John James Audubon was one of the greatest recent artists, especially when it comes to wildlife illustration. Located in Henderson, Kentucky, John James Audubon State Park is an incredible place dedicated to the artist and the nature that inspired his work. Here’s a guide to visiting Audubon State Park!
The Nature Center at Audubon State Park
The Nature Center is the perfect first stop for a visit to the park. Located right at the entrance of the park, the Nature Center is a beautiful, historic building on the park’s nature preserve. Visitors can access an impressive wildlife observation room, the Audubon Theater, and the Education Center for free. The wildlife observation room is a beautiful circular room full of windows that overlook the nature preserve where dozens of different species of native wildlife can be seen. Meanwhile, the Audubon Theater continuously plays two different films about the life and art of John James Audubon.
For a small fee, visitors can enter the museum that displays the life and works of Audubon. Famous for writing and illustrating Birds of America, Audubon’s works are immaculate. During his life, he was the country’s most dominant force in wildlife artistry. For any art or nature lovers, I would highly recommend paying the small fee to be able to view his works.
Hiking at the Park
My other favorite activity in this scenic park is to hike along the trails. The wildlife seen throughout Kentucky is depicted in Audubon’s works, and it is fun to spot the living wildlife that was portrayed in Audubon’s paintings seen in the Nature Center. The nature found in this area of the country is unique: full of green and life in the spring and summer, and colorful leaves during the fall.
The weather can be hot and humid during the summer, and mosquitos love the greenery. I highly suggest bringing sunscreen and bug spray with you into the woods, as well as a camera to capture the wildlife and scenery! I used a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 compact camera for all photos in this article. The hiking in the park is not particularly difficult, but it can get muddy if it has rained recently. Definitely wear shoes and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty!
Other Outdoor Activities Available
Cabins and campgrounds are available for reservation from early April to mid-November. Golf courses are open year-round during good weather. Various nature and art programs are available year-round as well on the grounds and in the Nature Center. You can view the available programs here.
For those who appreciate art, love wildlife, or are avid outdoorsmen, Audubon State Park is a great place to visit while traveling through the Midwest. I visited during my 2018 road trip!
I always try to support local artists. If you liked the art shown in this article, or are a fan of Audubon in general, check out Wild Wes James! His wildlife illustrations are absolutely incredible and highly inspired by Audubon’s work.
Be sure to send this article to your artistic friends who may appreciate it!
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