Sunday Morning at Turkey Run Park

Pretty Sunday mornings are best spent outdoors, so we grabbed our walking shoes (my husband, his long board) and headed to the newly opened Turkey Run Park.   This 800+ acre park is the 3rd addition to the 5 parks of the Parklands of Floyds Fork park system.

Some photos from this morning’s adventure:

At the entrance

Hockensmith Barn

A hunter's perch (?)

On the way up!

Silo Lookout

View from the top

I’ve been a fan ever since it opened back in 2012.  The Parklands, once completed in Spring 2016, will stretch from Shelbyville Road to Bardstown Road, encompassing 5 parks: Beckley Creek Park, Pope Lick Park, Turkey Run, the Strand and Broad Run Park.  Three parks are currently opened to the public, with the Strand and Broad Run Park scheduled to open in the Spring of 2016.   The parks hug the Floyds Fork Creek, providing scenic hiking and biking paths as well as 19 miles of canoe/kayaking trail.

Expect to see: 100 miles of trails for hiking and biking, canoe launches, event venues, bark park, children’s playgrounds, recreational fields, fishing holes and other outdoor spaces.  They also have regularly scheduled events so check their website for details.   For example, Wednesday Wonders are interactive science experiments for children under 7 ($5 to attend, free to members).

The parks are brand new, so the facilities are spotless; the biking paths and hiking paths are well maintained.  In the spring and summer, come for the display of colors from wild flower fields and carefully planned greeneries.  In the Fall, get a bird’s eye view of fall foliage from the surrounding hills atop the Silo Overlook at Turkey Run Park.

Spring at Beckley Creek Park

Summer at Pope Lick

For the bet overview of the parks, I recommend bringing your bike. Start at the parking at the entrance of Beckley Creek Park (across from Valhalla Golf Course) and follow the biking path all the way to Pope Lick Park.  It’s around 15 miles round trip and take around 2 – 3 hours to complete.  Some hills can be slow going, but take your time and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful sceneries and a fast downhill.

Biking trail

On the way to Pope Lick

Biking trail