Richmond, KY Outdoor Activities

Jon boats and pontoons putter across the calm waters of Wilgreen Lake Marina, while just beneath the surface, bass and bluegill flit past fishing lines. Founded by passionate bass angler Randy Nunley, the idle-speed marina strives to serve as a fisherman’s oasis. In addition to the rental fleet, a bait shop peddles live bait, tackle, and waterproof love notes for luring in fish. Nunley also fires up competitive spirits with annual bass tournaments.

A rustle of wind whips through the dark forest rising up behind the deserted building, increasing the sense of foreboding that has settled over the clearing for much of the afternoon. The silence is broken by a bird’s shrill call from a distant tree and, as if on queue, a masked figure steps out from inside the weathered structure and aims his marker at his opponent hiding behind the small trailer in front of him. Suddenly finding herself splattered with vibrant purple paint, the targeted adversary takes off across the green field, firing off a polychromatic round of pellets in her wake.

Founded with the hopes of granting its guests the chance to experience adrenaline-laced interactions such as these, Band of Brother Paintball offers acres of play space for pigment-slinging snipers. Before sending patrons out for rounds of fast-paced play, the knowledgeable staff outfits them with an arsenal of rental equipment and paintballs. Once armed, shooters take to obstacle-laden fields, bobbing and weaving between metal cylinders as they try to create passable forgeries of Impressionist paintings on the backs of fellow combatants.

Despite the changing seasons, Lexington Ice Center holds strong as an unflappable polestar for family-friendly recreation. In the summer, each of three 18-hole mini-golf courses features a different Biblical theme, placing obstacles such as Noah's ark amid a landscape of streams and waterfalls. An indoor ice rink helps skaters escape the blizzards of candy canes and stinging tinsel that plague the winter months; coaches lead beginner lessons, and crowds hit the ice for public skating sessions. After detaching the skate blades from their tennis shoes, visitors can head to the center's three full indoor courts to practice basketball or soccer, or simply sit and ponder the flavors of Gatorade that have once graced their hallowed floors.

When the Legends first stepped onto the field at Whitaker Bank Ballpark in 2001, they broke a nearly half-century dry spell of pro baseball in the city of Lexington. That first season, they made their presence known by winning the South Atlantic League championship and trying to rename City Hall after themselves. Since their inauguration in '01, the Legends have sent more than three-dozen players to the majors, fulfilling the promise of their name and creating their own legacy.

Designed by famed Australian golfer Graham Marsh, Old Silo Golf Course engulfs 209 acres of hilly terrain with a challenging 7,011-yard layout. Bent-grass tees, fairways, and greens form manicured chutes through bluegrass rough, a difficult outlier that lures errant shots with its long blades and hypnotic plucking of ancient fiddles.

Somerset Creek comes into play on five holes, looming on the edges of 7 and 17 and presenting a forced carry on holes 6, 15, and 16. The par 72 course concludes with a 574-yard par 5 in which players must navigate a three-sectioned fairway and 8 of the course's 84 white-sand bunkers.

Rather than rummaging in their golf bag for forgotten candy bars or stowaway potatoes, players can quell appetites at Old Silo's restaurant, which serves a menu of pulled-pork sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and other casual grill fare. On weekends, grillmasters barbecue steaks, beef brisket, and ribs on the outdoor balcony that overlooks the golf course.

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by Graham Marsh
• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 7,011 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 74.6 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 139 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Scorecard

The Blue Grass Sportsmen's League is not just concerned with entertaining its members with various outdoor sporting activities; the nonprofit organization also dedicates itself to conservation, hunter education, and habitat restoration. At the expansive facility—which is tucked into the Jessamine County woods and bordered on three sides by the river—three separate ranges help hunters improve their accuracy before they participate in carefully managed hunting for deer, pheasant, and wild bull's-eyes. A spring-fed fishing lake with species limits is stocked with bluegill, catfish, and bass, and a dog-training field safely prepares canines for upcoming trips. Blue Grass Sportsmen's League also invites guests to practice tactical maneuvers and re-create Jackson Pollock's Autumn Rhythm on its two paintball fields.