The Center

Live & Learn

Man on a cart driving two Suffolk Punch draft horses in harness

The Forest

Nature R&R Forest Bathing

Upcoming Events

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Interested in what the FOC might be planning, want to see pictures of different plants native to this area, or maybe you just want to see what the phases of the moon will be this month? Plan something with the family, take some time to yourself on the trails, or join a group hike where you can walk with an ecologist! All of our events are free and open to all.

Have you enjoyed an event? Our social media posts? The forest? Then consider donating to the FOC! We love sharing the forest and nature with folks of all ages far and wide. If you’d like to contribute to more people experiencing the wonders of nature, you can make a donation below. Thank you.

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We are open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday and 12:00 to 4:00 pm Sunday. We are closed Monday.
The trails are dog friendly, but they must be on a leash.
We opened in January of 2018!
Yes, we have a parking lot by the building and trails to the Pinnacles. There are two free electric vehicle charging stations. (2047 Big Hill Rd.) Anglin Falls has a gravel parking lot at the trailhead (842 Anglin Falls Rd.) Brushy Fork has gravel parking lots off of Scaffold Cane Rd. down the hill from the four way stop.
No, the Forestry Outreach Center is free and open to all! The Pinnacles, Anglin Falls, and Brushy Fork are not a part of a national or state park/forest.
Handicap parking is available at the trailhead. The trail is paved a few hundred feet to the amphitheater but is not accessible beyond that. The building and restrooms (indoor and outdoor) are all on one level with flat ground. There is an automatic door opener only on the front and classroom doors. Some accessible natural areas fairly nearby Berea include Flat Lick Falls (1 hour east) and Cumberland Falls (1 hour south).
The Pinnacles, Anglin Falls, and Brushy Fork trails are open dawn to dusk every day of the year. If they are closed for an extenuating circumstance, we will post about it on our website and social media.
Yes, the Center has indoor and outdoor restrooms, as well as an outdoor shower. There are also drinking fountains and a water bottle filler in the Center.
Historically, there has been a craft fair every July and October here at the Pinnacles. Things have changed the past few years so it is best to contact Berea Tourism for the most up-to-date information!

Tree I.D. Art Installation

As you walk up the trail at the Pinnacles, you will find many different species of trees. Local artist, bugz fraugg, created hand-carved wooden signs to compliment over ten species of trees in the forest. When you pause and read them, you will learn more about our tree friends than their common and scientific names. These identification signs encourage paying attention to tree’s bark, buds, leaves, seeds and silhouette. Each one also describes how the tree is important to our ecosystem, which includes humans. As they are gifted to us, there is also space for the tree names in the languages of the indigenous people that call this land home, the Cherokee and Shawnee.

bugz also designed a guide to spring ephemeral wildflowers, highlighting the beauty of the fleeting and delicate flowers in the forest.

Click on the accompanying zine to the left to access a PDF version.

Skies Over the Pinnacles

"We often don’t think about the sky above us as a part of the ecosystem other than when weather is involved. But it is! People have used stars and other objects in the sky for thousands and thousands of years to help them navigate, tell time, know when to plant crops, and create folklore and art. In fact, many animals use the sky for travelling and telling time!"

The Forestry Outreach Center has partnered with a local astronomer, Jeff Hutton, who writes monthly about interesting things in the night sky. You can read his Skies Over the Pinnacles articles by clicking any of the pictures or the button labeled 'Skies Over the Pinnacles'!

A Piece Of The Forest

“I grew up in a large, loud, home-schooled family; The 4th child of five. When me and my siblings visit home, late night conversations and good memories always seem to center around the kitchen… Though my Mother didn’t always have access to the best ingredients as she shopped on a budget. This legacy of thriftiness and good, soulful food led me to my passion for foraging.”

Learn about foraging around the Berea college campus through pictures from an experienced student forager in this ‘zine.

 

The cover of the zine "The Forager's Guide to Campus Fall Edition" with images of plants

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