Bernheim Research Forest & Arboretum
Bernheim Research Forest and Arboretum is an area in Claremont, Kentucky set aside in trust for the people of Kentucky by the Bernheim family. First purchased in 1929, the land that comprises the forest had been used up in strip mining for iron ore, so had little to offer to anyone for any reason, at the time. Through some architectural landscaping and years of regrowing, the blank and scarred canvas has changed into a wonderfully varied natural area and place to visit, walk, hike, and spend quality time, packing prairie, forest, lake, educational, and play areas into a relatively small area.
16,000 acres of land now make up all of Bernheim, and the people running it have packed it with educational, artistic, and natural features. Made Kentucky’s official state arboretum in 1994, the area comprising the arboretum itself is roughly 240 acres. Entrance to the park is technically free, but there is an official entrance and open and closed hours. There is a suggested entry donation of $15 per car.
Parking is available at several places in the park, including at the visitor center, which features a gathering room, a gift shop, a cafe, and an outdoor seating area, not to mention a place to gather and shelter from rain.
Aside from walking or hiking the trails at Bernheim, there is a healthy list of attractions you may be interested in.
A signature installment in the forest are the three Giants, statues created by artist Thomas Dambo of Denmark. There are similar statues around the world made by Dambo, in Puerto Rico, Iceland, and Seattle for example. These residents of Bernheim were created in 2019 and were constructed with recycled wood sourced from Kentucky.
ACRE is a living art installation that comprises one acre of land ringed by redbud trees. The significance of the acre is that on average, land was cleared at a rate of an acre a day for the mining operation that took place there in the early 20th century.
There is an Edible Garden that offers the opportunity to walk through two and a half acres of vegetables to see how they grow and learn about a great pastime. It is a great learning tool to learn about the life cycle of what makes its way to our grocery stores.
A natural playground, labeled the Playcosystem, is 17 acres of open ended area and constructs for children, and maybe adults, to have fun in. This playground is designed around the concept of open play, so the toys may be everyday household items, or rocks, or sticks. There are logs and trees to climb, or jump on, and there is dirt, grass, and sand to make a mess in. There is also water, so there will invariably be mud; expect your children to adhere to the age old wisdom: If they can make a mess, they will. There are restrooms nearby to help restore them to cleanliness.
The Canopy Tree Walk is an elevated walkway that rises 75’ above the forest floor, offering excellent views of the surrounding area. Visitors can look out over the plains, forest, trails and knobs that make up Bernheim. The knobs especially are an interesting thing to view from an elevated position, being particular to Kentucky.
