The Nature Conservancy in Kentucky

Crossen Preserve

The Crossen Preserve lies across from the "Devil's Elbow" bend of the Kentucky River. The tract -- mostly wooded, except for about 40 acres of old fields on the bottomland -- consists of ridges, slopes and bottoms with nearly a mile of river frontage.

Location
Garrard County

Size
272 acres

Conditions
Due to the sensitivity of the site, the preserve is open to the public only through Conservancy guided hikes.

How to Prepare for Your Visit
For more information on visiting this and other Nature Conservancy sites in Kentucky, see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines page.

What to See: Plants
Common species found on the ravine slope include:

Rred oak (Quercus rubra)
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Basswood (Tilia americana).

What to See: Animals
The Palisades are home to at least 25 mammal species and 35 reptile species. Two endangered bats -- the Gray bat (Myotis grisescens) and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) -- utilize this habitat. Bats require forested corridors that serve as a source of insects. The bats feed on these insects over streams and along forest edges.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
This tract is part of the conservation of the Kentucky River Palisades.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Focus will be on posting/blazing boundaries and removal of invasive species.