Hike the Overlook-Dripping Rock Loop
Lewis Center, Ohio
5.0
4.8 mi
/ 100 ft gain
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 ravine before it swings south, while the southern approach crosses the road and after 0.3 of a mi...
Hike Lake Hope's Peninsula Trail
McArthur, Ohio
4.0
3 mi
/ 300 ft gain
Situated in the long-forgotten coal and iron country of Ohio, Lake Hope is a beautiful combination of Ohio's rugged Appalachian foothills and tranquil shoreline.The trail starts at the trailhead parking lot right off of OH SR 278, next to the Hope Iron Furnace. The trail forms a three mile loop that follows the southern shoreline of Lake Hope for the majority of its length. Taking a right at th...
Hike to Ansel's Cave
Novelty, Ohio
1.5 mi
/ 100 ft gain
The beginning of the hike to Ansel's Cave starts at The West Woods parking lot next to the visitor center. From there, follow the signs noting the Ansel Cave Trail. About 1/4 mile along, the trail splits into two directions; one takes you on the more direct route to Ansel's Cave along a well maintained trail of crushed gravel; the other, a longer route on a more rugged, natural path. Which ever...
Hike the Headland Dunes
Mentor, Ohio
1 mi
From the parking lots at the far eastern end of Headlands Beach State Park, head to the sign for the Headland Dunes State Nature Preserve, and follow the trail marked with white painted T-posts. The trail is completely on sand, so it's a bit more strenuous than a normal hike due to the sand shifting as you walk.The trail follows the back of the dunes and heads towards the point of the beach, wh...
Hike the Shoreline-Lakeview Loop
Perry, Ohio
1.2 mi
/ 80 ft gain
Starting at the parking lot next to Lake Erie Bluffs brand new 50-foot tall lakefront observation tower, follow the yellow signs noting the Shoreline Trail, a 0.6 mile long trail that follows the beach of Lake Erie. The trail is relatively easy, although sections of it require climbing over driftwood and other debris left by the pounding waves of the lake. Once at the other end of the trail, fo...
Hike into Hell Hollow
Thompson, Ohio
4.0
1 mi
/ 200 ft gain
From the trailhead, follow the Beech Ridge Loop Trail to the stairs for a 1/4 mile to the stairs that descend down into Hell Hollow. The views back up the gorge of Paine Creek are beautiful, especially with the shale cliffside in view. The stairway down into the hollow proper is steep, so be prepared for a climb back out as its the only way in or out of the hollow. Once at the bottom, the trail...
Photograph Clear Fork Gorge
Perrysville, OhioThe hardest part of this adventure is finding parking, especially on a late October afternoon. There's two different observation decks to take photos of the gorge from, and both have excellent views of the overall gorge. Having grown up just up the road from Mohican State Park, "The Gorge" has always been a favorite spot of mine, and its truly worth some time during a visit. While fall gets the...
Hike to Pinnacle Peak, Indiana
Brownstown, Indiana
4.5
2 mi
/ 900 ft gain
Beginning at the trail head labeled for Trail 1/Pinnacle Peak, the trail changes a total of ~450 ft elevation in a mile through a rolling, hardwood forest to reach its namesake location: Pinnacle Peak. The view opens up to the southwest of the peak and shows the valley below and the distance farms beyond on the edge of Indiana's farmland. The top of the peak is held up by thick sandstone beds, ...
Hike the Cantwell Cliffs Loop
Rockbridge, Ohio
5.0
1 mi
/ 100 ft gain
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 "Fat Woman's Squeeze," a narrow staircase of rock cut into the cliffs to the valley floor below, or...
Turtle Rock Trail
Buford, Wyoming
2.77 mi
/ 292 ft gain
Starting at the trailhead near the parking lot, the trail starts off relatively paved and moves close to the base of Turtle Rock, a large outcrop of Sherman Granite that has stood the test of time from the creation of the Rocky Mountains.
Following the trail to the left at the loop intersection, the trail becomes more rugged and takes you through small patches of forest and wide open areas str...
Jones Falls via Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail, Tennessee
5.0
10.65 mi
/ 2484 ft gain
Starting at the Appalachian Trail (AT) trailhead at US 19E, follow the AT north for 3.1 miles until you reach the intersection of the trail with Buck Mountain Rd. This section of the AT has an elevation gain of almost 1000 ft, and large sections of trail with significant meadows offering magnificent vistas of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The next 0.3 of a mile drops into a creek bed a...
Hike the Darby Creek Trail
West Jefferson, Ohio
4.0
2.6 mi
/ 30 ft gain
Parking at the Whispering Oaks Picnic Area on the west side of the park, start on the Darby Greenway Trail and follow it north across the river until you reach the beginning of the Lake View Trail. This 0.9 mile trail takes you along the largest of the Darby Bend Lakes, and even takes you past a remnant Adena Mound at the north end of the trail. To explore the additional lakes, continue along t...
Hike to Whispering Cave
Logan, Ohio
1.7 mi
/ 480 ft gain
The trailhead begins at the base of the parking lot of the old Hocking Hills Lodge that sadly burnt down in 2016. While plans are underway for a new lodge to be built, it means parking for this particular trail is plentiful for the moment, since the massive parking lot is only being used for the trail.
The first 1/4 mile of the trail winds alongside a disc golf course before swinging behind th...
Hike Nelson Kennedy Ledges
Alliance, Ohio
5.0
1.5 mi
/ 40 ft gain
Starting at the the parking lot off of OH SR 282, cross the road and you'll arrive at the base of the conglomerate cliffs that give the park its name. From there, follow the blue blazed trail to get the best views and overall experience of the park. The blue blazed trail follows the base of the cliffs and allows you to get up close and personal with the ledges without too much difficulty. To ma...
Photograph Honey Run Waterfall
Howard, Ohio
4.0
Getting to Honey Run Falls is incredibly easy! There are two parking lots for the park, one on the west side of the road for the Honey Run Highlands, and one on the east side of the road in the forest for the falls. From the forest parking lot, follow the trail south for roughly 500 ft until you reach the base of the waterfall. On most days, you'll hear the falls from the parking lot, its that ...
Photograph Hayden Run Falls
Dublin, Ohio
2.0
A great evening getaway while in Columbus, Hayden Run Falls is easy to access. The path to the falls is a well-maintained boardwalk above the floodplain of the Scioto River, just a little over a 0.1 mile in length. The boardwalk takes you right up to the very foot of the 35 foot tall waterfall, and on most days the spray from the falls coats the deck (and you if you get too close!)There is also...
Hike the Darby Creek Greenway
Galloway, Ohio
9.6 mi
/ 50 ft gain
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, oak savannah, and prairie. About 1.5 miles in, the trail passes the Columbus Metro Parks' Bison p...
Houghton Falls
Washburn, Wisconsin
3.0
1.48 mi
/ 180 ft gain
Houghton Falls State Nature Preserve is a small but mighty park located just north of Washburn, WI. Starting at the trailhead on Houghton Falls Rd, the trail takes you through a heavily forested area filled with hemlock, yew, and birch. About 1/3 mile in, the trail comes across the Echo Dells, a series of deep sandstone ravines that are home to the parks main feature, Houghton Falls.
The trai...
Gibraltar Rock Loop
Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area, Wisconsin
5.0
1.5 mi
/ 322 ft gain
Starting at the trailhead at the base of the hill, follow the paved asphalt path that ascends the backside of Gibraltar Rock. While the trail is paved all the way to the top, there are sections of it that are rather rough due to tree roots tearing the pavement up. There is also a slightly longer dirt trail that winds up the hill, as part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which you can use t...
Explore the Great Serpent Mound
Peebles, OhioGreat Serpent Mound is easy to get to, and the museum nearby has a great little shop and display on the history of the mound and how it came to be found. One of the many interesting features of the mound itself is that it appears to have been designed in such a way as to align itself with the pattern of the rising and setting of both the moon and the sun over the course of the year. Signs along...
Visit Campbell Hill
Bellefontaine, Ohio
0.1 mi
/ 10 ft gain
One of the easiest of the 50 State Highpoints in the United States to visit, Campbell Hill sits just outside Bellefountaine (pronounced Bell-fountain), Ohio. Sitting on the grounds of the Hi-Point Career Center, Campbell Hill is open to visitors virtually everyday of the year during daylight hours. The facility is gated, but if the gate is open, its safe to visit. The parking lot for Campbell H...
Hike to Irish Run Natural Bridge
Washington County, Ohio
9.5 mi
To begin, park next to the cemetery located on T-411 in Wayne National Forest. The trail begins on the north side of the cemetery and leads into the woods from there. In less than a 1/4 mile the trail forks into two separate trails, being both the beginning and terminus of the Archers Fork Loop Trail. Taking the trail to the right takes you on the more direct route to the natural bridge, and th...
Blackhand Trail
Heath, Ohio
8.6 mi
Both the eastern and western trailhead have ample parking and access to the Blackhand Trail, which winds its way along the banks of the Licking River for a 4.3 mile one way trip.
While the trail isn't terribly long, it makes up for it in its scenery, staying within eyesight of the Licking River for almost its entire length, and passing through sections of sandstone walls towering dozens of fe...
Fossil Hunt at Caesar Creek
Waynesville, Ohio
4.7
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 Bryozoans are all plentiful, with rarer occurrences of Cephalopods and Crinoids.NOTICE: The Emergenc...
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