are very slow growing and they are not growing back after logging at the rate needed to supply future demand for barrels. Millions of white oak trees are being cut down now for bourbon barrels. Is there a solution? Will the “bourbon boom” soon be replaced by a “bourbon bust?” Our presenter Dave Cooper will try to provide some insights and answers! Dave is a long-time member of Sierra Club's Bluegrass Group in central KY. He writes the informational and entertaining column called “Soapbox" which appears in every CUMBERLAND newsletter.

We reserved the Presidents Room starting at 6pm so feel welcome to arrive early to meet and socialize with other members and friends! Our reservation ends at 8:45pm. It is okay for attendees to bring and eat their own food or drinks. The Presidents Room is on the library’s lower floor, accessible by an elevator near the upstairs circulation desk.

We’ll cover most of the unpaved trails in the park, around 3 miles mostly in woods, including 2 trails blazed many years ago by Northern KY Sierra Club. There's a wood bridge over an intermittent stream and a section of trail along fenced pastures where a bison herd can usually be seen. Expect a few 100'+ ups and downs along the trail!

Coralberry Trail is still closed, so we'll replace that portion of our old winter hike with Big Bone Creek Trail with commentary by park naturalist Claire.

https://parks.ky.gov/sites/default/files/listing_documents/b51b3c9fa7da2fefc032445956fc49b0_BigBoneLickLakeClosed.pdf

RSVP by 5pm Fri Dec 5. If RSVP by email or text, giving a phone number is helpful in case of last-minute problems. Expect notification by 8am Sat if postponed or cancelled. We will not cancel for moderate cold or already fallen snow.

What To Bring: Long sleeves and pants, sturdy shoes with good treads are recommended. Walking stick if desired, since trails can be muddy, slippery or tricky. Bring your own liquid and snacks. If weather is very cold, wear layered clothes, gloves, hat and scarf.

Children are welcome but a parent or legal guardian must accompany and sign a waiver for minors. All participants except minors must sign that they agree to Sierra Club’s liability waiver and acknowledgement of self-risk – please read in advance:

https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/sce/bluegrass-group/Waiver%20JAN%202020.pdf

Restrooms in the museum will be available before and after the hike, but we will hike more than an hour away from restrooms. Dogs are allowed but only on-leash and if not disruptive or threatening to others.

Location: 3380 Beaver Rd, Union, KY 41091. Park entrance is 15-20 minutes west of I-71 / 75 exit # 175 on KY-338. Going west from 71 / 75 this route changes streets a couple times, so follow the 338 signs. Eventually descend into a big valley where cell service wanes. Look for the park entrance on the left. Turn in, cross a concrete bridge, then wind around a big bend to reach a 4-way stop below a big hill. Turn right. Drive to the parking lot near the museum. Park phone: 859-384-3522.

Level: Moderate

Cost: None