Big Bone Lick State Historic Site — Hotel in Rising Sun

Big Bone Lick State Historic Site in Union, Kentucky, is a truly unique destination that blends natural beauty, fascinating history, and family-friendly activities into one enriching experience. We recently visited with our child and spent a few nights camping in the on-site campground, which made the experience even more enjoyable and immersive.

The campground was quiet, clean, and well laid out, with spacious sites that offered plenty of shade and privacy. The bathhouses were modern and well-maintained, with hot showers and good water pressure. It was a perfect home base for exploring everything the park has to offer. Waking up to the sounds of nature and enjoying coffee outside while surrounded by woods was a peaceful way to start each day.

As you explore the park, the interpretive center is a must-visit. It offers a detailed look at the area's prehistoric past, where massive Ice Age animals like mammoths once roamed and left their bones behind in the mineral-rich salt licks. The exhibits are interactive and kid-friendly, making it easy to keep little ones interested while learning something new.

One of the most delightful surprises was the live bison herd. Seeing these majestic creatures up close in a natural setting was breathtaking. The walking trails are perfect for a casual hike, and there's even a paved trail that’s stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. We also appreciated the shaded picnic areas and the accessibility of the campground to all park features.

Big Bone Lick State Park is a hidden gem that blends science, history, and nature in a way that few places can. Camping there made our trip even more memorable. Whether you’re a family with young kids, a nature enthusiast, or a history buff, this park has something for everyone. We can’t...

My sister in law and her family took my family here for our first camping trip, and it was a fun experience. We had a few issues, unfortunately... such as water main broke at a nearby campsite, and ended up flooding our site so we were forced to move everything to a different campsite. That ate into our hiking time, but we were still able to see the bison, the museum, and a couple of trails. The museum was really cute, and a nice setup displaying all the prehistoric history the park holds and the bison were beautiful. Minigolfing was fun, but it was hard to get ahold of the equipment for it, we had to keep asking the camp host to lay it out for us, but regardless, it was a cute setup. The location of the mini golf was beautiful, too, bc it was right on top of a hill and could see unique homes on other hills in the distances. The morning we were leaving, my sister in law's camper lost power, along with many other campers at nearby sites, our tent's power source did not...but we were still able to make breakfast and mosey on about our day, and eventually the power was fixed. Bathrooms were clean, though I wish the shower areas were more maintained. My in-laws are experienced campers, and was not pleased with these grounds whatsoever. I didn't have a terrible time, but I wish the park offered more, especially with the pool being closed after Labor Day. But we made the most of it. It was a beautiful place to check out. It was very...

Have been there in the past and it was pretty decent but this past trip was not as good. The campsite we stayed on had a 5” lean from side to side and after looking around over half the sites have the same issue. My biggest complaint that made me feel the need to leave a not so good review is the staff. On arrival we were told the pool was closed and the state doesn’t have the money to fix it. 101 degree temps and no pool for our granddaughter to play in. We then inquired about the putt putt golf course. Every other time we were there it was free , now there is a charge to play. When we checked in we were told it was a one time fee per day. When we went to play , in 90 degree weather we had to wait for 40 minutes for a staff member to open the general store. I would think they could hire some additional help ? We went ahead and played a round and then decided to come back in the evening when it cooled down but she told us we had to pay again if we return. Seriously? To make matters worse the lady was quite rude about it and couldn’t have cared less if we came back or not. This was Not a good way to introduce our granddaughter to camping. I hope someone in their management team reads this and can make some changes in the way things are handled and how guests are treated. This Could and should be a really nice place to camp especially being so close to the Ark Encounter but for now I would say buyer beware until...