Ohio Meanderings

Flat Fork Ridge - Caesar Creek

2012-01-01T22:48:00.002-05:00

Residents of Ohio know that in December, the weather is about as wacky as things can get. I headed out to the Caesar Creek area this first day of 2012 to take in a hike in an area I hadn't previously visited. The area is called the Flat Fork Ridge Trail loop and follows around a Southwestern portion of what is called the Caesar Creek Basin.

The trip to the area displayed weather that was mostly heavily overcast with breaks in the clouds and an occasional sun peeking through. The temperature was in the mid-fifties (yes, this is December) and I ran into some sprinkles on the way. It seemed to be light and soon stopped bringing relief that I wouldn't be hiking in wet weather.To get to the Flat Fork Ridge area, one must pass over the Caesar Creek Dam. More about that later. By the time I reached the Trailhead parking area, things seemed to be looking up. The sun was shining.

Caesar Creek, A Brief History
Beginning in the middle 1960s. the Corp of Engineers began buying up land along little Caesar Creek, East of Waynesville, Ohio and north of Wellman. The area was known to flood often requiring some kind of flood control. It was decided that a dam would be built creating a huge lake area that would become known as Caesar Creek Reservoir. Not everyone was happy especially the residents of New Burlington, which would disappear 70 feet under the water. One newspaper referred to the disappearance of New Burlington as a "footnote to progress." Referring to people water-skiing on the lake, John Baskin, who wrote about the people of New Burlington said "The Village had largely been forgotten. Most of the pleasure seekers...would have been only mildly surprised if someone had told them they were water-skiing over a town." [From New Burlington: The Life and Death of an American Village, W.W. Norton publisher, 2000]

The dam was built in 1970 and is maintained by the Corp of Engineers along with the whole of Caesar Creek Reservoir, which has become a large recreational area including the many hiking trails surrounding it. The reservoir extends 15 miles northward from the dam.

The initial part of the trail was easy and uneventful. This is the portion that is near the picnic grounds allowing non-hikers to enjoy views of the reservoir and to be able to walk around including intermittent benches to sit and view the area. The clouds were moving rapidly and still occasional sunshine would burst out affording some beautiful views of nature in hibernation as we inch toward a harder winter than what I was experiencing at that time. After all, the start of winter was only December 22nd, nine days ago.

After about a quarter mile walk, you approach what is called the Wellman Meadow. The plain is a low very flat basin that is actually a flood spillway if the water did have to rise. It sits between walls of shale carved out of the hills. U.S. 73 is in the view and across from that is an area that allows one to look for fossils as there were many ancient sea creatures now cast in stone for collecting.

Unfortunately, for me, there had been a hard rain earlier as well as several previous days of rain leaving the meadow area full of mud and water. One could either trudge directly through it or try to walk along thicker grassy portions to avoid sinking into small pools of collected water.

Another quarter mile and the trail begins to rise into slightly forested area. As with the meadow area, the trail was slippery and muddy. This was pretty much the case for the rest of the hike. The trail is marked by spray-painted markers on trees as there are occasional trail forays to the water level that could be reached. Additionally, the few wood bridge crossings were very slippery and I found it easier to just cross via rocks sticking up from the small tributary lines weaving their way to the creek.

The views of the creek were lovely along with a small horseshoe falls. The creek was swollen as it is during this period that the reservoir is beginning to be lowered to prepare for coming Spring rains. The dam was allowing the water to flow freely.. If one wanted to ford the creek, it was pretty impossible at this time due to the rushing water.

The length of this trail from the beginning to Pioneer Village and back would be six miles. However, the care of the trail has not been good. About a mile into the walk, there is supposed to be a suspension bridge. Unfortunately, the bridge is no longer there. It apparently became impossible to cross and unsafe and was dismantled. Nothing to this date has replaced it. Here is what I encountered on my hike.

I moved on down the trail. It was a bit precarious as the trail begins to fade out and is close to the edge of a 15 foot drop. Given the muddy, slippery bit, I found there was no place to forge the creek. I decided to give up and head back. Encouraging me was that the weather once more turned and began to rain heavily only making the trail worse while I was getting soaked.

As I headed back the wind rose in huge gusts as much colder air masses were moving in that would ultimately drive the temperature to the high 20s. The rain let up, but for the most part it was a miserable return hike.

I want to return to this trail area in the spring on some sunnier, drier day to try to explore the trail a bit more. Perhaps the creek will be less water clogged allowing me to forge it so I can complete the trail run. Until that bridge is replaced, this trail is probably not one to recommend.

I wonder if perhaps I was witnessing some of the area attempting to return to its own natural state and perhaps the ghosts of New Burlington were calling.

Serpent Mound and Adams County

2011-04-25T19:13:00.006-04:00

The air is like a butterfly
With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky
And sings - Joyce Kilmer

Last week I visited several locations in Adams County in Ohio which offered moderate hiking, but lovely nonetheless. I had two reasons to visit these places: I was looking for some of the early spring flowers; and I am recovering from some knee pain, so I couldn't get into any strenuous hike.

This has been a particularly wet April and the early spring flowers are just now beginning to come out. One place I had been meaning to visit is the historical Serpent Mound in Northern Adams County. The Great Serpent Mound is what is called an effigy mound meaning piled earth in the form of some creature - in this case a giant snake.
Over 1300 feet long, this sinuous serpents wends its way along ending in the head which faces out over a large limestone outcropping facing toward the Summer Solstice Sunset.

It is the largest effigy mound in the world and is believed to have been built by the Ft. Ancient culture that existed in Ohio around 1000 AD. There have been no human remains found on the site and is believed to have been a worshipping site by the culture tied around astrological wonders. The Cherokee culture believed in the power of the horned serpent who wielded supernatural powers though some groups believed the snake to be tied to the sky gods and thus possibly the astrological tie-in.

Visiting the Serpent Mound not only affords the opportunity to wander over the area next to the mound, but also there is a short hiking trail that is somewhat primitive and winds downward below the area of the mound within the Brush Creek basin.
Since there has been much rain, portions of the trail were flooded, though I was able to step around and through a rather sometimes muddy area and look at many of the early Spring flowers including the magnificent large Snow Trillium.

In addition to the Snow Trillium, the Ohio state wildflower, there were also what appeared to be Virginia Bluebells, Bellwort and Larkspur. The flowers were ubiquitous.

Here in Ohio, we are lucky to have such a magnificent site to visit if you have any inclination toward the history and pre-history of the state. Serpent Mound is off State Route 73 which passes through Adams County toward the Arc of Appalachia nearer to the Shawnee National Forest. However, at this point the hills are still gently rolling giving some excitement to the surrounding landscape, but nothing on par with being farther south.

Stopping by the woods...

2011-01-29T15:44:00.004-05:00

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
- Robert Frost

There's always something wonderful about being in the woods on a snowy day, hiking with the cornstarch crunch of snow under your feet; Surrounded by the gentle cold breeze whisping through the trees and the occasional call of a snow bird. But most of all is the quiet.

This week I spent some time in the Caesar's Creek Nature Preserve with the woods to myself. It is a gentle hike though moving through six inches of snow on the ground can be taxing on the legs over time. Hiking in snow, one doesn't have the sure foot of ground below as you move up or down the hills that make up this quiet location. While others have trod before me, it was a pleasure to see the revealing tracks of various wood creatures be it deer, winter rabbits, racoons and other smaller creatures. I knew I wasn't completely alone with a rather large doe leaped at least 8 feet across the wide path before me. In an instant she was gone blending invisibly into the background.

I especially like hiking where I will pass by a quiet burbling stream as with this one except the stream is the Little Miami River at a low point, but beginning to run more strongly as some of the snows are melting. It is still January and February is often the cruelest month in this part of Ohio. Though winter came early this year, there are no signs that nature is ready for spring yet. I did find some dormant green grass revealed sheltered by a tree where the snow had melted away. So I know I can always count on the Spring resurgence of life yet to come.

But, alas, though it is pleasant, one cannot dawdle as poet Frost continued:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Late Autumn Visit to John Bryan State Park

2010-11-21T21:38:00.003-05:00

There's something particularly warming about spending time in nature at this time of the year. Pretty much all the leaves have fallen, leaving the soft crunch of dead leaves on the paths;
the honeysuckle which seems to survive any time of the year is still showing green leaves and a few faded flowers occasionally can still be seen.

I had to get away from my daily grind for one day at this time and this day seemed perfect. The only problem is that it was perfect for many others too.
It was an extremely bright, cool day and I thought I would have some sense of quiet, but the park is still filled with many weekenders taking large groups of children for a stroll through this park. Some of the trail is very easy, making it a good opportunity for a sort of "get away" with the kids. I just wanted wanted to walk and take the occasional photo, but it seemed in some ways like city traffic. I passed one group of probably 20 young people with a couple of adults.

Which is why I also like to go in January when it is too cold for any but the hearty. I'm looking forward to that time when the river waters are shallow and often frozen.

John Bryan affords large cliff rocks with some challenges if you walk all the way from one end into the Clifton Gorge area where the Little Miami River narrows tremendously and the paths are very rocky and with lots of ups and downs.

Despite the leave-less trees, on a day like this, the colors though very muted are still a delight when looking across the small river.

Fort Hill - in the Arc of Appalchia

2010-08-28T19:40:00.006-04:00

Today I spent a day hiking in the Arc of Appalachia, in Southern Ohio where the foothils of the Appalachians begin.
This is an area that has been preserved by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Historical Society among others to maintain the native temperate forest of Ohio in a state prior to the migration of the white man into the region. The area offers hiking trails in highly protected areas, one of which is Fort Hill.

Fort Hill is a 1200 acre park and includes the Earthworks constructed 2000 years ago by what is now believed to be members of the Hopewell culture. While it is now believed not to have been a Fort at all, but rather a ceremonial gathering space, there are still remnants of a wall along the rim of the ridge. On one side, the ridge falls off substantially downward, but on the other side is a large ditch remnant as it rises again on the inside to the flatter area even though it is all now covered with forestation. Fort Hill preserves one of the largest and oldest examples of native forest to be found in southern Ohio.

Hopewell is a European name that was given to these people and there is no archeological evidence of what they called themselves. It is believed now that some American Indian tribes, formerly of the area including the Shawnee are ancestors of these people.

There are in effect 3 trails one could take through this area. One is called the Deer Trail, which is not always open during hunting season. It is the longest at 6.5 miles. The second one is the Gorge Trail which is 4.2 miles and follows the rockscapes of Bakers Fork.
The last is the Fort Trail, which is 2.2 miles. This was the trail I primarily followed. One note is that the trails are not well marked. It had been my intention to follow the Gorge Trail, but apparently I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up on the Fort Trail. This and the Gorge Trail begins from the parking area with an immediate 400 foot climb gradually but sometimes at angles of 45 degrees up the side of the hill. There are a few switchbacks, but much of it is nearly straight up.

One near the top, you begin to follow a slightly up and down trail that is for the most part primitive enough that I lost my way in terms of which trail I was on. I headed off on what I thought was the Gorge Trail and it came to an abrupt end, so I had to back track to the other trail I saw. This apparently was the Fort Trail. As I indicated, things are not well marked.

One problem that made this hike decision as to which trail was that I drove 90 minutes to get to the location. Knowing I had 90 minutes to drive back, my time on the trail was limited since I could not spend as much time as I hoped. I want to get back to this area sometime in the future. The location is about 70 miles east of Cincinnati and about 80 miles from the Eastern edge of Dayton. Most of the drive is on smaller state and township roads, so the driving is a little slower going.

As this was late August, there was little in the way of floribunda and the area was quite dry. A little bug spray kept the little critters who like to land and bite at bay.
Things were moderate enough that the humidity levels were low making the hiking a little easier than some of the more recent trips I have been on. I didn't meet anyone else on the trail, so for the most part, it is a solitary trip unless you are with a group of your own. As usual I felt as if I had the place to myself. I did hear a few distant voices but down the ridge, so I suspect they might have been people in the creek area, which I didn't see at all.

If you don't mind the drive, it is a pleasant area and I suspect a delight in the Spring. If you are lucky enough to live in the area, the Serpent Mounds, another ancient Earthwork is nearby.

Twin Valley Metropark

2010-05-30T11:37:00.008-04:00

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
-- Carl Bobert, 1886

This week I visited the Twin Valley Metropark which is the southern section of the Twin Creek Metropark district. The northern section is Germantown Metropark, which I have written about previously.

Twin Valley is just off Eby Road south of the village of Germantown in the extreme southwestern portion of Montgomery County, Ohio. On this sparkling but hot day with new growth in full force, the hiking proved a humid and somewhat exhausting experience.

This park has a little of everything for naturalist, hiker and backpacker. Twin Creek is considered a backpacker's park as it has not only overnight camping areas, but well over 40 miles of hiking trails. For hikers it runs the gamut of young successional woods, mature old growth forest, grassland prairies and wetlands.

The portion of the trail I hiked this day roughly 5 miles tasted a little of all of these land characteristics. From where I parked, the trail begins at the peak of a hill offering a wide view of the valley below.
It descends almost immediately first through grassy plains on the hillside then to the start of the forested area as I approach Twin Creek, one of Ohio's cleanest. The trail I chose first followed the creek. This is bottomland hiking and though it was a hot dry day, portions of the trail were still muddy. There is a portion of this trail that allows horseback riding and unfortunately, it tended to create clogs and pockets of dirt making walking that portion of the trail a little more difficult to navigate. I almost wish they would keep the horseback riding confined to its own trails.

For the most part the pathway is dirtpacked though narrow. It covers a vast amount of both flatland, winding narrow ridge climbing about 100 feet in a short distance, up and down the ridgeways, sometimes along precarious passageways with steep slopes back toward the bottomland where on wetter days, one would have to be extremely careful (a hiking stick comes in handy in these areas). Portions of the trail are difficult climbing though the trails are set up in such a way that one could select a more moderate leg if you wanted to enjoy the area without much difficult hiking.

When in the bottomlands along the flood plain, the trail breaks into grassy plains that have the trail moderately mowed so you can continue to follow it. There are the requisite posts alerting you to the trail, which soon moves back into the forested hills as you begin the trek upward toward the ridge peaks.

This time of the year affords a number of flora though with the shading of the trees, some of the flowering is limited. Still, there are wonderful odors of nature as one moves past the various plant growth. While in the prairie areas, there were numerous butterfly swirling about occasionally landing long enough to pose for a photograph. While in the bottomlands where things are much more humid and wet, I came across a number of toads.
The only downside of hiking at this time of the day - just before noon - in the humid areas of the forested pathway, I was plagued at times by flies and gnats, some rather aggressive. This seemed mostly when I was on the portion of the trail where horses are allowed to move. I am sure flies cannot distinguish from one large mammal to another!

One of the nice things about this park are hidden gems you can encounter. I did pass a historical area where the Hopewell Indians over 2000 years ago had built up walls to fortify one of their encampments. While the area is indicated on the map, it is not marked along the trail. I found, what I think were remnants of the wall, now a small area rising upwards along the ridge. It would have been nice to mark the trail with indications of what one might look for to better help imagine the area as it might have been when the Hopewell Indians walked the area. There is new evidence that the Hopewells were the ancestors of the Shawnee Indian tribes who lived in this area in the 17th and 18th centuries.

While walking up out of the bottomlands, I came across - hidden among the wooded area
- the Dogwood Pond, a cool clear fishing spot. While not a fisherman, it provided a perfect spot for relaxing for a while as it is partially shaded. There were a couple of people fishing, but it is remote enough that one has to do a little hiking to get to it. That seems to keep most fisherman out of the area.

Twin Valley Trails is fast becoming one of my favorite close-by places to hike. It affords enough difficulty, pleasant surprises, multiple examples of nature, and a
little history. There are other places with more of any one of those, but none with so complete a mix of all. The trails are designed that you can take a small walk, or an extended hike. It is a hiking area in which you have to be careful as you move along the trail, or one where it is a pleasant walk in the woods along a clear creek. The park is well maintained and the trails are kept up for the most part by a full time staff.

For more photos of this hike go to here.

Shawnee Lookout

2010-05-16T20:42:00.006-04:00

On a recent fantastic Spring Saturday, I drove down to the extreme southwest area of Ohio where Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky meet. I stayed on the Ohio side and visited the Hamilton County Parks area known as Shawnee Lookout.

There are three hiking trails, none of which are difficult and in fact except for a few up and down ridge hills, are pretty much clear and in places have gravel to make this a family-oriented walking experience.
What is amazing about the park and what attracted me were some of the views you can get of where the Great Miami River meets the mighty Ohio. There is a lot of history in this area. It was the hunting grounds of the Shawnee Indians in the 18th century before it was invaded by the European settlers. Before that it was the living and burial areas of the early Hopewell cultures. There are a number of burial mounds that are somewhat obscured by overgrowth. The longest single trail is about 2 miles.

The history of the area is most fascinating. The area has been the site of a number of digs by the University of Cincinnati archeology department. The Lookout area was the largest continuously occupied hilltop settlement established by any Native American group. According to the digs, the Hopewell who occupied the area over 2000 years ago are seen to be a direct
link to the Shawnee who inhabited the area in the 18th century. One of the trails in the lookout take you to the ancient Miami Fort, thought to have been built by the Adena Hopewell possibly as a ceremonial site rather than a military one. As you walk around the lands of the fort, you can see remnants of the ancient walls. The location sits atop a hill over the area where the Great Miami and Ohio Rivers meet.

Just down the hillside on land that is now where the Duke Energy power plant exists was the location of Fort Finney. This Fort's importance was the location of a meeting between the Shawnee and the new American government in 1786. A treaty was reluctantly agreed to by the Shawnee over their homelands after they indicated they were going to war against the Americans over the land which had been promised previously was Shawnee territory. However, under threat of superior military power, the Shawnee were forced to agree to be subverted within the American land. The tribe found it had no authority over its own lands.

The vistas from the various trails are spectacular. Off one trail, you can see the floodplain formed by the Great Miami where it meets the Ohio.
The area is home to over 80 species of fish, 500 species of moths and butterflies as well as multiple birds.

The three trails are all easily accomplished within a day. The park also has other features for families including the log cabin of Micajah Duncan built out of split Oak logs for his home in Elizabethtown, Ohio nearby. The cabin was moved here for preservation.

The Shawnee Lookout Park is worth a look especially if you want to walk the trails among history.

A Return to Glen Helen

2010-04-03T20:47:00.005-04:00

On the cusp of Spring, I decided to return to Glen Helen Nature Preserve at the end of March. Glen Helen is part of Antioch College which is currently closed, but hopes to re-open in 2012. However, the nature preserve remains open though they are hoping to raise the funds to make much needed repairs and clean up of the preserve. Still though it is a fascinating place to spend a glorious but chilly day the Saturday I visited.

Glen Helen is near Yellow Springs, Ohio which itself, like the preserve has a fascinating history. Named after a nearby natural spring from which water with a heavy iron content bursts forth giving the rock upon which it bubbles up a decidedly yellow cast. The spring was first visited by Native American Indians who lived and traveled in the area. Among some of the more famous Indians who passed through the area included the Shawnee Tecumseh, Blue Jacket, Blackfish and Little Turtle. The yellow spring was just a few miles from Chalahgawtha or Old Chillicothe, the principle village of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee tribe in the 18th century. This was where famous pioneers such as Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton were held prisoner by the Shawnee.

One of the first Yellow Springs residents was Lewis Davis, whose Inn served as a central point for mostly wealthy patrons from Cincinnati to venture to the town to take in the spring's waters, said to have curative powers. By 1826, one Elisha Mills bought surrounding land, including the Glen and began advertising "his auspicious “water cure” spa, just a day’s ride north by coach from Cincinnati." It was Mills who brought the railroad to the town - the tract of land is now part of the Little Miami Scenic Bike way.

The Glen land was purchased in the early 20th century by Hugh Birch, who had grown up playing around the area's wooded and limestone outcroppings. When his only surviving daughter, Helen died in 1925, Birch donated the land to Antioch College four years later in her honor as a place for study and enjoyment. The land was renamed Glen Helen and was to become a nature preserve.

My attraction to Glen Helen is the moderate hiking it affords where two creeks meet, steep but climbable ridges, gorge areas and the wonderful Cascades carved from one of the creeks provide enjoyment. Now as a nature preserve the trails are maintained, but full of lush greenery in the summer time. When I visited on the recent Saturday, the deadness from winter still was holding the Glen in its grip, but there were hopeful signs of things to come including the few snow trillium I found just beginning to burst on the scene. Buds on the trees and some greening areas were certainly in abundance.

Right now the Glen is in some financial trouble. As Antioch tries to sort out its financial difficulties, the leaders of the Glen are trying to raise some funds to among other things, remove the increasingly invasive honeysuckle and clear up many downed trees from past years' storms.

But despite its problems, the Glen is still a fascinating place to spend some time communing with nature.

Can Spring Be Around the Corner?

2010-03-11T17:35:00.004-05:00

Now that our snow has begun to disappear and temperatures have been in the sixties for several days, it seems only a matter of time before nature begins is renewal cycle. Last week I visited a place I hadn't been to in months. In fact it had been long enough that I had to re-check my maps on where exactly it was located.

The site is the Caesar Creek Nature Preserve. Within a short distance from me is the Caesar Creek area, where in the late Spring and Summer, large quantities of people come to enjoy their foray into the natural world. It is a huge boating area. But this is not the Caesar Creek area I usually travel to. The Nature Reserve area is south of the main vacation spot and has two elements that make it more ideal for hikers who want to commune with nature. First of all, it is connected to the Little Miami River bike path and the parking lot is a place for bikers to leave their cars as they ride the bikeway (a very nice area to bike, by the way). Secondly, this Nature Preserve does not allow bikes or pets in the wooded area, so it isn't as popular for the casual walker who wants to spend some time walking their pets.

When I went there last week, it was still cold (a good time to hike) and as I said the snow was receding, but unfortunately, it was warm enough that some of the icy pathways were turning to mud, making for a messier hike. But it was another quiet peaceful time having the preserve to myself practically. I met one soulmate on the path who also liked coming for the isolation and sense of private ownership.

As with many of the parks and preserve that straddle the wonderfully scenic Little Miami River, it was an opportunity to hear the sounds of nature as it begins to adapt to the coming rumble of nature springing into life. The trees had small buds that were forming as they prepared to burst into small leaves. The ground was soaked with wet much needed to the renewal process. I intend to spend some frequent visits to the area as it transforms itself into a fresh smelling area with wildflowers and other flora.

A Winter Visit

2010-02-27T16:17:00.009-05:00

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the
landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.
Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."
- Andrew Wyeth

There is something wonderful about winter, when nature is in solitude, the beauty in its decay. Nature gives off the vibrations of things to come as winter withdraws and we are teased with the coming of Spring.

I enjoy going into the woods on a snowy day when sounds are muted and the birds can be viewed through the leafless trees and their songs clearly echoing throughout. I have been cooped up for a number of weeks due to the unusual volume of snow our area received over this past month of February. It was the second largest recorded snowfall over the month with over 21.4 inches mostly without much melting in-between. Today I awoke to a fresh 2 more inches on top of the already packed snow, so the woods had a fresh cover of the white stuff.

While I love hiking through woods when Spring is in full bloom, it is hiking in winter that adds the tension of things to come. I traveled nearby to Sugarcreek Metro Parks, a normally easy hiking area. It is also very popular for moderate hiking enthusiasts as well as - mostly in the Spring - runners who are looking for more than the hard streets. Today started out with only a few souls visiting the park, but by the time I left, a hiking group had moved in and things became much busier. This particular park offers at least a 3.5 mile trail which follows a small creek but also at times runs up against an isolated housing area. Still for a quick visit to nature, it is a pleasant place to go.

Today the trail was rutted and tromped down by previous hikers making it just a bit more difficult and easy to turn an ankle if one is not careful. But all things considered, it offers the starkness that only nature in winter time can present. One pleasant surprise was when I came upon a Pileated Woodpecker drilling for insects beneath the bark of the trees. I took some great video of the bird in action. Pileated woodpeckers are the largest species of woodpecker in North America and have a distinct red top to its grey coat which moves to a black and white striping of its head. The bird kindly worked from my angle of vision so that I could capture it at work.

My time out today helped give way to the cabin fever I have felt over the last month as I count the days before nature begins to break forth with early blooms and the overcast days become more sunny as the earth moves into position where the angle of the sun gradually begins to warm the ground and natural life begins anew.

Germantown Metropark & the Twin Valley Trail

2009-10-26T17:31:00.010-04:00

“The spirits of the air live in the smells
Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.”
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat,
Then rose, girded himself, and o’er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load.
- William Blake (Poetical Sketches)

A week ago I spent a glorious mid-week (one of the best days of the year) on a walk practically in my backyard in one of the metroparks created and managed by the Montgomery County, Ohio parks department. The county, which neighbors mine, has some excellent moderate hiking areas as well as biking (if you are interested).

This particular day, I traveled to Germantown Metropark in southern Montgomery County near the town of Germantown.
That village is a historic area that was founded by a migratory group of (what else?) Germans who settled the area having traveled from Pennsylvania. Germantown Metropark is probably the best of the county's park system for hikers. There is almost a little of everything for the backpacker (including camping). The park straddles a very clean Twin Creek and ties into the Twin Valley Trail which is south of Germantown. The main metropark itself has nearly 14 miles of hiking trails through spectacular scenery. There are ravines, large mature trees, wildflowers and steep topography making these trails sometimes a challenge to regular backpackers. You'll also see fabulous grassland prairies, ponds, dry hillside prairies and assorted flora and fauna.

I traveled there, as I mentioned, in mid-week and right at the end of the fall leaf spectacular. The place was practically my own as the shorter four mile hike I took I nary met a one on the trail. The trail itself wound up and down the ravines and was at times hard to follow due to excessive leaf fall. Luckily, they have carefully marked points so you will know you are still on the correct trail.

I traveled an area that is part of the Twin Valley Trail, though I was still north and west of Germantown. I began just off Old Mill Road where I parked and began the hike south toward State Route 725. It is a two mile hike to that point and then looping back, the repeat two miles makes for a couple hour walk especially if you regularly stop to enjoy the sites.
At the point of the Old Mill Road, walk about 100 feet to the picnic tables that are there before you begin your hike and look at the Germantown dam and spillway. It was built around 1920 after the devastating 1913 flood. If you travel through Germantown heading west to Conservancy Road, you'll actually drive over the dam and be able to see its highpoint view before arriving at the parking point.

The hike begins at this point and if you travel up the ridge, it begins almost immediately to wind to and fro as you traverse gradually up the ridge. This area displays younger trees and thin coverage, but definite isolation.
The trail is a small backpack trail scraped out and generally smooth walking though with lots of uphill climbing. Gradually you reach a highpoint where it gradually begins to take you back down toward Twin Creek. Were it not for the markers or without a GPS or compass, it would be easy to get waylaid.

There were times that the woods increased in density and it was during this time that I heard some snapping of twigs. Turning I could see three deer making their way toward food? home? I must have been downwind form them because I thought I was rather noisy until I heard them and instead of me, it was the sudden cry of a bird that spooked them onward.

As you find that you are gradually working your way back into the bottom lands toward the creek, the pace quickens. The trail eventually takes you creekside into a calm, quiet area where the clear creek passes. It is said the creek is clean enough to be able to drink from safely. Agreements have been made with landowners to limit their agricultural uses. And while they recommend the water first be boiled, it can be used. When I was there, the creek was very low, and even though it is regulated by the dam, water levels have been low in the area.

Once more the trail begins to take you back to the top of the ridge in even denser woods as the trail meanders through before you reach the area where backpackers can camp for the night if desired.

This is final 1/2 mile or so of the hike before reaching State Route 725. The trail continues to wind its way down until
suddenly you are in the bottoms and the area opens into a vast field of prairie grass. When I was there, the sound of an eagle hovered overhead as it searched for its prey. The rest of the hike up to the road transition to Twin Valley Metropark where the trail continues is flat but tall grassland with the creek to your right. I continued on until I could begin to hear the sound of the vehicles passing along the road. At that point, I turned around and retraced my steps back to my car for a total hike of 4 miles.

I was only touching the beginning of this rather vast parkland and I was not in the best of it. That is to come another day. Perhaps, I'll try it first as an early winter experience returning later again in the Spring of a new year.

Tecumseh and the Shawnee Village of Chalahgawtha

2009-10-11T20:08:00.006-04:00

The Village of Old Town on U.S. 68 north of Xenia and right along the Little Miami Bike Trail near the Old Town spur where you can park your bike is also the historic location of Chalahgawatha or Old Chillicothe, once the main Shawnee village in the 18th century. U.S. 68 is historically a Shawnee trail running the length of Ohio (Bullskin Trail) and at the confluence of the Little Miami River and Massie Creek is where the village was located. There is a lot of history in this location.

Both Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton were held prisoner at this village and Kenton was forced to run a gauntlet here of about 200 yards.
There are historic markers so that you can get an idea as to location and distance. The primary site is now where the Tecumseh motel is located. If you either park in the motel lot or if traveling by bike, park at the spur and walk over to the location, you will find a number of markers pointing out the historic facts.

Looking behind the motel across what is now farm land, there is a rise on which the council house of the Shawnee stood. The village of Chalahgawatha had been destroyed several times and rebuilt by the Shawnee. One particular incident if noted on one of the markers.
This was the event where 10 Kentucky soldiers were killed in 1779 during an attack on the village. The marker unfortunately does not tell the whole story. Col John Bowman, commander was jealous of the fame George Rogers Clark had received in his capture of Vincennes from the British forces. He decided he would assemble volunteers to move against the Shawnee village at Chalahgawatha. What he did not know was that the Shawnees had split and half of them had moved to the west of the Mississippi and the rest of the primary braves were away from the village leaving mostly young boys and elderly. As Bowman moved against the village, he failed to keep silent and early warning of the soldiers' approach was heard by the tribe. Fearing they were going to be massacred, they moved to the council house where the women were singing the death chant. While Bowman's forces burned the wegiwa (teepees) belonging to the individual families. As they burned, they looted and during that time, the ten soldiers were killed by the few Indian gathered in the council house. Fearing a much bigger force, Bowman hesitated and ordered a withdrawal. Realizing they had the upper hand, the young Indian braves gave chase and killed more as the soldiers continued to retreat.

This is a historic area. Besides the terrible loss of the ten Kentucky soldiers, near this location the great Shawnee leader, Tecumseh,
was born near a springs about 500 feet away at the Old Town Preserve area. There isn't much to see in the location unless you have an active imagination and can try to imagine what the area looked like at the turn of the 18th century. But to stand in these shadows and think about the history behind the tragic events of the American Indians and the eventual domination of the white settlers, one cannot help but be moved.

Caesar Creek Nature Preserve

2009-09-05T15:09:00.008-04:00

"Large, placid mulleins, as summer advances,
velvety in texture, of a light greenish-drab color,
growing everywhere in the fields..." - Walt Whitman

With the Labor Day weekend upon us and a series of non-stop beautiful days, I was looking for someplace to go and spend some time with nature. I wanted someplace different from where I had been. I considered heading to nearby Caesar's Creek State Park, but figured a lot of people would be there for the last big weekend of the summer. I also considered going to Ft. Ancient east of Lebanon, Ohio, but figured it wasn't much for hiking. Wanting to stick to the Little Miami River area, I discovered something in-between called the Caesar's Creek Nature Reserve. It spoke of about 2 miles of hiking trails and mention of a gorge area, so I hoped it would have some character to the area.

After a pleasant drive down State Route 42, I veered off a road just Southeast of Waynesville. Following it south and slightly east, I turned onto a small township road that was lovely just for a drive with the sun dappling the road through the many trees. After a few turns and twists, I found the Nature Reserve and parked. Only a few cars were parked there and those were mostly people who used it as a starting point to travel the bike path that is part of the 70 mile long and 66 foot wide Little Miami Scenic River State Park.
The entrance to the hiking trail begins in a wide swathe that leads to the primary trail. After a short quarter mile hike up this access area, the trail veers off to the left. Before I reached it, I could step a little off the access area and see the expanding valley floor, tree-filled before me.

The trail is a narrow downhill path that is a bit rough in the beginning as it heads down into the valley floor, where it widens a bit into an easy, generally flat trail blending through the trees. The sun through all of the leaves left dappled spots of bright light as I passed through the initial trail. This part is moderate and wide enough that there are occasionally joggers who like to be challenged. I don't recommend it since portions of the trail does have rocky areas sticking up that a mis-step could cause an ankle to twist if not careful. Despite it being the Labor Day weekend, this hike took me past only one person. I was pretty much left to my own in this lovely natural area with a few wildflowers still in bloom as the woods turn to goldenrod, Queen Anne's Lace and many bees going about their business. There were some fields of mulleins in their still late stage, nearly without flowers and going to seed; scattered pokeweed with its deep purple berries ripe for the birds - all early signs of fall.

The trail as it continues along a flat path soon begins to touch near the Little Miami River. This is such a peaceful river this late
in the summer with the river bugs - Mayflies and Dragonflies along with the water spiders skiping across the still river. The trail is so close to the river, it is easy to take short cuts through traces of paths up to the bank. Along the bank, it appears to have a small trail to follow in places that parallels the primary trail. I kept going over to the river in various places just to stand and observe nature in its late summer glory with the only human intrusion besides myself, being the sound of small planes overhead from the nearby Waynesville airport.

Eventually, the trail begins to turn away from the river and the texture of the trail becomes more rocky. Suddenly, as you find yourself heading up the slight beginning of the climb to the ridge, it does a near u-turn and follows a more gradual,
but breathless inducing climb up the side of the ridge. I didn't have my GPS with me, so I am not sure exactly what the elevation change is, but the climb is somewhat fatiguing for the casual hiker. Eventually, the trail reaches a level point for about 100 feet before it begins one last climb to the ridge. Upon reaching the ridge, one returns to the expanded trail that appeared to be for Park vehicles if need be. I decided to follow it the opposite way for about 500 feet and soon found myself in an area where the texture changed from deciduous trees to pine trees that appeared to be in a severe state of drought or dying. It was sad to see so many in this state. I turned around and followed once more the trail back toward where I began.

Caesar's Creek Nature Preserve is a nice short hike getaway that doesn't appear to be on the radar of many visitors since hiking would be the only sport allowed. It does bring you close to another area of the simply wonderful Little Miami River with its historic aspects. The river has played a big part in the settling of area, first with the migrating Indian tribes to the white settlers who later followed.

Hocking Hills State Park - Part 3

2009-09-04T15:47:00.004-04:00

Our final stop in the Hocking Hills State Park was a mixed visit. By the time we reached Cantwell Cliffs, the rain had finally come down heavily making the visit a little more difficult to get to. Despite the rain, however, there were still quite a few brave souls going to the cliffs to view the area.

As I mentioned previously, these areas are designed to maximize visits from anyone hiker or not. Much has been cleared enough to make it a little easier to get to the site though this one was probably more difficult due to some narrow cliff steps, the rain and slight mud.

What makes Cantwell Cliffs fascinating is the huge gorge that has been formed from the slow erosion of the Black Hand Sandstone from water sourced from Buck Run. Because of the rain and the huge explosion of green growth at the time I was there, it takes on a very exotic rain forest look to it with the ravine serving as a respite beneath the rock cave indent. The vastness of the erosion covered by the growth is exciting to see in person. There are trails that lead off and my brother and I tried to follow one but were stopped by fallen trees and dense undergrowth due to the rain dragging down the bushes and branches.

As I mentioned in previous posts, the main attraction is fairly easy to get to for anyone, though fewer hike the trails when accessible. As you come into the area, if you want to continue, you have to step down a very narrow rock step called the "Fat Woman's Squeeze." This leads you to the end of the gorge where the cliffs have formed an indent which proved nicely for sitting out of the rain and viewing the scene before us.

The gorge opens before us and one looks down into the valley floor covered with lush greenery. This area is more remote than the others and I need to return to it when the weather is much better and clearer.

Hocking Hills State Park - Part 2

2009-08-07T19:33:00.007-04:00

When I traveled to Hocking Hills State Park for the first time with my brother, I wasn't sure just what to expect. I had two immediate reactions: this was a wonderful geologic phenomenon that pictures simply cannot do justice and I was amazed at the number of casual tourists visting the primary features.

As I said in my last posting, the State Parks department has spent money and time to create easily accessible "points" for tourists to come in and view. This includes making the trails as easy to traverse as possible, building wooden bridges or steps when necessary to get you into the zone, and clearing some of it so the rock formations are much more visible. All of this is fine since there are more difficult hiking trails branching off from the individual stops. Unfortunately for us, the day, which started brightly enough devolved into solid hard rain.

Our second stop on our visit was to the "point" called the Rock House. This apparently is the only true cave in the area formed from erosion in the center of huge Black Hand sandstone that comprises the area. Black Hand sandstone is a primary base for a lot of this area of the hills coming from the early Mississippian era. A close look at the sandstone to me looked like very dry (though it was rock hard) sand pebbles and small whitish quartz stones. The Rock House itself sits up a 150 foot cliff and forms a tunnel-like area with various softly edged openings. There was a rumor that this was a location where notorious gangster Pretty Boy Floyd hid out, but I could find no proof to that rumor. I do know that people had been coming to area for ages though only those in the late 19th century had begun recording their visits (photo shows June 1889). According to the literature, water leaking from a horizontal joint parallel to the cliff face is responsible for the hollowing of this sandstone.

Historically, the area was used by Indians and later settlers as a platform for creating turpentine.
There are formations inside the cave that provided platforms and where sections had been created to allow the sap to run out of the pine wood as it was burned. As Turpentine was a vital part of Indian folk medicine, they produced it regularly. In 1835, one Colonel F.F. Rempel built a hotel complete with ballroom, livery stable and Post Office near the picnic grounds. None of that still stands, however.

From a hiking perspective, getting to the Rock House is a bit harder than that of Old Man's Cave. That possibly, its lesser popularity and the weather changing lowered the number of people our day there. Due to the wetness mixed with bright light, the views provided a wonder world, our own little land of the lost!
There is some climbing up some rocky footpaths along with some precarious views, but generally, to the careful hiker, the trail is moderate and safe.

The trail does have a history in which an early settler of the area was moving along the trail when he was attacked by a bear and gravely injured. He was able to escape, but later died and his widow and family soon left the area behind for safer counties.

When we reached the cave itself, the light was such that it was reasonably dark inside. Though the floor is relatively smooth, there were places you had to be careful to avoid tripping. While we weren't prepared, there were some people with flashlights to see inside. The tunnel-like area has "windows" so walking along it wasn't extremely precarious.

With the weather still holding, we decided to leave the immediate area and head to our final stop, the Cantwell Cliffs. (posting to follow).

Hocking Hills State Park - Part 1

2009-08-01T16:42:00.006-04:00

Last weekend I visited Hocking Hills State Park with my brother to hike some of its trails. I had not been to the Park before though since I have lived in Ohio, people were constantly telling me I needed to visit Hocking Hills. More specifically I would be told I needed to visit Old Man's Cave. Over the years I heard plenty about it, but never found the time to get over there. It is nearly a 3 hour drive for me just to get there. But through the inspiration of my brother, for whom it was a 5 hour drive from his Pennsylvania homestead, I felt it was time to see it. As I arrived near the entrance of the park, I came upon this interplay of light and nature that I hoped bode well for the day.

Hocking Hills State Park is actually a large area located in Southeast Ohio with several different specially created tourist stops requiring a drive to each one, or an extended hike to see them. Unfortunately, for us, while the day started out promising after an overnight rainstorm, the bad weather began to return and so our hiking was limited to driving to each location then hiking into some of its outsanding geological features.

The park service has made these geologic stops into more easily accessed spots for tourists. The initial hike into each area has fairly cleared paths or areas accessible with minor difficulties. The sites themselves are a wonder to behold, but due to the initial access, all kinds of non-hiking people can be found including people with babies, dogs and dressed in sandals and other non-hike dress. However, leading off from these locations are trails that definitely require some expertise. Despite the number of tourists visiting, there are still dangerous cliff that could result in 80 feet or more falls, so the area still requires caution.

Come, Traveller, this hollow Rock beneath,
While in the leaves refreshing Breezes breath;
Retire to calm the Rage of burning Thirst,
In these cool Streams that from the Caverns burst.

Despite all of that, the wonders of the place are worth seeing. Our visit took us first to Old Man's Cave. Despite its name, it is not truly a cave. It is well known to most Ohioans and one of the first things I heard about after I moved to the state when talk of visiting the state parks came up. The spot is quite amazing to visit. The gorge it is part of is approximately 1 mile long with such geologic features such as waterfalls (though there is a drought and very little water falls), sandstone cliffs smoothly eroded giving them a sort of eerie look, and rock formations that have been named because of their appearance to various elements of nature. The park department has made various levels of the area easily accessible even to the casual visitor: wooden steps, dusted trails, carved stone steps and bridges.

The story behind the "cave" is that a man named Richard Rowe, an early 19th century hermit, lived in it. The Rowe family migrated in the 18th century from the Kentucky area to the Ohio River where he set up a trading post. Richard worked in his father's trading post and would make trips every autumn to the gorge where he would stay and trap for pelts to take back to the trading center. Staying through the cold season, one day, he went to the creek to get a supply of water. Using the butt of his musket to break the ice. The weapon discharged with the muzzle pointing under his chin. A few days later, his body was discovered by some other trappers in the area. They covered his body with the bark of an Oak tree and buried him in the sand on the ledge.

In later years, a mythology built up around Richard Rowe and the gorge. Avoiding the area, children would be told that an old man lived in a cave there and had shot and killed himself. Soon the area came to be known as Old Man's Cave.

My brother and I left the confines of the tourist area and began traversing the creek, but found that the trail seemed to fade away. So with storms threatening, we turned back and decided to head to our next destination - The Rock House. (Posting to follow)

Williamson Indian Mound

2009-07-27T19:34:00.010-04:00

There is nothing more eloquent in Nature than a mountain stream, and this is the first I ever saw. Its banks are luxuriantly peopled with rare and lovely flowers and overarching trees, making one of Nature's coolest and most hospitable places. Every tree, every flower, every ripple and eddy of this lovely stream seemed solemnly to feel the presence of the great Creator. Lingered in this sanctuary a long time thanking the Lord with all my heart for his goodness in allowing me to enter and enjoy it.
- John Muir, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf

Though I wasn't near a mountain stream, I was hiking once more in a nearby favorite haunt - Indian Mounds State Park. It was nicely isolated as I could be alone with my thoughts as I traversed the rocky stream of the park amidst the weathering limestone cliffs that make up many of the parks of Greene County, Ohio.
Indian Mounds State Park is where the Williamson Indian burial mound is located. This is a burial site for the Adena culture which pre-dates the later Miami and Shawnee tribes which settled in the area.

The trails are relatively easy to hike, though like other Greene County parks that follow a gorge, the remnants of early glaciation, there are paths along the upper cliffs and trails which follow the stream bed. The latter are more difficult as there are many rocky outcroppings which make it more difficult to walk without taking care. The upper trails, though full of small rock outcrops and tree roots, are only moderate and I have actually seen a jogger once in a while along the upper trails, though how they keep from twisting an ankle, I do not know.

The park is rarely visited even during nice days such as my recent visit. With the hotter summer days, the flowers are fewer as the greenery of the nettle plants prevails. There were a few summer flowers in bloom usually nearly as tall as my chest that dotted the trail mostly of the upper paths. These Asters were seen near the beginning of the hiking trail.

Indian Mounds State Park begins with a long cleared road, then forks either toward the Adena burial mound, or across a wooden bridge along the cliff trail toward the Cedarcliff Falls. I first chose to visit the quiet splendor of the Williamson burial mound.

The Williamson Mound was built between 500 BC and 100 AD. The mound is about 30 feet in height and 140 feet in diameter. Since my last visit to the site, it seems the parks department has decided to let the open area in front of it go to prairie as it now has a mowed walk area toward the mound, but the rest of the ground is covered in high grasses.

Being alone with my thoughts as I moved along the lower trail, the summertime is a wonderful time to watch the water spiders swiftly move across the still water. I think I passed maybe one or two other people the several hours I spent there. The trail along the stream and below the cliffs runs about 1.5 miles culminating in the Cedarcliff Falls.

The falls appear to be natural though the rock face under the falling water is invisible. Traveling along the highway, one can stop and park near the falls and choose to just visit that area, or hike the trail in the opposite arrangement. A bridge at this end takes one across to the upper trails. About a quarter a mile down, you can choose to go down the steps of the the cliff to hike the stream trail. This is a nice diversion for a light hike and especially if you are one who likes to be away with only nature and your thoughts.

Osage Tunnel and the Three Sisters

2009-06-13T17:53:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like walking to get the feel of a country.
A fine landscape is like a piece of music; it must be taken
at the right tempo. Even a bicycle goes too fast.
- Paul Scott Mowrer

Recently, I spent a partly cloudy morning at the Sugarcreek Metro Park near my home. The hiking trails in this park are mostly an easy hike, but set on the outskirts of the city of Bellbrook, Ohio, very close to housing developments, one is surprised to find such a treasure so close to home. The trails can run from over three miles to half that. Or if you chose to literally hike the whole park since the trails intertwine you could have a rather decent walk.

Because this is so close to the city of Dayton, even going early, you will encounter large amounts of joggers, photographers, and families. It is not a hike to take if you are looking for isolation. But it is definitely worth a visit because there are some surpising sites to see. When you walk down the asphalt entrance to the central location from where all trails extend, you can turn east and within a few hundred feet, you can take a short extension from the trail to come into an open natural prairie area which at certain times of the year will bloom with wildflowers. At the time of the month I reached it, the flowers were fewer but the tallgrass was just so. You can move around the prairie area on a special path that will wind you through the growth. This is a place that is reminiscent of an Ohio past when there were no settlements except for the Indians roaming the area. At one time there were over 300 natural prairie openings. While this is a planted prairie, it does give you an idea of what Ohio was like with nothing but forest and open prairies.

There were within these grasses hidden gems of tiny flowers. Sometimes they were quite visible, but other times, one had to look carefully to find them. The other spectacular thing this particular morning (and the main reason I like to go in the early mornings) are the number of distinct bird calls you could hear in the surrounding area. Seeing the dew on the grass with small wildflowers open to the sun and hearing the cacophony of the variety of bird fills one with the wonders of mother nature.

Leaving the prairie behind and re-entering the hiking trail, the path, while rock encrusted, is an easy one. There are the occasional hills up and down which add a bit to the challenge including a couple of steep inclines requiring a choice of trudging up the path, or using the natural stone steps added by the park department. The trail is at first somewhat open but soon begins to darken from the thicker canopy of trees overhead. As I followed the "green" trail, the longer one, I found myself a bit isolated as I moved through the wooded areas until I reached a stream that required crossing over the stone rock laid down to minimize getting wet. Continuing on, I briefly left the "green" trail where it met the "orange" trail. I wanted to see the first surprise.

The orange trail moves up a small hill and one is suddenly presented a sort of tunnel like effect as wiry osage orange trees have been worked to create a canopy of limbs.
Osage Orange trees are also known by the large softball fruit they produce commonly called "hedge apples." In the 1800s before the invention of barbed wire, Osage Orange trees were planted as a living fence or hedge along farms. The thorny saplings were aggressively pruned to promote bushy growth. The trees were considered "horse high, bull strong and hog tight." Tall enough that a horse would not jump it, stout enough that a bull would not push through it and woven so tightly that even a hog could not find its way through! The trees on this trail were originally planted in the late 1800s to serve as a fence and now are part of the trail. Among Osage Orange trees are male and female trees with only the female species producing the "hedge apples." I am not sure which sex these particular trees are, however.

Leaving the orange trail behind, I headed back to the green trail and continued to wind my way through the heavier areas of the wood. Interestingly, while this is a great place for bird watching and listening to their songs, it is also mixed with the outside world of vehicles passing, overhead planes, and campers over and up nearby hills. But still a delight to travel.

Another continued walk along a nearby stream, I soon diverted once more onto the Orange trail as I wanted to check out another feature of the park.
At a sharp curve in the trail is a suddenly open area called the Three Sisters Oak trees. Sadly, only one still stands. These are trees that are/were over 550 years old. When Columbus came to America, these trees were already 50 years old having begun growing around 1440. The one tree that is left is in decline now. The documentation says that two still stand, but as best as I could tell, I could only see one. The middle tree was brought down in the summer of 2008. Having been weakened by an earlier fire, the tree fell of its own accord. In the photo the tree looks somewhat smaller, but in actuality it is quite large. My camera did not have a wide enough lense to really do the tree the justice it deserved. This tree is really much more massive that the photo seems to show. But the fact that these are perhaps the oldest trees in the area and in a way have witnessed a lot, it boggles my mind to think that it was around when there were roaming buffalo and native Indians in the area only.

If you are looking for a moderate challenge, but an easy and convenient getaway, SugarCreek Metropark is a fine area. There is in addition to hiking, camping and horseback riding. Another section of the park is devoted to horseback riding.

Return to Clifton Gorge/John Bryan State Park

2009-03-30T16:53:00.000-04:00

Long, long I muse, then on my way go wandering,
Many a changeful season to follow, and many a scene of life

This short piece from Walt Whitman came to mind as I decided with my brother, Jack (who took a couple of the photos in this post) to revisit the Clifton Gorge and John Bryan State Park once more as the long winter its break into Spring.

Actually, the hike through John Bryan State Park was new to me. It is contiguous to the Clifton Gorge Preserve and so our six mile hike began at the northern part of the Gorge only a few miles from the headwaters of the Little Miami and followed that scenic river as it passed by the still operating Clifton Mill then on down into the State Park.

It was an overcast day with threat of rain that never materialized until long after the hike was completed. I still have to say I am amazed in the beauty of that little river as it narrows and cuts through the soft limestone. The increasingly rapid water suddenly opening up into nearly still pools after the rush of what came before gives one pause at the awe of mother nature.

This trip was made much more interesting by the slow changes taking place in nature as the early bloomers begin coming alive creating an excitement that all will soon burst into a newness. One of the wonders of the nature that surround us as even this hiker feels the sense of renewal afforded by the coming Spring.

After about a half mile, you can descend into the gorge since it begins to open up allowing passage slightly closer to the river. The trail at this point is rough with large tree roots and pieces of dolomite sticking up in the path requiring one to pay attention to the pace of movement. Early flora included the Spring Beauty in various states of full bloom to its just beginning to pop from its pods. As you move down the trail, you start seeing it everywhere - high up on places of the rock cliffs and down at your feet just off the path. Gradually throughout are the snow trillium nestled among their three-leaf beds.

It was a busy day in the gorge as we passed or were passed by many people also out for the hike experience. Soon the day brightened a bit and began to warm slowly. As we neared the area known as The Blue Hole, a flock of Canadian geese were displaying a trial of individual geese attempting to assert their dominance while the meeker ones quietly swam around the calm waters. As we continued down the trail, these geese seemed to follow us with their continuing honking echoing off the high cliffs of the gorge.

The Blue Hole is an area of the Little Miami River where it seems to open into a still pond. It is famous in that it was depicted by African-American/Scotch-Canadian artist Robert Duncanson, whose painting of the scene is in the Cincinnati Museum of Art. It was painted by the artist in 1851 and provides a small picture into how the area might have appeared in those early days. Duncanson came to Cincinnati in 1842 traveling the area and painting. This part of the pool gets its name because of its depth and the algae, but according to Shawnee myth, it was called the "Spirit Pool" because of an Indian maiden who drowned herself here in a case of unrequited love. If you listen closely, it is said, you can hear her sobs.

Soon one comes to the end of Clifton Gorge Preserve and the trail splits. You can cross the Little Miami and begin hiking on the South trail or continue through onto the old Cincinnati-Pittsburgh Stage Coach trail on the North side. We chose the Southern trail, and so we crossed the bridge and entered John Bryan State Park. This side of the river opens up with more distant cliffs, though fewer in number. Occasionally, the trail would rise up rocky paths and we would find ourselves looking down onto the river or over small backwater tributaries. Even more of the early bloomers were visible heading back into the open area of the park forest. The honeysuckle on this side was just beginning to open green leaves. Unfortunately, this type of honeysuckle usually is responsible for killing trees and tends to create more open areas that are virtually nothing but honeysuckle. I am not looking forward to seeing bunches of that as Spring moves to summer.

The trail continues until you reach the western most bridge, which is the only direction you can go. That brought us back to the Stage Coach trail which is a wide relatively smooth trail. This south side of the river brings one closer to the steep cliffs which have areas where one can practice rock climbing. The trail eventually returned us back into the Clifton Gorge Preserve and back to our starting point.

Returning to this old friend as the season begins to come alive was an enjoyable renewal of acquaintanceship.

Indian Mounds Park Cedarville, OH

2009-03-20T16:51:00.000-04:00

A hike I took last year was to the Williamson Mound State Park near Cedarville. This is a beautiful hike, though relatively easy. Like the rest of the Greene County parks area it is filled with remnants of the post-glacial period - weathering cliffs of dolomite rock outcroppings and small waterfalls.

One feature, however, unlike the others in the county is the presence of Indian mounds. Ohio has over 70 mounds which were burial sites for the Adena and Hopewell tribes. These mound builders inhabited central and southern Ohio as far back as 3000 BC all the way to the 16th century. The mounds at the Williamson site were part of the Adena tribe and were built roughly between 500 B.C. and 100 A.D. While most were burial sites, some were also used for lookouts.

The Williamson Mound State Park hike began near a reconstructed log cabin. I traveled there on a January day when the weather was cool, but there had been recent storms leaving some areas off the trail with standing water. Some of the path was muddy though the rockier areas were pretty clear. The trail leads into the park and soon breaks giving you a choice of heading toward one of the mounds or crossing a wooden bridge into the denser areas which lead to the creek and gorge areas. Once you reach this area expect some more challenging hiking but beautiful views. One thing about hiking at this time of the year, there aren't many people. The warm sun and cool air always makes for more comfortable hikes.

As you hike the paths along the easier routes, you pass a number of cliffs. Gradually these cliffs lead to areas where they have collapsed into the river making for increased rapid activity an interesting photo opportunities. As you can see in the photo to the left, you can literally get almost right into the river area for some good shots.

As you continue hiking the path begins to rise until you begin to hear the sound of falls even though you cannot see them. Continuing down the path, as you come up over a rise, the falls are suddenly there and afford a platform for an opportunity to stand and view the area, or to take pictures. Farther back down the path is a wooden bridge that cross the stream. Photos taken from the bridge are also possible and afford a good view of the falls, at least at this time of the year when the trees are bare of leaves.

The Williamson Mounds State Park is an easy hike for anyone looking for good views but with extensive hiking facilities.

In the Glen Helen Preserve

2009-03-19T20:59:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite nearby hikes is the Glen Helen Preserve at Yellow Springs, Ohio in Greene County. Yellow Springs is a small village and formerly home to Antioch College, currently closed, though hopefully renewed in the near future as new fundings are found.

One of Antioch's premiere features is the Glen Helen Preserve which is a legacy of Hugh Taylor Birch, who donated the lands to Antioch College in 1929 in honor of his daughter, Helen. This is a working ecological institute with many events on the ecology of the area and nature preservation. The Glen is open to anyone for hiking. Some of the trails are so easy that villagers and former students often take morning runs along its easier paths. But buried within this 1000 acres is a 25 mile network of paths are some geologic treasures as well as wonder flora.

I've hiked its trails in Winter as well as in Spring and never grow tired of the wonders of its beauty. There are two creeks that run through the Glen. The area historically provided waters thought to be curative at a spring called the Yellow Springs based upon the discoloration from the iron content in the water. In the 19th century a spa was built on the site.

The area also affords more difficult trails up and over the weathering rock limestone. Some of the formations are amazing. One in particular is called Pompey's Pillar forming a large platform sitting upon a narrowing column of dolomite. As you can see in the photo, the rock formation is rather isolated. This is typical of some of the eroding rock in this area. It is these little surprises that make the area a fascinating hike.

Beginning at the parking lot area near the Trailside Museum and Visitor Center, one is faced with a 30 foot or so downward climb into the valley of the Glen itself. The beginning trail soon splits and can lead toward Pompey's Pillar or toward the creek that is forded by stepping stones that can be completely covered in early Spring when the waters rise. Crossing over leads to steep climbs up and slightly out of the ravine area. One follows one area of a gorge along one of the creeks. This is a moderate hike with views of the water below as well as steep eroding cliffs.

Like the Clifton Gorge, this Preserve touches John Bryan State Park. You could continue a straight hike right into the park if you choose. But with its many winding paths and places to explore right in the Glen, it is a day trip unto itself.

Hiking the Clifton Gorge, Clifton, Greene Co., Ohio

2009-03-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

Hiking in the Clifton Gorge area is particularly poignant if you are interested in the history of the area. Having just read Allen W. Eckert's book "That Dark and Bloody River: Chronicles of the Ohio River Valley" which includes some narration about the Shawnees, their campsites and some of the famous people who were captured and escaped from them, it brought some of that history to life walking in the area.

The Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve is a great place for a moderate hike with some beautiful scenery. Greene County has some nice geological formations left from the post-glacial erosion. The river that was formed was the Little Miami River which has its headwaters just north of the town of Clifton in Southwest Ohio. Clifton itself is historic as it is the site of an historic mill which is still in operation and affords a nice place to lunch before or after the hike. Attached to the Nature Preserve is John Bryan State Park, which has trails that continue following the scenic river for an extended hike.

I began when I parked in an area just slightly south of the town of Clifton and set out on an easy trail. A few hundred feet into the hike, are the stairs that take you down into the gorge and closer to the river itself. From the upper trail there aren't very many views of the river itself. But as you step down into the gorge, you are still mostly a ways above the river. There are places where the rock formations have made it difficult to get closer to the river. Gradually, the gorge flattens out slightly and you can easily walk up to the river itself.

The rock formations are always fascinating to look at in this part of the hike. More resistant dolomite makes up the upper portion of many of the cliffs sometimes rising 40 to 50 feet, while the less resistant on the lower half has weathered to form not only recesses, but interesting shapes. The gorge is gradually widening due to the weathering and previous rockfalls. But the trails wind their way through and among these rock formations. Whether you are hiking in the lower gorge or along the top of the cliffs, you'll be presented with some pretty spectacular geologic formations.

The historical aspect is that this is the trail often used by the Shawnees as they traveled up and down the Little Miami River. Not far from Clifton in Greene County is a small modern village called Oldtown. It was the original site of the second primary Shawnee village named Chilicothe similar to the first Shawnee settlement at the time on the site of the present town of Chilicothe. This second Shawnee location is where Daniel Boone and Cornelius Darnell were held captive. Both men were captured at the Blue Licks in Kentucky. They were taken to the Indian village of Chilicothe (now Oldtown) where Daniel Boone escaped a few months later. Later yet, Cornelius Darnell escaped and traveled north up the Little Miami where he was chased by the Shawnee. At one point in the Clifton Gorge in the Narrows, they came so close to catching him - meaning slow death and torture if re-captured - he leaped across the chasm. Though he fell short, he was able to grasp some small trees which then covered the cliff and break his fall. By doing this he was able to escape back to Kentucky ultimately.

Within about three quarters of a mile, the hike begins to widen and flatten. The views and closeness to the river begin to afford some wonderful photo opportunities. The river moving rapidly through the Narrows begins to slow down tremendously almost becoming like still pools. Close to this point one can take a path that sharply takes you back to the upper portion of the gorge where you can hike back to where you parked along an upper trail. If you want to continue hiking, you will soon leave the Preserve and pass into John Bryan State Park where you will find yet more interesting landscape.

All in all, Clifton Gorge is a great place to come and hike. As you can tell from the photos, I last hiked it in December. Hiking when the foliage is just beginning to bloom in early April is another excellent time. It has reached any kind of heat in the day and blooming flora presents some great photo opportunities.