Cross Wooden Bridges And Ogle Real-Life Giants On This Fairy Tale Trail In Kentucky
By Sarah McCosham|Updated on July 26, 2023(Originally published August 29, 2022)
×
Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The Bluegrass State is a marvelous, magical place. We know this, and there’s nothing like a day along the stunning trails of Kentucky for a reminder of just how enchanting our state truly is. There’s one particular hike, however, that is quite literally a real-life fairy tale trail in Kentucky. Among the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest trails is a downright magical hiking adventure that winds over wooden bridges and past real-life woodland creatures… and giants. That’s the Forest Giants Trail is just as amazing as it sounds.
Located just outside Bardstown in Central Kentucky, Bernheim Arboretum is one of those impossibly beautiful places that seems too spectacular to be real.
Stunning tall grass fields, ponds, boardwalks, and lush forests are just part of what you will find at Bernheim. Around every corner is yet another breathtaking view or natural wonder to enjoy.
Home to a world-class arboretum, numerous hiking trails, a plethora of flowers, an epic children’s playscape, and more, Bernheim Forest is one of the top outdoor destinations for Kentucky nature lovers.
You really need to plan a whole day if you want to explore and see all of it and even then you will be pining to get back to this most impressive arboretum.
Advertisement
At this delightful arboretum, you can explore over 16,000 acres of natural beauty, for an enchanting escape in nature. In addition, it's home to 8,000 unique varieties of trees and more flora and fauna to count.
You can pick your favorite type of landscape and get lost in fields, enjoy a spot by the water, or hike into one of its many forest trails in Kentucky. There is seemingly no end to the natural beauty found at this arboretum.
Advertisement
And a few years ago, this place took on an even more magical and irresistible intrigue with the arrival of three larger-than-life forest giants.
These art installations are made from locally recycled materials like old whisky barrels and downed limbs from the forest. They are sturdy, but they only have about a 3-year life expectancy. The good people at Bernheim have been taking good care of them and hope to have them for many more years. So if you have been thinking about taking a trip out to see them you might want to make sure you do before they are gone forever.
For its 90th anniversary, Bernheim Arboretum invited Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist, to build three forest giants: Mama Loumari and her two children. These whimsical giants have become an iconic Kentucky photo op, and are totally fantastic to see in person. Easily viewable via the two-mile, out-and-back Forest Giants Trail, there's nothing quite like this fairy tale trail in Kentucky.
If you are not familiar with Thomas Dambo's work then you are in for quite a surprise when you see these magnificent creatures. As an artist, he takes into consideration where his sculptures are going to be and tells a story in the natural surroundings. The mother who is the biggest of the forest giants is laying down relaxing under a tree and she is expecting yet another child. So while the pregnant mother rests her son is fascinated with his reflection in the pond and her daughter is playing in the field with the rocks. The story goes that the daughter found a feather and was inspired to create the same design with rocks and if you get a good vantage point while you are there you will see that the rocks form a feather.
But the thing is, Bernheim Forest, doesn't need these enthralling woodland giants to be magical. It's naturally splendid all on its own. If ever there were a place in Kentucky where enchanted, benevolent beings existed, this would be it.
This, to us, is what ranks the trails here among the best hikes in Kentucky.
Because we sure haven't. Come and wander the fairy tale trail at this beautiful Kentucky park. Take in the landscape, the abundant wildlife, the unfettered beauty, and...
Have you hiked the Forest Giants Trail at Bernheim Arboretum before? This is one fairy tale trail in Kentucky sure to capture your heart… and imagination. With so much to see and do you might want to make this a two-day trip and stay in this quirky and unique cabin just outside of the Bernheim Arboretum. Make sure you check out this video from Adventuring in the Moment where they not only saw all 3 forest giants but they were there during a special event where they lit them up at night and it is a must-see.
Looking for more sublime Bluegrass State scenery? This Kentucky State Park is blessed in the “natural beauty” department!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
You can make all of these places into an epic road trip like we did and you can read all about our Kentucky road trip to all of these fantastic places.
