McConnell Springs

The trai here is GREAT for families with young children and it definitely feels like an oasis of nature in the midst of industry. I do wish they had restrooms on the outside of the building that could be available when the visitors center is closed. For example, on Sundays, they don’t open until 1:00 and my family went walking there about 11:30. By the time we were done, pregnant me and my potty-​training son would have LOVED access to a restroom, but no such luck. The visitors center has some interesting things, but could certainly be added to as well. All in all, a really nice place for a family walk.

It’s beautiful, free, and right in town. I can’t see how this place doesn’t deserve 5 stars.
This beautiful hidden gem boasts an impressive education center and great trails with signs to learn things along the way. It is very educational for children and beautiful for the adults. The trails aren’t super long, so I wouldn’t make a long trip here just to see this place, but it’s definitely worth it if you are in town.

How have I gone so long not realizing what this amazing place is?! This place is a 5 – 10 minute drive to downtown or campus but you feel like you are in the middle nowhere! I love it. The grounds a very well kept and it is just simply beautiful. You can easily walk the entire sanctuary in an hour or less. Also we brought our goddaughter in her stroller and it was pretty easy to get around, there were a couple areas we had to work around.

A nice spot in Lexington for something to do for an hour or two maybe. It’s not a very large park and it was annoying to still hear cars driving so ehhh on the relaxing unplugging deal, unless your cool with cars zooming around while trying to get away from that! The blue pool was cool to see right here in lex. The kids enjoyed exploring and making caterpillar friends! It still made for a fun thing to do with them. Driving through the industrial park was not appealing and made me question how secluded it would be, which I found out it really isn’t. But hey oh well it’s still here in lex so at least go check it out!

As I drove toward downtown Lexington, I was surprised by the location of McConnell Springs but pleased that it was so easy to find. I went on a Friday afternoon and had the place mostly to myself.
The walking trails wind back into the woods. They are mostly paved and go over several cute bridges. Benches line the trail. It seems very well maintained. The springs are interesting to look at and sitting on a bench looking at them became meditative. A great place for somewhere to clear your head or take a romantic walk with a significant other. It also looked like a nice spot for a picnic. The trails were not strenuous and could be easily managed by anyone. I was happy to notice while I was leaving that it’s very close to the Distillery District on Manchester Street so lunch and a drink at Ethereal combined with a walk at McConnell Springs may be in my future.

Wow! I’ve lived in Lexington practically all of my life, and had never been to McConnell Springs. Finally, I decided to get out of my rut of visiting the same parks over and over and explore.
I was a bit surprised at the location. It’s literally a mile or so from downtown Lexington, tucked away in an area that seems like an industrial park. The visitors center or whatever they call it, closes at 5pm. The gate will also be closed, the park doesn’t actually «close» until dusk. You can park curbside in front of the gate, then walk through the visitors center and picnic table area and into 26 acres of hidden beauty.
Most of the path is paved and level, so the walk is very easy. You will see signs pointing right for the springs, or you can turn left and explore the pond and wooded landscape. I chose going past the springs first, and circling around into the wooded area. The wooded area is very close to houses, which reminds you that you are in the city.
First you pass the Blue Hole. It’s 15 feet deep and has a slight tint of blue to it. The water from the Blue Hole area runs underground, through the limestone and bubbles into the second spring area, which is called the Boil. The Boil is not warm as you might think by the name. The third spring area the called The Final Sink. I won’t ruin the experience and go into great detail, but each spring is amazing and has it’s own story posted along the way.
There are benches along the path too, so plan to stop and rest and enjoy the scenery.

So you have to get in your car to drive here but it’s worth the trip. They have a great education center and covered picnic tables. There are paved & dirt walking paths that are easy for everyone, including those with disabilities. They host special events and upon request will host an educational event for you.
I have attended Halloween events, Founder’s Day and Cub Scout programs here several times. We always enjoyed our visits and will definitely be back!