Glen Helen and Pine Forest Loop

Glen Helen is located just next to downtown Yellow Springs, a small but well-known town popular for its eclectic and artistic community. This preserve was set to close permanently in 2020 due to lack of funding, but the former owner Antioch College sold the preserve to the Glen Helen Association who reopened it to the public and reinvigorated a new wave of donations to save the preserve. There ...

If you're driving along US 68 towards Yellow Springs, Ohio in early September, you just may be lucky enough to come upon the Tecumseh Sunflower Field in full bloom!  You only have about two-three weeks where the flowers will be bright, happy and alive, so make plans to hit it in time.  There is free parking down a lane right in front of the field that should be utilized.  The field is hugely po...

If you are new to climbing, someone who really enjoys toprope climbing or if you live in west central Ohio and are looking to climb somewhere within a reasonable driving distance, John Bryan State Park is a great option. Equipment is not provided and all climbers are encouraged to use safe climbing practiceWhen you pull into the entrance of the park you will pass a camp office and then will wan...

Starting at the lower parking lot, follow the signs that direct you to the trails near the shelterhouse. Within 0.2 of a mile the trail forks; follow the left fork heading east along the Little Miami River. This is the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati Stagecoach Trail, which for 1.3 miles winds its way along the banks of the Little Miami, and rises above it in several places for some beautiful views of th...

The entirety of this hike is within the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, a protected park with strict restrictions on off-trail travel with pets prohibited. Starting at the parking lot off of Jackson St, follow the trail northwest along the narrows of Clifton Gorge. Here, the river has carved a deep chasm into the limestone bedrock, with the river being anywhere from 40-60 feet below the t...

Cedarville, Ohio is known for its expansive farmland, but in the Indian Mounds Park you'll find several unique features, such as the cavern located on the Gorge Trail!  This cave is formed out of the side of a cliff and is perfect for easy exploration and climbing. When the water is low enough you can walk out on the rocks in and around the Massies Creek and get nice views of the water and clif...