Ohio

The entirety of this hike is within the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, a protected park with strict restrictions on off-trail travel with pets prohibited. Starting at the parking lot off of Jackson St, follow the trail northwest along the narrows of Clifton Gorge. Here, the river has carved a ...

You first park in the Brandywine Falls picnic area shown there on the map. There are three ways you go can go right off the start. You want to take the trail to the left named the "Stanford Trail." The trail consists of medium to large stones that are white in color. If you see this you are on the r...

From the Rock House parking lot, follow the trail for 0.1 mile down the hill until you come to a fork in the trail, at which point follow the yellow marked Lower Rim Trail that continues downhill through a set of carved sandstone steps and then turns to parallel the cliffs. From there, it's less tha...

Starting from the parking lot, cross the small foot bridge before coming to where the trail splits. You will have 3 options (straight, left or right). My personal opinion on route will be described below. Take the paved path that explores the valley floor first. It is an easy 1/2 mile out and back w...

Owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy, Ohio's Edge of Appalachia Preserve is home to over 19,000 acres of protected wilderness and rugged Appalachian terrain. And the greatest prize of the preserve is none other than the Buzzards Roost. Perched atop a slab of resistant limestone roughly 500' ...

Starting at the eastern trailhead off of Gratiot Rd, follow the paved Blackhand Trail for 0.2 mile till you arrive at the sign of the Quarry Rim Trail, a 0.9 mile trail that roughly parallels the bike trail, but takes you along the rim of the old sandstone quarry that was in operation in the late 18...

Cantwell Cliffs is one of the more northern units of the overall Hocking Hills State Park Region. Located off of OH SR 374, a short 0.1 spur trail takes you from the parking lot to the rim of the gorge and the area's namesake cliffs. From there, you have two choices: Turn left and descend through "F...

This is a lovely 2 mile hike along Mill Creek. We parked by Lake Newport and started off on the West Gorge Trail toward the Mill. The trail itself was decent, with some rough spots, but still hike able. Make sure you go down to the Creek before you head across the covered bridge to the East Gorge Tr...

The location of the fossil hunt is within the emergency spillway of the Caesar Creek Dam. Once there, simply look at the ground and at any rocks in the vicinity. It won't take long to find a variety of Ordovician fossils; Trilobites (Ohio's State Fossil), Horn Coral, Gastropods, Brachiopods, and Bry...

The Scout Trail at Oak Openings Preserve Metropark in Swanton, Ohio is an easy hike that covers a lot of beautiful ground! I love this hike and do it several times each season (REALLY recommend the fall for the gorgeous colors!). I am constantly surprised by how few people take advantage of this tra...

Starting your hike from the Cedar Ridge Picnic Area, head north along the Darby Creek Greenway, a well-maintained gravel path that is a multi-use trail alongside cyclists and trail runners. The trail switches between a number of different settings during the 4.7 mile one-way trek, including forest, ...

Getting to Ash Cave is extremely easy with a short half-mile loop hike from the parking area; there's also a rim trail above the cave that adds 90 feet of elevation and some extra distance. The cave is great for relaxing in the shade during a hot day, enjoying a spring picnic, or grabbing some image...

To get to this trail you can go to the Dam that is a part of Pleasant Hill Lake and there is a parking area across the street. After you start walking you reach signs that will ask where you want to go, either to the covered bridge or to the Lyons Falls. By going towards the covered bridge first you...

The camping spots at Morgan's are right along the Little Miami River, making it a peaceful and beautiful place to camp. There are more than 50 sites to camp at. (Note: not all camp sites are along the water.) The campsites vary in size. There are sites for 2 and sites for 20. There are a decent amou...

Starting at the lower parking lot, follow the signs that direct you to the trails near the shelterhouse. Within 0.2 of a mile the trail forks; follow the left fork heading east along the Little Miami River. This is the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati Stagecoach Trail, which for 1.3 miles winds its way along t...

Starting at the nature center near the entrance of the park, the 2.5 mile long Dripping Rock Trail heads off in two directions, to the south and to the west. Either way will take you back to the nature center at the end of the day. Going west takes you past an observation deck and then along a deep ...