Nature beckons guests to visit Bernheim

By MAUREEN ROSE
Turret Associate Editor
maureen.rose@us.army.mil
Whether you want some quiet communion with nature, some variety in your physical training routine, or a nice woodsy place to take the kids for a picnic, Bernheim is the answer.
Just 28 miles from Fort Knox, the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is a unique resource of nearly 15,000 acres. Unlike many other parks or reserves that try to wall off wildlife and keep people away, Bernheim’s mission is to connect people with nature.
More than 8,000 tree varieties are protected in the arboretum where studies are conducted to help preserve ecosystems and native species. Educational outreach programs are offered for adults and children, 32 miles of trails are available for hiking, and Lake Nevin is stocked with fish.
Primarily, however, Bernheim exists to educate people about nature through a broad variety of techniques. Whether a casual visitor learns the name of a tree from a identification sign, or a budding naturalist attends one of the many workshops or programs offered at the forest, education is still served. Many of the learning experiences are geared to children with mobile learning labs, play environments and outdoor classroom spaces.
For more information, visit www.bernheim.org to see the numerous workshops and events scheduled for this month. The entrance fee is $5 per car on weekends and holidays, but free on weekdays.

Staff photos by Maureen Rose

IF YOU GO:
From Fort Knox, proceed south on Dixie Highway, turn left at Hwy. 313 and follow the signs to I-65. Take I-65 north, and take exit 112, Clermont. Go east for one mile on Highway 245. Total distance: 28 miles.
From Louisville, take I-65 south to exit 112. Go east for one mile, the Bernheim entrance is on the right.