Bernheim Forest - Secret Gem of Kentucky

Located in Bullitt County Kentucky, Bernheim forest is a real gem. Not only is it largely unheard of, but it is also a scenic splendor. First a foremost, as the name implies, Bernheim Forest is an arboretum and research forest. Most everything done there is focused on trees. Preserving trees, studying trees, and thankfully, helping the public enjoy and appreciate trees is what they’re all about.

Bernheim Forest is in what is frequently called the knobs region of the county. The knobs help give the region a “backwoods” characteristic, but there is nothing “backwoods” about the history of Bernheim Forest.

Through the vision of Isaac W. Bernheim, fourteen thousand (14,000) acres were donated to the people of Kentucky as a gift in 1929.

There is a lot to do and see at Bernheim, so much in fact that you really need to visit their website at www.bernheim.org to educate yourself on all the possibilities.

At the moment, the fall colors are in full glory and the park is breathtaking to say the least. My personal “must do” recommendations are:

• Walk the mile loop trail around Lake Nevin
• Sit in the Quiet Garden and enjoy the view of Lake Nevin
• Stroll out on the Canopy Treewalk

Be sure to pack some food and take advantage of some of the best family picnic spots in the state. Scattering throughout the Bernheim Forest are many picnicking areas.

Keep in mind, these recommendations are just to get your started. If you have the time and energy, there are some 35 miles of very nice day hiking trails. Most of the trails are short, ranging between approximately ¼ miles to 2 ½ miles. However, there is one really long trail, called the Millennium Trail that is to 13.3 miles in length. I have hiked this trail several times with my Garmin ForeRunner 305 GPS unit and every time it reports an elevation gain and loss of over 8,000 feet! I couldn’t believe it myself and therefore checked it again on several occasions, all with the same report.

Bernheim Forest is only open from sunrise to sunset, so in the short days of winter, the park will close early.

So there you have it, if your looking for things to see and places to visit in Kentucky, make sure you check out Bernheim Forest. Also, as kind of a bonus, Jim Beam distillery is literally right across the street. Jim Beam is the world’s largest Bourbon distiller and certainly deserves it's own post here on my blog. In fact, the trailhead to one of the Bernheim trails is practically in Jim Beam's parking lot. Check out a blog called The Digressive Press, to read about one man's attempt to get physically fit by hiking that particular trail.

I plan on posting more detailed information about both Bernheim and Jim Beam in the future.