Beargrass Creek is the name given to several forks of a creek in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The Beargrass Creek watershed is one of the largest in the county, draining over 60 square miles (160 km2)….Beargrass Creek (Kentucky)

The water in Beargrass Creek may look inviting, but the naked eye can’t see the harmful E. coli lurking below. It is not safe to swim in the water if the E. coli level is more than 400 CFU’s per 100 milliliters, according to state standards.

2.7 mile
Joe Creason Park (Beargrass Creek Nature Preserve) is a 2.7 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Louisville, Kentucky that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September.

A diversity of plants, including 180 species of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Over 150 species of resident and migratory birds documented. At least 30 butterfly species observed.

The old channel of the Beargrass Creek was enclosed during the 1850s to create a covered sewer, and the New Cut of Beargrass Creek was dug to divert storm water from the Muddy and Center Forks of Beargrass Creek into the Ohio River two miles upstream from downtown Louisville.

Taking the long arc of history, Beargrass Creek is cleaner than it has ever been. Still, runoff from the city fills the creek with pollution as flash flooding erodes the creek’s banks. Overflowing sewage and stormwater still empties into the waterway damaging water quality and degrading habitat.

NOTE: While the water in Floyds Fork is safe for wading, splashing, and fishing, swimming in the creek is not advised! Black Willow Trail: This easy-level, 1.69-mile (one-way) hiking trail is made mostly of crushed stone.

Lake Barkley Located about three and a half hours southwest of Louisville, Lake Barkley’s public beach is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to its website, and has a volleyball court and bathhouses. The LBL area also has camping, wildlife viewings, hiking and fishing and is an hour behind Louisville.

Joe Creason (June 10, 1918 – August 14, 1974) was a journalist who wrote for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky. Creason continued writing and working until his death, which occurred while playing tennis with WHAS radio personality Milton Metz. Joe Creason Park, where he died, is named after him.

A stuffed gray fox at the Louisville Nature Center. The hip foxes spotted enjoying the nightlife in NuLu and the Highlands are likely red foxes, (Vulpes vulpes). We also have gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) around, but they tend to be more shy. Foxes live in groups and form strong social bonds.

The Waterfront Botanical Gardens was started by Botanica, an umbrella organization for the local gardening community that was started in 1993 to help enlighten, entertain, and educate the community about the botanical world.

A lot of attention has focused on Beargrass Creek, whose three forks – the Muddy, the Middle and the South – drain 61 square miles across the heart of Louisville. The creek receives massive volumes of sewage overflows by design, from combined sewage and stormwater pipes that spill during rain.