Clifton Gorge in Winter

 A town is saved, not more by the righteous men in it, than by the woods and swamps that surround it. - Henry David Thoreau

 This has certainly been a strange winter here in the Miami Valley of Ohio. I had an opportunity to be by myself hiking six miles of Clifton Gorge and John Bryan State Park near Clifton Mill, Ohio. I've visited these two places often before but hadn't been there in the "winter" time - though it nearly rose to 70 degrees in the middle of February, normally a month of snow in this area.

The gorge as usual is lovely as the winter waters from previous rainfalls continued to storm down the narrow channel of the gorge expanding ultimately into the Little Miami River.

The day was bright and sunny and that Monday morning I was alone in the woods by myself enjoying the simple solitude it affords. The only sound was the rushing of the water as it tries to flow through the narrowed channel afforded by the trace carved into the limestone rocks.

The trail begins near the small town of Clifton Mill about 20 minutes from Xenia, Ohio and close to Yellow Springs, home to Antioch College. The trail splits soon into a rim view or you can climb down via some provided stairs to the river edge trail, which I find more interesting though more difficult with all of the rock pieces and roots from trees sticking out of the trail. This area historically was home to a number of mills all gone now except for the one at Clifton. It was also a trail used by the Miami Indians as well as an escape route by Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton after they had been captured by the Indians when this was only known as the Northwest Territory.

Eventually, the trail in part of the preserve ends at a footbridge and continues as John Bryan State Park. By this point the trail is wider and smoother as it was once a stagecoach trail from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh.  Though it is much narrower now with erosion, it is still fascinating to imagine traveling the area. The river also calms down at this point and even widens into a pond-like portion known as Blue Hole, once depicted in an 1851 painting by African-American artist Robert Duncanson.

Though my own photo does not do the painting justice since trees have grown now on the hill from which he painted, it looks something like this even to this day.

If ever you find yourself in this area, this is a hike worth taking, especially in the Spring, though any season is worth the solitude you feel when hiking alone. Despite life seeming to be asleep in anticipation of the coming of Spring, I was heralded by the selfish honking of geese holding court.

As the snows of winter recede, this is a park to which I will find myself visiting often, if nothing else, but to remind me of my small place in this universe called Earth.

Sweet Arrow Reserve

A little over two years ago, the township in which I live was given a donation of land both farm and wooded by the late Dr. Dille near Dayton, Ohio. The donation was contingent upon the residents of the township voting to add a tax to develop and maintain a reserve that would include trails and perhaps some other recreational features for its residents and others.

For the next year, it seemed nothing was happening, but then recently, I noticed a small paved area entrance added for small amounts of parking for hikers.  A sign was posted which essentially indicated, the area while open, was still being developed and the initial trails were only marked by small posts with orange flags.

Anxious to check things out, I took a short hike on the land to get an idea of what it was like.

Surprisingly, there are some small challenges as the wooded section includes some hills which are not for the casual walker.  There is a creek that needs to be forded twice and while not deep, currently, at this time of year, there wasn't any simple way to ford without either simply stepping through it, or leaping it, if you didn't have waterproof hiking boots.

The trail is not completely clear and at one point I found myself on what appeared to be a pathway, but there seemed to be no more stakes. Not sure if I was encroaching on private property, I ultimately turned back.  However, it did provide a nice discovery.  An old tree that was hollowed out and had an appearance of what the British call a Wendy house.  It was fun to look at though it did need to have its insides cleared if one wants to step inside it.  It will be an interesting addition for children who are able to hike this portion of trail.

The woods are sparse and the trail is not tough, but the fact that it is so close to my home, I can walk it if I am looking for a quick hike in a very close area to where I live.

I am hoping the trail becomes much clearer over time and it will be fun to visit when Spring returns just to see what kind of flora it supports.  As there are few currently walking the trail, the deer have not yet gotten used to visitors to their former private area and can be regularly seen foraging and running through the wooded areas.