A tree in Kentucky

American hornbeam - Jenny Wiley State Park

This Kentucky tree is the American Hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana. The American Hornbeam is a small tree with one or more trunks that are angled with a broad, rounded crown. The elliptical leaves are 2 inches to  4 ½ inches in length and 1 inch to 2 ½ inches wide.  The leaf edge is saw toothed. The bark is blue-gray, thin, smooth and is “muscle like” in its appearance.  In some areas the tree is called “ Muscle Wood." The fruit is leaf like, three pointed and hangs on slender stalks in clusters. These hairy, greenish nutlets mature in late Spring. The word “Hornbeam” is from the words “horn” for toughness and “beam” for tree. This tree is a member of the birch family; however, many people talk of it as a beech tree because of its smooth bark. 

The Kentucky State Parks

General Butler State Resort Park - Carrollton, KY

It seems like the Kentucky State Parks with places to stay the night are located by federal lakes in Kentucky.  Of the seventeen parks with places to stay the night seven are located along federal lakes.  These are Lake Cumberland, Jenny Wiley, Buckhorn Lake, Rough River Dam Lake, Lake Barkley, Barren River Lake, and Dale Hollow.  Jenny Wiley is located along Lake Dewey in the Appalachian mountain chain in Floyd County.  

So seven of the seventeen are along lakes built as part of the national flood damage reduction system.  Two have a similar setting.  Kenlake and Kentucky Dam Village are along the huge Kentucky Lake in Western Kentucky.  This large lake was constructed by TVA so the Kenlake and Kentucky Dam Village locations may be placed in a TVA group.  Greenbo Lake in Greenup County was built by funds raised by a citizens group and is the only park with that construction background.
 

Five parks are sites of natural features; Cumberland Falls, Natural Bridge, Carter Caves, Pine Mountain, and Pennyrile Forest. Pine Mountain State Park in Bell County was the first designated state park in Kentucky.

Two are sites of unique historic significance; Blue Licks Battlefield and General Butler.

General Butler is located along the Kentucky River in Carroll County. 
So there is a lot of water to see and some rugged outdoors places to experience.