Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway
Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Kentucky. Within Kentucky it covers roughly 19 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway is a short Kentucky state byway in Boone County that leads to the birthplace of American paleontology across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Starting at Beaverlick on KY 338 near US 42, the route runs to Big Bone Lick State Park, where prehistoric mammoths, mastodons, and giant ground sloths once gathered at natural salt licks, drawn by minerals seeping up through the ground, leaving behind enough bones that 18th-century explorers hauled specimens back east and helped found the science of paleontology in North America. Today the park keeps a small herd of bison as a living reminder of the megafauna once found here, along with hiking trails, camping, and a small museum. The byway itself offers panoramic views down to the Ohio River and passes the historic Dinsmore Homestead along the way. It's a quick, family-friendly detour rather than a long scenic drive, best paired with a stop at the park itself.
- Beaverlick to Big Bone Lick State Park
- Ice Age megafauna & salt lick history
- birthplace of American paleontology
- living bison herd
- Ohio River views & Dinsmore Homestead
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What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway
1 campground or RV park sits within about 5 miles of Big Bone Lick Scenic Byway.
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