The Backbone Wetland
Sunrise on the wetland. Photo by Barry Howard.
Tucked into the rolling landscape of Peaks Mill, the Backbone Wetland is a 43-acre natural area where water, wildlife, and people come together. Once part of a sweeping bend of Elkhorn Creek, this former oxbow has evolved into a rare and vibrant wetland—an ecosystem that filters water, stores floodwaters, and provides critical habitat for birds, amphibians, and other wildlife.
With more than 80% of Kentucky’s wetlands already lost, places like Backbone are increasingly important. Woods & Waters Land Trust is actively restoring and caring for this special landscape by removing invasive plants, improving habitat, and protecting the natural systems that make wetlands so valuable to both wildlife and downstream communities.
Backbone Wetland also offers opportunities for people to connect with nature in a meaningful way. Through guided walks, volunteer stewardship days, and future low-impact access, visitors can experience the quiet beauty of this landscape while learning about the role wetlands play in a healthy watershed.
This is a place where conservation is ongoing—where careful stewardship today helps ensure that clean water, rich habitat, and moments of discovery endure for generations to come.
