MORNING VIEW HERITAGE AREA (MVHA)
15168 DECOURSEY PIKE, MORNING VIEW, KY 41063
The hiking trails at MVHA were made possible by the Sierra Club's Northern KY Group, who, under the leadership of Morning View resident and Sierra Club member John Robbins, blazed 75% of the current nature trail system. Since 2016, they have maintained the trails and trail markers at MVHA.
Activities that are permitted include:
• Hiking
• Nature study
• Scientific research (with a permit)
• Educational programs
• Bird watching
• Photography
Know before you go:
• MVHA is open from Dawn until Dusk.
• Watch the Weather: Do not to hike in stormy, windy, or other unsafe weather conditions.
• Plan Your Route and Stay on Designated Trails: Trails are marked with signs at the
trailhead, and colored flagging tape throughout. Trails are open to foot traffic only.
Horseback riding, bike riding, and motorized vehicles (ATV’s) are not permitted.
• Tell a Friend: Cell service is spotty/non-existent in most places. Make sure a friend or
family member is aware of your trip and knows how long you plan to be there.
• Make a Pit Stop Before You Come: There are no restrooms available.
• Leave Your Pets at Home: To protect sensitive habitats, we ask that you do not bring
animals of any kind to MVHA.
• Plan to Pack In, Pack Out: To protect habitats and to promote visitor safety, camping,
picnicking, and building fires are not permitted. Pack out all trash.
• Avoid Private Property and Restricted Areas: Always stay on the designated trails. Avoid
going into or onto ponds, restoration areas, wetlands, structures or maintenance
equipment.
• Keep It Quiet: Electronic sources of noise such as drones, music devices, or speaker
phones are not permitted.
• Protect our Animals: Please respect wildlife by observing them from a distance. Do not
feed or taunt animals. Hunting, fishing and collecting (without a permit) are prohibited.
• Protect our Plants (and yourself): Do not pick, eat, or handle, or take plants from MVHA.
Be sure to avoid the following plants if you find them on the trail: poison ivy, poison oak,
poison sumac and poison hemlock.
• Prevent Tick Bites: Wear repellent and long pants and shirts. Check for ticks during and
after your hike, and shower soon after being outdoors. Call your doctor if you develop a
fever or rash. Check out www.cdc.gov/ticks/ for more information preventing tick bites
and tick-borne diseases.
• Possession of drugs and alcohol are prohibited.
Morning View Heritage Area (MVHA) is a 224-acre nature preserve that is open to the public for hiking and nature study. It is being restored and managed by the Kenton County Conservation District (KCCD) to protect and support native species of plants and wildlife. The purchase of the property was made possible through a grant from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund Board (KHLCFB), as well as funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Funds are supported by the state portion of the unmined minerals tax, environmental fines, the $10 additional fee to purchase a Kentucky Nature License Plate, and interest on the fund’s assets. The land is protected by a Conservation Easement held by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The property was originally home to John and Matilda Steinhauser, and six generations of their descendants, who ran a dairy farm, store and service station on the property. For 154 years, the Steinhauser family lived on the property. They made many contributions to the local community, including Beatrice Steinhauser, who was a beloved educator and principal of Visalia Elementary School.