Floracliff Nature Sanctuary

Kids Hike: Pond and Stream Discovery
2025-07-29 10:00 - 12:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Who’s living below the surface? Meet new friends who live in our ponds and streams. For ages 5-10.

Who’s living below the surface? Meet new friends who live in our ponds and streams during this family-friendly program at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary. We will take an easy hike and get our hands dirty with some educational fun. For ages 5-10.
Hike Leader: Isabel Cochran, Land Stewardship Technician
**All minors participating in this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Hike distance and difficulty: up to 1.5 miles; rated easy to moderate
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Moth Night
2025-07-24 21:00 - 22:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us during National Moth Week to explore the moth diversity of Floracliff.

Floracliff has a diversity of moths that come in many different sizes and colors. These insects play an important role in the ecosystem, having intricate relationships with our native plants, birds, and bats. Join us for this program to celebrate National Moth Week, when we will have a few light stations set up with sheets to get a close-up look at our moths and other nocturnal insects. Bring a flashlight!
Program Leader(s): Floracliff Naturalists
Hiking Level: Easy
Bring: water, flashlight
**All minors participating this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.

Floracliff has multiple entry gates. The meeting location for this program will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

FLOC: First THURSDAY Birding
2025-07-03 08:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for birding with the Floracliff Ornithology Community (FLOC)! Please note the change to Thursday for this month only.

Start your day with an easy-paced bird walk. Experienced birders will guide you on a 1-2 mile loop through grassland and forested habitat. We’ll take our time to document all the birds we see and hear during this community science based program. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair from our collection.

Support Floracliff with a Donation
Floracliff depends on community support to offer these free events. Your donations support programs to promote knowledge and appreciation of nature and projects to protect, steward, and monitor the sanctuary and its wildlife. You can easily donate online at Floracliff.org.

What is FLOC?
FLOC (Floracliff Ornithology Community) was established in 2018 as a monthly community science project to document Floracliff’s bird diversity and seasonal changes. These free bird walks are led by advanced birders who are also trained Floracliff volunteers. It offers a fun opportunity for beginner and intermediate birders to to learn from others and for advanced birders to pass along their knowledge and experience. Over the years, FLOC has developed established route(s) to maintain a systematic approach to collecting data. All FLOC observations are shared to eBird.

Birdwatching Guidelines & Ethics
The American Birding Association (ABA) states “Birding should be fun and help build a better future for birds, for birders, and for all people”. As FLOC outreach continues to grow, we want these outings to remain enjoyable and educational for birders of all levels, while also minimizing impact to the birds being observed. The ABA provides a comprehensive Code of Birding Ethics found here. In short, we expect those attending FLOC outings to minimize disturbance to birds and fellow birders by practicing the following:

Minimize habitat disturbances by staying on the trail.
The use of audio recordings should be limited and at the discretion of the FLOC leader(s).
Be mindful and cautious around active nests; give them space.
Document birds honestly.
Be respectful of the interests, rights, and skill levels of fellow birders by keeping conversations quiet and helping others spot and learn about birds in the field.

Biology Careers: What it’s like to be a bat biologist
2025-06-28 10:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Kentucky Nature Preserves biologist Gregg Janos will lead this youth program to highlight the field work of a bat biologist

If you like plants, animals, or simply like being out in nature, did you know that you can make a living out of your passion by becoming a biologist? You can get paid to study plants and animals, travel, and hike outside! We will discuss how to become a biologist and the different jobs there are. Specifically, you will learn what it is like to be a bat biologist. You will learn about the bat species of Kentucky, how biologists study them, and even get to practice being a bat biologist yourself!
This program is for ages 8 and up.
Program Leader: Gregg Janos, KHLCF/Wild Rivers Coordinator, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves
Hike difficulty: easy
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few day before the program.

Butterflies and Hostplants Walk
2025-06-20 10:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us in the field to observe butterflies and learn about their life cycles

To celebrate Pollinator Week, we are highlighting central Kentucky’s butterflies and the plants they depend on.
Over 70 butterflies have been documented at Floracliff. This diversity is supported by the variety of habitats and plants found throughout the sanctuary. During this outdoor program, we will scout for butterflies in the field and forest. Along the way, we’ll discuss tips for butterfly identification, the relationships between butterflies and plants, and how to support butterflies in home garden and landscapes.
Program Leader: Beverly James, Floracliff Preserve Director
Bring: water, your favorite butterfly guide if you already have one, sunhat, close-toed shoes
Hiking Level: Easy to Moderate (full sun)
**All minors participating this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Hike distance and difficulty: 1-1.5 miles; rated easy to moderate, due to summer temperatures and sun exposure

Floracliff has multiple entry gates. The meeting location for this program will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Kids Hike: Incredible Insects
2025-06-17 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us in the meadow as we search for our bug buddies! For ages 5-10.

Join us in the meadow as we search for our bug buddies! We will investigate the various tiny critters that call Floracliff home. This hands-on program will encourage families to explore nature and take a closer look at their arthropod neighbors. For ages 5-10.
Hike Leader: Isabel Cochran, Land Stewardship Technician
**All minors participating in this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Hike distance and difficulty: up to 1 mile; rated easy
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Bluegrass Land & Nature Symposium
2025-06-14 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for the 2nd Bluegrass Land and Nature Symposium!

On Saturday, June 14, we’ll have a full day of programs led by regional experts for the 2nd Bluegrass Land & Nature Symposium. This event explores the intersection of natural and built environments and how we can be better stewards of nature – at home and in our community. The day will start with bird walks followed by a keynote presentation in the Trail’s End Lodge. Afternoon sessions will visit the sanctuary trails. We are honored to host the following for this event:
Keynote:Dr. Mary Arthur – Let’s talk about forests and carbon (and climate change too)
Session Leaders & Topics:Joyce Bender & Michael Patton – Morning bird walksHeidi Braunreiter – Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool in the Bluegrass RegionTyson Gregory – Native Trees for Urban LandscapesDr. Nate Haan & Dr. Julian Dupuis – Bluegrass BugsLee Moser – Soil and Water Stewardship in a Changing ClimateRob Paratley: The Kentucky River Palisades – A Unique Ecological Corridor in the BluegrassMeaghan Petix – Learning from lichens: bioindicators of air quality and climate
Lunch is included with ticket purchase.
Schedule:

8:00 – 9:45 AM: Registration, coffee, morning bird walks
10:00 AM: Welcome
10:15 – 11:30 AM: Keynote Presentation at the Trail’s End Lodge
11:30 –11:45: Break
11:45 – 1:00 PM: Outdoor concurrent sessions
1:00 – 2:00 PM: Lunch, raffle
2:00 – 4:00 PM: Outdoor concurrent sessions

Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
2025-06-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees.

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky’s oldest known trees.
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 miles; rated moderate, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera

Please note the program will begin promptly at 7:00 pm.

Plein Air Painting & Drawing
2025-06-08 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-04-22 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Join fellow artists on a hike to visit Floracliff’s old oak trees for a few hours of drawing and painting.

Come together with fellow artists for a hike to spend a few hours drawing and painting while sitting with Floracliff’s old oak trees. Artists provide their own materials and must pack in and out over varying terrain as a group. This is not an instructional workshop, but an opportunity to work independently on artwork for 3 ½ hours. All sessions end with an opportunity for artists to share their work with others. Open to ages 16 and up.
*Bring your preferred painting and drawing supplies
*Ground cloth or seat, water and snacks, insect repellent, sun hat
*Everyone will pack their materials in and out, sometimes a distance of 1/2 to 3/4 mile with moderate difficulty.
Session hosts: Steve Bennett and Laura Mentor
Steve has been drawing all his life. He has over 20 years’ experience teaching/guiding students of many ages in drawing and 3-D design. His love of Nature has recently led to new branches of learning and appreciation for the rich complexities of the natural world.
Laura has developed her eye for Nature’s treasures through a lifetime of hiking, observation and research. She has been creating large scale installations of her ornate, narrative stained glass windows for public buildings and private clients for over 25 years. Her ongoing research into native species and their relationships have informed her recent work. Examples may be viewed at www.lauramentor.com.
Steve and Laura are regular program volunteers at Floracliff.

Floracliff has multiple entry gates. The meeting location for this program will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

FLOC: First Friday Birding
2025-06-06 08:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for birding with the Floracliff Ornithology Community (FLOC)!

Start your day with an easy-paced bird walk. Experienced birders will guide you on a 1-2 mile loop through grassland and forested habitat. We’ll take our time to document all the birds we see and hear during this community science based program. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair from our collection.

Support Floracliff with a Donation
Floracliff depends on community support to offer these free events. Your donations support programs to promote knowledge and appreciation of nature and projects to protect, steward, and monitor the sanctuary and its wildlife. You can easily donate online at Floracliff.org.

What is FLOC?
FLOC (Floracliff Ornithology Community) was established in 2018 as a monthly community science project to document Floracliff’s bird diversity and seasonal changes. These free bird walks are led by advanced birders who are also trained Floracliff volunteers. It offers a fun opportunity for beginner and intermediate birders to to learn from others and for advanced birders to pass along their knowledge and experience. Over the years, FLOC has developed established route(s) to maintain a systematic approach to collecting data. All FLOC observations are shared to eBird.

Birdwatching Guidelines & Ethics
The American Birding Association (ABA) states “Birding should be fun and help build a better future for birds, for birders, and for all people”. As FLOC outreach continues to grow, we want these outings to remain enjoyable and educational for birders of all levels, while also minimizing impact to the birds being observed. The ABA provides a comprehensive Code of Birding Ethics found here. In short, we expect those attending FLOC outings to minimize disturbance to birds and fellow birders by practicing the following:

Minimize habitat disturbances by staying on the trail.
The use of audio recordings should be limited and at the discretion of the FLOC leader(s).
Be mindful and cautious around active nests; give them space.
Document birds honestly.
Be respectful of the interests, rights, and skill levels of fellow birders by keeping conversations quiet and helping others spot and learn about birds in the field.

Live Raptor Program with Raptor Rehab of Kentucky
2025-05-30 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
We’re excited to be hosting Raptor Rehab of Kentucky for this live raptor program. This program is for participants 8 years old and up.

We’re excited to host Raptor Rehab of Kentucky for a 60-minute program with live raptors.
Raptor Rehab of Kentucky Inc. is the largest raptor only rehab center in the state. They takein 350-400 birds of prey annually that have been injured, poisoned, or orphaned. It is theirmission as a volunteer based organization to successfully rehabilitate and release thesemagnificent birds back into the wild.
This program is fully indoors
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few day before the program.

Seminar: Building a Better Monarch Butterfly Garden
2025-05-27 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for a seminar at the Trail’s End Lodge with Dr. Dan Potter

Presenter: Dr. Dan Potter, Professor Emeritus, Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky
In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added the monarch butterfly to its Red List of Threatened Species, classifying it as Endangered. This talk will help attendees to better understand why monarchs are in peril, why their conservation matters, and how the gardening public can help to restore this beloved native butterfly to sustainable status. It covers the monarch’s fascinating natural history, including its spectacular long-distance migrations, it’s special relationship with milkweed, as well as best native milkweeds for attracting and sustaining monarchs and native bees in gardens. Recent research showing that garden design and placement matters will be discussed, as well as how to prevent a garden from becoming an “ecological trap” for monarchs due to predation by invasive wasps or planting the wrong type of milkweed.
This program is part of the Bluegrass Biodiversity Seminar Series, which offers free evening presentations on Kentucky’s natural history and biodiversity in the historic Trail’s End Lodge.
This event is generously sponsored by Charles and Kim Sither so that all attendees can join for free.

Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River
2025-05-15 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-04-10 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees.

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This hike will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the hike.

Beginning Drawing in Nature
2025-05-10 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
We’ll focus on how to begin a drawing in a way that is easier and less scary than you might think!

This is a workshop specifically for potential artists young and old who say: ” I can’t even draw a stick figure”. We’ll focus on how to begin a drawing in a way that is easier and less scary than you might think!
Session is two hours. 9″ x 12″ drawing paper, clip boards and pencils with be provided (bring any other materials you want).
Open to ages 16 and up (and younger if accompanied by a parent/guardian). Limited to 15 participants.
Session hosts: Steve Bennett and Laura Mentor
Steve has been drawing all his life. He has over 20 years’ experience teaching/guiding students of many ages in drawing and 3-D design. His love of Nature has recently led to new branches of learning and appreciation for the rich complexities of the natural world.
Laura has developed her eye for Nature’s treasures through a lifetime of hiking, observation and research. She has been creating large scale installations of her ornate, narrative stained glass windows for public buildings and private clients for over 25 years. Her ongoing research into native species and their relationships have informed her recent work. Examples may be viewed at www.lauramentor.com.
Steve and Laura are regular program volunteers at Floracliff.

Floracliff has multiple entry gates. The meeting location for this program will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Kentucky's Slithering Friends: A Snake Appreciation Adventure
2025-05-10 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join wildlife biologists Courtney and Michaela to learn more about Kentucky’s snakes and meet a few of them in person.

Join wildlife biologists Courtney and Michaela to learn more about Kentucky’s snakes and meet a few of them in person.
Presenters:Courtney Hayes, Wildlife Biologist, KY Department of Fish and Wildlife ResourcesMichaela Rogers, Wildlife Biologist, KY Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
**All minors participating this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Hike distance and difficulty: up to 1 mile; rated easy
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Forest Birds of the Palisades w/ Ben Leffew and Michael Patton
2025-05-02 08:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Learn about the birds of the Kentucky River Palisades during peak spring migration.

Ben Leffew, Preserve Manager of Shaker Village, and Michael Patton, avian biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, will lead this bird walk at Floracliff. Participants will learn to identify birds by sight, sound, behavior, and habitat. This program takes place during peak migration and will prepare participants who may be interested in Global Big Day and other community science birding programs.
For this program, we are partnering with Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill to highlight birds of the Kentucky River Palisades region. Join us in the afternoon for a program at Shaker Village that will feature Grassland Birds of the Kentucky River Palisades. Registration for the afternoon hike will be available through Shaker Village
**All minors participating this program must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Hike distance and difficulty: 1 mile; rated easy to moderate
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

New Volunteer Orientation: Community Science and Garden Stewardship
2025-04-29 14:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join Floracliff’s team of volunteers and help us protect, restore, and share nature in the Bluegrass.

Now accepting Community Science and Garden Stewardship volunteers!
Do you want to participate in community science or steward native plant gardens? Can you commit to working at least two Wednesday morning shifts each month? Join our team of volunteers!
Garden stewards are needed to weed and tend the shade garden by the Trail’s End Lodge and the glade garden by the Nature Center. Community science volunteers help us document and monitor wildlife through the following programs: iNaturalist, eBird, eButterfly, the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, and more. Community science volunteers should be comfortable with or willing to learn the apps and technology associated with each program.
We depend on volunteers.
Floracliff volunteers are important stewards and ambassadors for the sanctuary. They help us accomplish restoration goals; share the biodiversity, natural history, and cultural history of the sanctuary; participate in local and global community science projects; maintain our trails, facilities, and infrastructure; and so much more. This training is specifically for new COMMUNITY SCIENCE or GARDEN STEWARDSHIP volunteers. Additional volunteering opportunities may be added at a later date.
Volunteer Commitment and Training:
Floracliff depends on volunteers who participate at least twice each month during weekday mornings/afternoons. New Volunteer Orientations are offered annually. Ongoing training is offered for committed volunteers. Detailed descriptions of ongoing volunteering opportunities can be found here: floracliff.org/volunteers

Please read through all of the Frequently Asked Questions before registering to be sure volunteering at Floracliff is a good fit for you and your current lifestyle.
If this commitment doesn’t work for your current schedule, we completely understand and hope you’ll support Floracliff by joining in for our educational and inspirational programs.

City Nature Challenge 2025: Lexington-Fayette County
2025-04-25 00:00 - 2025-04-28 23:59 (America/New_York) | Online Event
Join the 2025 City Nature Challenge – a global community science event to document nature in our cities.

Join the 2025 City Nature Challenge in Lexington, KY! From April 25 through April 28, make observations of wild plants, animals, and fungi anywhere in Fayette County. Your observations will contribute to one of the largest community science events in the world and help us better understand – and therefore, take care of – nature that lives in and around urban areas.
Hundreds of cities around the world are participating in this global event, including four in Kentucky (Frankfort, Lexington, Louisville, Bowling Green & South Central Kentucky). Follow the in-state collaboration and competition between Kentucky cities here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/kentucky-city-nature-challenge-2025-cities
The Lexington City Nature Challenge is organized by Floracliff Nature Sanctuary.
Join Lexington’s 2025 City Nature Challenge project on iNaturalist.

Seminar: Lights Out, Kentucky! Bird Migration and Dark Skies
2025-04-24 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Join us for a seminar at the Trail’s End Lodge with Rachael Peake

Presenter: Rachael Peake, Frankfort Audubon Society
Discover how protecting our night skies can help migrating birds! This exciting presentation dives into the connection between bird migration, light pollution, and International Dark Sky Week. Learn how Kentuckians—including our first statewide Dark Sky chapter—are taking action to protect birds and celebrate Earth Day and Earth Night with simple steps that make a big impact
This program is part of the Bluegrass Biodiversity Seminar Series, which offers free evening presentations on Kentucky’s natural history and biodiversity in the historic Trail’s End Lodge.
This event is generously sponsored by Charles and Kim Sither so that all attendees can join for free.

Wildflower Hike to Elk Lick Falls w/ Beverly James
2025-04-19 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Experience the spring beauty of Floracliff on this wildflower hike to Elk Lick Falls

Experience the spring beauty of Floracliff on this wildflower hike to Elk Lick Falls. This hike will highlight identification, ecology, and pollinator relationships of our spring ephemerals. We’ll take a break at Elk Lick Falls.
Hike Leader: Beverly James, Preserve Director
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5-2 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain and a potential creek crossing; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Wildflower Hike with Rob Paratley
2025-04-18 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join botanist Rob Paratley for a wildflower hike at Floracliff.

Join botanist Rob Paratley for a close look at Floracliff’s spring wildflowers. He’ll discuss some basics of flower shape and structure, as well as their relationships to each other and how they fit into Floracliff’s mesophytic forest.
Hike Leader: Rob Paratley
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5-2 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera

Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees.

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky’s oldest known trees.
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 miles; rated moderate, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera

Rush hour is likely to impact your travel time. Please account for this, as the program will begin promptly at 6:00 pm.

Wildflower Hike with Tyson Gregory
2025-04-13 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Hike with a botanist at Floracliff during peak wildflower season.

More details coming soon!
Hike Leader: Tyson Gregory, Trees Lexington
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 – 2 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the hike.

Wildflower Hike with Dan Patrick
2025-04-13 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join us to see Floracliff during peak wildflower season.

Join us for an early spring wildflower hike to see the first blooms of the season. This hike will highlight identification, ecology, and pollinator relationships of our spring ephemerals.
Hike Leader: Dan Patrick, Volunteer Naturalist
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5-2.5 miles (route will be determined by wildflower activity); rated moderate due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Birding for Beginners with Dan Patrick
2025-04-13 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for a Birding for Beginners walk and sit just as spring migration is underway. This program is for those ages 9 and up.

If you’ve ever thought birdwatching would be fun or interesting but didn’t know how to start come join us for a Birding for Beginners walk and sit. We’ll discuss the use of binoculars (we have nice ones you can use for the day); what to look for when you see a bird; discuss some free apps that help you figure out what you are seeing and we’ll go see some birds! The bird walk through the field and forest will be slow and relaxing, and we’ll end with watching some feeders for our most common feeder birds.
This program is for beginner birders ages 9 and up. Young birders are especially encouraged to join. If you are an intermediate birder who is interested in birding programs at Floracliff, look for our first Friday FLOC walks on our event calendar.
Program Leader: Dan Patrick, Floracliff Volunteer
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 miles; easy – moderate
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Wildflower Hike with Beverly James
2025-04-11 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join us to see Floracliff’s spring wildflowers.

Join us for a spring wildflower hike to see Floracliff’s wildflowers at their peak. This hike will highlight identification, ecology, and pollinator relationships of our spring ephemerals.
Hike Leader: Beverly James, Preserve Director
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5-2.5 miles (route will be determined by wildflower activity); rated moderate due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Wildflower Hike w/ Josie Miller
2025-04-08 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Join Floracliff’s Stewardship Director, Josie Miller, for a spring wildflower hike.

Join us for an early spring wildflower hike to see the first blooms of the season. This hike will highlight identification, ecology, and pollinator relationships of our spring ephemerals.
Hike Leader: Josie Miller, Stewardship Director
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 – 2.5 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain and a potential creek crossing; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Canceled: Wildflower Hike with Devin Rodgers
2025-04-04 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Hike with a botanist at Floracliff during peak wildflower season.

Join botanist Devin Rodgers for a spring wildflower hike to identify the charismatic native, early-flowering plants of the Kentucky River Palisades. A number of related topics will be discussed like floral morphology, plant families, ecological patterns, biogeography, and conservation. We also hope to observe pollination by native bees and discuss their importance in forested ecosystems.
Hike Leader: Devin Rodgers, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves
Hike distance and difficulty: 1.5 – 2 miles; rated moderate to difficult, due to steep and uneven terrain; there may also be some slick spots near the creek
Bring: water
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the hike.
