Louisville Nature Center 3745 Illinois Avenue, Louisville, KY 40213

"Easy trail to immerse yourself in nature for a while! It’s free and the longest trail is about 1.5 miles as there are two options to choose from in regards to length. You can grab a map of the trail from inside and then there are numbered markings along the way. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend!"

"What a hidden gem. I am embarrassed to say I have lived near the center my entire life and never stopped in until today. I walked nearly an hour through an oasis of nature in a city setting. For the bulk of the trails I heard nothing but birds and nature. I saw a deer cross the path about 20 feet from me. There are two trails and they are a good workout without being difficult. There are educational opportunities and a beautiful sensory garden in the front of the center. Do yourself a favor and visit. Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated."

"The building is surprisingly modest for such a large city. The guy staffing it was great though. He let my grandson feed the turtle. The natural playground was very well designed. Lots of opportunities for creative, imaginative play. It includes a tree house, a gravel pit with trucks, big sandbox, a chime instrument, logs to jump on... and more. Lots of kids there despite temps in the low 40's. Nice demonstration gardens including sensory and butterfly gardens. Unfortunately, the trails were closed due to the risk of falling tree limbs."

"We needed a place to kill some time before we went to the Louisville Slugger Museum. This was a nice place to go for a short hike and eat lunch at. It did seem kind of run-down to me. The trails were fairly well worn although overrun in some places. The longer Trail was closed which was unfortunate. There is a nice little kids area that was well-used. There is a nice little Pond and sitting area if you want to have a picnic lunch there. Unfortunately the little Nature Preserve was closed. There was also a bird watching area that we were unable to get into. We saw one turtle & a few birds but nothing too exciting."

"This a great place to explore with young children. They have a natural play area behind the center. Inside they have a room with a few live animals, books, and other things to explore. You can sit and read with children about the animals and things native to the area. They have some trails to hike as well."