Weather Policy: For the safety and enjoyment of our visitors, all programs are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather, including rain, wind, and severe weather warnings and advisories.
Hike: Wildflower Hikes
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesJoin us for a hike to see and enjoy Floracliff's wildflowers during their peak. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary. One hike will take our best wildflower trail and visit Elk Lick Creek. The other hike will head to Elk Lick Falls and Elk Lick Creek. We hope to see bishop's cap, shooting star, Jacob's ladder and more.
Webinar: The City Nature Challenge: A New Way to Discover Lexington
Presented by Beverly James, Preserve Director
The City Nature Challenge is a global 4-day community science project aimed at documenting nature in and around urban areas. Floracliff Nature Sanctuary is bringing the City Nature Challenge to Lexington for the first time in April. Learn more about the City Nature Challenge, how you can participate, and the value of finding and sharing observations of urban nature.
Hikes: Earth Day Magic Hour Hikes
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your Earth Day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.
City Nature Challenge 2021: Lexington
Floracliff is thrilled to bring the City Nature Challenge 2021 to Lexington. The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event that mobilizes urban residents and visitors to observe, document, and celebrate the wild plants, animals, and fungi in and around urban areas. This focused and collective effort increases our awareness and understanding of urban biodiversity around the world.
City Nature Challenge: Nighttime Exploration
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesCalling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring Floracliff's ponds and forest edges after dark for the City Nature Challenge. We’ll focus on discovering and documenting frogs, moths, and more. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.
City Nature Challenge: Creek Exploration
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesCalling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring a section of one of our creeks to discover and document aquatic life for the City Nature Challenge. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.
City Nature Challenge: Field and Forest Exploration
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesCalling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring an area of Floracliff known as Bird Hill for the City Nature Challenge. We'll focus on discovering and documenting birds, trees, wildflowers, butterflies, bees and more. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.
Hike: Global Big Day Bird Hikes
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesPut on your Community Scientist hat and join us in finding, counting and identifying birds at Floracliff.
Hike: Creative Reflections at Elk Lick Creek
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnjoy a full hour immersed in the sights and sounds of Elk Lick Creek to write, create, meditate, or just enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. This program offers the opportunity to slow down, connect to nature, and disconnect from electronic devices. At the end of the hike, participants will have a chance to share as much or as little as they like.
Magic Hour Hikes
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes through the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.
Nighttime Exploration
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesThis program will focus on exploring Floracliff’s ponds and forest edges after dark. We will visit the ponds near the nature center to inspect the frog activity and will have UV lights and sheets set-up to attract moths and other insects.
Magic Hour Hikes
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes through the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.
Elk Lick Creek Walk
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesElk Lick Creek flows through the heart of Floracliff and provides habitat for a diversity of amphibians, reptiles, insects, fish, and more. Join Floracliff Naturalists on this trek along a scenic 1/2-mile section of of the creek to explore the biodiversity and take in the beauty of the area.
Webinar: Butterflies of Central Kentucky: Identification, Diversity, & Ecology
Nearly 150 butterflies have been documented throughout Kentucky. This webinar presentation will feature over 45 of the most common summer butterflies in the Inner Bluegrass region. Participants will learn tricks for identification, basic biology of butterflies, and their relationships with native plants. We will also cover community science projects and resources so that participants can document and share their butterfly observations.
Workshop: Butterflies of Central Kentucky
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesThis half-day workshop will provide field experience in butterfly identification at Floracliff and another nearby location in Fayette County. It should be a great primer (or refresher) for those wishing to participate in the Central Bluegrass Butterfly Count in July. Workshop registration also includes registration for the Butterflies of Central Kentucky webinar on June 24th.
Central Bluegrass Summer Butterfly Count
Floracliff is hosting and organizing the 5th annual Central Bluegrass Summer Butterfly Count with NABA - Central Kentucky. Community scientists and butterfly enthusiasts are encouraged to help us count and document butterflies at various locations throughout the Lexington count circle. All data will be submitted to the North American Butterfly Association. This count is one […]
Magic Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky's oldest trees.
Nature at Night: Moths and More
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesFloracliff 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 kick off 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!
Elk Lick Creek Walk
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesElk Lick Creek flows through the heart of Floracliff and provides habitat for a diversity of amphibians, reptiles, insects, fish, and more. Join Floracliff Naturalists on this trek along a scenic 1/2-mile section of of the creek to explore the biodiversity and take in the beauty of the area.
Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd 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 trees.
Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.
Butterflies and Wildflowers of Late Summer
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesPreserve Director Beverly James will lead this hike highlighting identification and natural history of butterflies as well as the wildflowers and hostplants they depend on. We'll spend some time in the pollinator field by the nature center before heading into the forest to look for woodland butterflies and flowers.
Fall Bird Walk
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesThis early morning walk will focus on observing and identifying migratory and resident birds of Floracliff's fields and forests.
Bring the Bluegrass Home
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesIn this program, we’ll visit some of the small trees and shrubs growing at Floracliff that support our birds, butterflies, and other animals. We’ll discuss how you can add these vital native plants into your yards, replace those pesky invasives (honeysuckle, burning bush, and pear, oh my!), and welcome Bluegrass biodiversity back into our neighborhoods.
In the Company of Trees: A Contemplation Hike w/ Lucia Gilchrist
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesThis contemplation walk through the Floracliff forest will provide an opportunity to reflect on the roles of trees and the relationships they support. There will be an opportunity for quiet contemplation and personal expression through writing, drawing, photography, or meditation.
Bearing Fruit: Dispersing Seeds and Tree Identification w/ Rob Paratley
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesMeet with botanist Rob Paratley for a two-part program at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary. We will have a look at a number of fruit types of native trees. Then we will hike a portion of the Preserve to see some of the fruit of the trees and shrubs in the field.
Tree Week Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky’s oldest trees.
Tree-lationships Hike
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesTrees have intricate relationships with their environment as well as other living plants, animals, and fungi. This hike will highlight the various relationships and benefits trees provide, from hostplants and nest sites to stream health and human health. Join us on a hike through the forest to Elk Lick Creek to learn about these connections and deepen your own relationship with trees.
Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.
Fall Molds and Mushrooms w/ Megan Buland
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesCome join us as we explore the fantastic world of fungi found at Floracliff. We will discuss mushroom biology and ecology, and highlight the basics of how to identify different kinds of fungi. We will also highlight the many roles fungi can play in ecology and forest health, from the good, to the bad, to the downright creepy.
Fall Long Hike
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesOur "long hikes" provide a great opportunity to see a lot of Floracliff in one day. In late fall, most of the leaves have fallen, making way for scenic views of the Elk Lick Valley. This hike will cover about 5 miles and will feature Trail’s End, the Kentucky River, Elk Lick Falls, and Elk Lick Creek.
Thanksgiving Eve Long Hike
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesOur "long hikes" provide a great opportunity to see a lot of Floracliff in one day. In late fall, most of the leaves have fallen, making way for scenic views of the Elk Lick Valley. This hike will cover about 5 miles and will feature Trail’s End, the Kentucky River, Elk Lick Falls, and Elk Lick Creek.
A Tour of Floracliff’s Old Oaks
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesFloracliff's forested ravines are home to some of the oldest known trees in Kentucky. This hike will feature many of these 17th- and 18th-century chinquapin oaks. We will discuss the characteristics of old trees, the uniqueness of Floracliff’s old trees, and their significance to the region.
Webinar: Urban Nature Connections with iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a community science app and website used by professional and amateur naturalists around the world to document and learn about biodiversity. It's not only an important tool for projects like City Nature Challenge and National Moth Week, but also a resource to learn about what is in your own yard or neighborhood. Anyone can contribute to and participate in iNaturalist by uploading observations of plants, animals, fungi, and more. This webinar will go over the basics of how to use iNaturalist and the benefits it provides to individual knowledge and global biodiversity information.
Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd 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 trees.
Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesEnd your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.
Wildflower Hike w/ Beverly James
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesJoin 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.
Wildflower Hike to Elk Lick Falls
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesJoin us for a wildflower hike to Elk Lick Falls. Hopefully, we will see some of our earliest spring wildflowers, such as bloodroot, trout lilies, and spring beauties. This hike will highlight identification, ecology, and pollinator relationships of our spring ephemerals.
Wildflower Hike w/ Laura Baird
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United StatesWe are happy to be hosting Laura Baird, Assistant Naturalist at Shaker Village, for this wildflower hike. She'll be covering natural history, folklore, pollinator relationships, and other information about some of our early spring ephemerals.
iNaturalist in Action: A hands-on demo at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary 3885 Raven Run Wy, Lexington, KY, United StatesJoin staff of Raven Run and Floracliff nature sanctuaries for this hands-on demonstration using iNaturalist in the field at Raven Run. We’ll spend some time exploring, and we will cover the benefits of nature observations, basics of the app, and effective photos for species identification. To register: email Anna Wiker at awiker@lexingtonky.gov
