Long Hike with the Wildflowers
2026-04-18 10:00 - 15:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for a 4-5 mile hike at Floracliff during peak wildflower season.

On this long hike, we’ll trek up and down the Elk Lick Valley to view the diversity of spring wildflowers at Floracliff. Stops along the way will include Elk Lick Falls, Elk Lick Creek, and Floracliff’s oldest tree, a chinquapin oak dating to 1611.
Program Leader: Floracliff Naturalists
Hiking Level: Moderate to strenuous in difficulty due to the steep terrain; uneven and sometimes slick surfaces; hike duration (4-5 hours) and distance (about 4 miles)
Bring: water and snacks/trail-lunch; a lightweight pack to carry your items
Optional: hiking poles, camera, binoculars

We’ll take a break at the creek, so be sure to bring your lunch and appropriate clothing layers for whatever the day may bring.

Plein Air Painting & Drawing
2026-04-19 13:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-17 13:00 - 17:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | KY
Come together with fellow artists for a hike to spend a few hours drawing and painting while sitting with Floracliff’s scenery.

Come together with fellow artists for a hike to spend a few hours drawing and painting while sitting with Floracliff’s scenery. 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.

The Natural Word: Nature Journaling
2026-04-24 13:00 - 15:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Hone your observational skills through journal writing, as we use our words and drawings to explore Floracliff in different seasons.

**Our print newsletter has the wrong date listed for this event. Please note the event is on Friday, January 30th.
Hone your observational skills through journal writing, as we use our words and drawings to explore Floracliff in different seasons. This hike will give you permission to sit and soak in the life around you, open your senses to appreciate and imagine a bit of each creature’s sensory environment, or study the intricate beauty in a stone or a leaf. Whether you’ve nature journaled for years, or this is your first foray, all are welcome. We will have specific tasks during each hike that will give you a structure on which to build your journal entries.
During times of cold or rainy weather, the writing portion of the program may move indoors.
Program Leader: Carol Spence, Floracliff Volunteer
Hiking Level: moderate
Bring: a journal, pen or pencil, water, a mat to sit on
Optional: colored pencils, water colors, hiking poles, snack, camera, binoculars
This program is recommended for adults and youth ages 12 and older.

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

Seminar: The Science of Bird Coloration
2026-04-28 18:30 - 20:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | KY
Join us for a seminar with biologist Mallory Miles to learn how Kentucky’s birds create and use their hues.

The Science of Bird Coloration: How Kentucky’s birds create and use their hues
Presenter: Mallory Miles, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
More details coming soon.
Mallory Miles is an avian biologist in the Nongame Branch of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
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.

FLOC: First Friday Birding May
2026-05-01 08:00 - 11:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | 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.

Forest Birds of the Palisades w/ Ben Leffew and Michael Patton
2026-05-01 08:00 - 10:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | 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’s website: https://shakervillageky.org/
**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.

Birding for Beginners with Dan Patrick
2026-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | 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 during the Great Backyard Bird Count. 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.

Beginning Drawing in Nature
2026-05-09 13:00 - 15:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | KY
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.

Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River
2026-05-14 18:30 - 20:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | 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.

Seminar: Kentucky CLIMBS - Building Resilience in the Commonwealth
2026-05-21 18:30 - 20:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | KY
Join us for a seminar with Dr. Mike McGlue to learn how Kentucky CLIMBS is building resilience in KY using earth and environmental science.

“Kentucky CLIMBS – Building Resilience in the the Commonwealth using Earth and Environmental Science”
Presenter: Dr. Mike McGlue, Director, Kentucky Geological Survey
More details coming soon.
Dr Mike McGlue is the State Geologist and Director of the 14th Kentucky Geological Survey. McGlue is a tenured full professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Kentucky and holder of the EES Alumni Endowed professorship.
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.

Live Raptor Program with Raptor Rehab of Kentucky
2026-05-29 18:30 - 19:30 (Africa/Abidjan) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join us for a live raptor program with Raptor Rehab of Kentucky. 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.

FLOC: First Friday Birding June
2026-06-05 08:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US

Kids Hike: Reptiles
2026-06-09 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Learn about our scaly cold-blooded friends that call central Kentucky home. For ages 5-10.

Reptiles are amazing animals that live in all sorts of habitats. Come out to learn about our scaly cold-blooded friends that call central Kentucky home. We will look closely at shells and sheds in the nature center, then explore the trails looking for snakes, turtles, and more!
Hike Leader: Isabel Cochran, Land Stewardship Technician
**All minors participating in this program must be accompanied by a participating adult with a purchased ticket.
Hike distance and difficulty: up to 1.5 miles; rated easy to moderate
Bring: water, weather appropriate clothing
Optional: hiking poles, snack, camera
The meeting location will be emailed to all registered participants a few days before the program.

Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
2026-06-18 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

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

Butterflies of Summer
2026-06-25 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Let’s go for a butterfly walk! Recommended for ages 12 and up.

To celebrate Pollinator Week, we are highlighting central Kentucky’s butterflies.
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.

Beetle Discovery Walk w/ Paul Baker
2026-06-26 19:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY 40515, Lexington, KY, 40515, US
Join for an evening with the beetles of Floracliff!

Join us for an evening hike in search of the wonderfully diverse world of beetles. Paul Baker, a research entomologist at Kentucky State University, will lead a group of hikers around Floracliff to discover and explore the various places where beetles can be found. Bring your hiking boots, flashlights, and cameras/cell phones.
Program Leader(s): Paul Baker
Hiking Level: Easy to Moderate
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.

Moth Night
2026-07-23 21:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | 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.
