Dinsmore Woods State Nature Preserve
Why You Should Visit
Occupying a ridgetop and slope along a minor tributary to the Ohio River, Dinsmore Woods is located within the northern section of the Bluegrass Region. This area of Northern Kentucky is unique in that is the only region of the state to experience Pleistocene glaciations; as the glaciers retreated, outwash of previous glaciers were deposited, giving its moist, deep and fertile soils a higher acidity resulting in a unique natural area.
Location
An early 19th century family homestead lies on KY 18 about six miles west of Burlington in Boone County. Adjacent to the preserved historical landmark is The Nature Conservancy's Dinsmore Woods State Nature Preserve. This relatively mature forest is less than two miles away from the Conservancy's Boone County Cliffs State Nature Preserve.
Size
107 acres
Conditions
The trail is open to the public every day from sunrise to sunset. To protect the easily erodible soils of the steep slopes, the Conservancy asks visitors to stay on the marked trail. The homestead is open from the first of April to mid-December.
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.
Directions
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From I-75, take exit #181 west 5 miles to Burlington
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Continue on KY 18 for 6 more miles
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The preserve is on the right side of the road just past the intersection of Middle Creek Road and KY 18
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Parking is located at the Middle Creek Park on the left side of the road
What to See: Plants
This relatively undisturbed old growth woodland is a mixed hardwood forest. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and white ash (Fraxinus americana) abound, as well as several species of oak (Quercus):
The understory is a diverse mix of wildflowers including dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) and trout lily (Erythronium americanum).
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Dinsmore Woods is a unique area boasting the preservation of both historical and natural resources. Adjacent to the forest is a population of the federally endangered running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum). This clover is found in semi-shaded areas of open woodland and along trails.
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
In 1985, Mrs. Martha Breasted donated 107 acres of land to The Nature Conservancy. In 1990, the Conservancy and the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (KSNPC) dedicated the property. (Dedication provides land with the highest form of legal protection available in Kentucky.) The site is managed jointly by both agencies. The Dinsmore Homestead Foundation protects an adjacent 30 acres surrounding the original farmhouse.
The Conservancy and the KSNPC, together with researchers form Northern Kentucky University, are working on methods to control the spread of invasive garlic mustard (Alliara petiolata) at Dinsmore Woods. In addition to cutting and removing the plants, fire is also being tested as a tool to control the species.
Other objectives for the site include protecting the forest, and encouraging the spread of the running buffalo clover population.
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