October Big Day – Bird Walk
Celebrate fall migration at the Oxbow Nature Conservancy while contributing to a global day of citizen science.
Planning your visit
How to get here, where to park, and the rules that keep the birds here.
Directions & Parking
Oxbow’s west area is open to the public and is located off US-50 in Lawrenceburg, IN. Use the address below or search “Oxbow Nature Conservancy” for turn-by-turn navigation.
Entrance address
No GPS? No problem
Off state route 50, turn onto Production Way (between the Circle K and Waffle House). Go over the levee until the road T’s with a fence, turn right, and follow it to the main Oxbow sign.
Main entrance lot
Closest to the Osprey Lake Trail. Best for groups and families.
Oxbow Road pull-offs
For a quick look or a long lens. Park only in the gravel turn-outs.
Parking
Main entrance lot
Closest to the Osprey Lake Trail. Best for groups and families.
Oxbow Road pull-offs
For a quick look or a long lens. Park only in the gravel turn-outs.
Trail Map
The Osprey Lake Trail has a short and a long loop. This trail is typically accessible year-round, but exercise caution: floodwaters from the Great Miami and Ohio Rivers often cover the entire low-lying Oxbow area, sometimes reaching heights of 20 feet.
First time here?
Start with the self-guided tour
Eight numbered stops with audio, a printable map and driving directions, by car or on foot, any day dawn to dusk. Paper copies are at the entrance.
Rules & Safety
Low-impact activities such as birdwatching, hiking and photography are welcome any day, dawn to dusk, at your own risk. Everything else:
No restrooms
There are no facilities on the property. Please plan ahead.
No camping
Fires, camping, and overnight parking are not permitted.
Motorized vehicles
No ATVs are allowed and cars must stay on established roads.
Limited water access
No swimming and no motorized watercraft. Kayaks and canoes are okay for experienced paddlers.
Leave it better
Plants, wildlife, fields and crops are protected. Please take nothing and leave nothing. Violators may be prosecuted.
Flooding
Watch the river: water can rise two feet an hour. Oxbow Road may close, but you are still welcome to walk it at your own risk.
Fishing
Bank fishing is the only fishing permitted, restricted to the Juno Pond Causeway and Osprey Lake Spillway.
Hunting
Hunting is allowed on a set portion of Oxbow property. Permits are limited, first come first served, and you must be a member in good standing.
Risks
Activities not expressly prohibited by these rules or state law may be done at your own risk. Oxbow is not responsible for injuries on the property.
Have a question?
See our Frequently Asked Questions or Contact us to learn more
Things to do at the Oxbow
A wildlife sanctuary first. Birdwatching, hiking and photography are welcome any day, dawn to dusk, at your own risk, and bank fishing if you have a license.
QBC & NKY birders exploring the Oxbow
Photo by Ash Conway
Become a first-class birder
The Oxbow is a vital stopping point for more than 270 species of birds, like herons, egrets and bitterns, and many more during migration season.
The Osprey Lake Trail
Photo by Foto by Guitto
Take a walk and hike the Osprey Lake Trail
A loop around Osprey Lake with numbered stops you scan with your phone: osprey platforms, the levee, the prairie restoration, and the archaeology under your feet.
Osprey
Photo by Gayle Pille
Capture the beauty of the Oxbow
The Oxbow is home to many kinds of birds and mammals, insects and spiders, fish and herps, plants and fungi, landscapes and panoramas. Grab your camera, journal, canvas or sketchbook and enjoy the sights.
Oxbow Lake
Photo by Foto by Guitto
Explore the Oxbow from the water
Bank fishing is permitted with an appropriate Indiana license, and conservation officers monitor the property. Motorized watercraft and swimming are not allowed.
North Finger Field time-lapse
Photos by visitors, via Chronolog
Contribute to pollinator habitat research
Visit the Chronolog station, take a picture and upload it to contribute to the timelapse and help us monitor the site as it grows.
Flighted Bird of Prey Show, Birding Man Festival
Get involved and attend group events
The Oxbow hosts events for all ages: guided bird walks, workshops, talks on pollinators and birds of prey, river clean-ups, and habitat restoration days removing invasive species and planting natives.
Upcoming Events
Walks, work days and talks. Most are free.
Tuesday Night Talks: Archaeology of the Oxbow
Archaeologists Rachel Sharkey and Louis Herzner on the archaeological resources documented at the Oxbow Nature Conservancy.
October Native Planting
A morning of planting native forbs and shrubs to restore wood duck habitat. Free.
Bluebird Box Workshop
Build a bluebird nest box with John Klein and leave with the blueprints and the skills to build your own. Free.
See all events
