Ohioguide's Blog

Beat Cabin Fever With A Winter Hike at the Metro Parks

ohioguide — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 06:04:15 +0000

Central Ohio is home to over 16 parks in the Metro Parks system. Each park offers something different. The largest park in the system is Darby Creek Metro Park which consists of over 7000 acres. They have recently added six bison cows which are now available for viewing.
Most of the metro parks have gone back in time to recreate what most of Ohio looked like a few hundred years ago when the prairies ruled the land. Most of the prairie grasses and other plants used to occur naturally in the area until civilization took over. Many of the parks have reconstructed wetland areas as well. Between the prairies and the wetlands, the parks are becoming very diverse in their biology. Deer, raccoon, wildflowers, squirrel and a diverse array of birds are common sights for visitors.
The parks not only have diversity when it comes to wildlife, but also when it comes to activities. Scioto Audubon Park features a rock climbing wall whereas Clear Creek has over 15 miles of hiking trails. Slate Run living historical farm has an interactive history lesson of what farm life used to be like. There is fishing for licensed fishermen and dog trails for pet lovers. Although most of these activities seem to be warm weather activities, there is much to do in the winter as well. A lot of the parks offer sledding and ice skating. On selected days each month in the winter, each park has a winter hike. Hundreds of hikers take to the trails to exercise and learn more about the parks. At the end of the hike is a warm drink a hot soup.
In addition to the winter hikes, each metro park offers a variety of programs throughout the year to entertain and educate the entire family. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the great metro park system that calls Central Ohio home.

Ohio Things to Do

Mohican Memorial State Forest and Park

ohioguide — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:41:14 +0000

Consisting of over 1110 acres in southern Ashland County, Mohican State Park offers something for everyone. The scenic beauty and natural features of Mohican can be attributed to the ice age that occurred over 12,000 years ago. The glacial melt hastened the carving of the narrow gorge of the Clear Fork of the Mohican River. The gorge cuts into the sandstone bedrock exposing huge outcroppings and creating steep cliff walls.
The Mohican State Memorial Forest surrounds the park and contains great plant and animal diversity. At the top you’ll find white, red and black oaks, red maple and white pine. The middle regions abound with Beech, ash and tulip and the lower region with hemlock and yellow birch. The bottom of the gorge contains sycamore, willow, buckeye, hawthorn and dogwood. There are fifteen different species identified, including the rare walking fern.
Some of the numerous mammals in the park include raccoon, white-tail deer, skunk, opossum and red fox. Reptiles such as the box turtle, black rat snake and the poisonous copperhead are present in the area. Dusky salamanders, American toads and the gray tree frog are samples of local amphibians. Many warblers and wild turkeys also call Mohican home.
Some other sites of interest are the Gorge overlook, Pleasant Hill Dam, Memorial Shrine and the covered bridge. Visitors that are not afraid of heights can climb the fire tower. Other activities include hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, swimming, hunting and fishing.

Chapin Forest Reservation

ohioguide — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:20:25 +0000

Chapin Forest Reservation is made up of 390 acres in South-Western Lake County. The reserve includes over five miles of trails, fishing ponds and a ball field. Chapin forest contains deposits called Sharon conglomerate that were formed over 300 million years ago. A quarry that operated in the 1800’s produced sandstone for many local buildings.
Be sure to check out the scenic overlook, Lucky Stone Loop, which has a spectacular view of the Cleveland skyline.
The forest is spotted with various trees including beech, oak, maple, tulip, ash and pines. Some of the wildflowers that can be found are trillium, hepatica and bloodroot. Those with a keen eye can observe one of the resident animals that call Chapin Forest home. Some of its inhabitants include flying squirrels, deer, red foxes, barred owls, ruffed grouse and woodpeckers.

Be sure to check out all of the other things to do in Ohio at www.ohiotouristguide.com

Clifton Gorge

ohioguide — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:34:34 +0000

Clifton Gorge consists of 269 acres in Northern Greene County. The cliffs made of dolomite overlook the Little Miami River which continues to cut through the gorge still today. The rest of the land was sculpted by glaciers over two million years ago.
The preserve contains over 343 different kinds of wildflowers, 105 species of trees and shrubs and sixteen types of ferns. Arborvitae cling to the cool, shaded southern wall which also consists of hemlocks, ferns, Canadian yews, maples, red-berried elders and rare baneberry bush. The steeper slopes have chinkapin oaks and beneath the cliffs grow sugar maples and oaks. Along the river hikers will encounter sycamore, cottonwood, willow, silver maple, box elder and elm trees.
When exploring the gorge, watch where you step because it has ten different species of snakes. Closer to the water keep your eyes peeled for five different species of turtles, seven types of frogs and toads and eight types of salamanders. Some of the mammals that can be seen include mink, weasel, skunk, short-tailed shrew and red fox.

Visit Ohio Tourist Guide for more things to do in Ohio

Clear Fork Gorge

ohioguide — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:21:34 +0000

Clear Fork Gorge consists of 1294 acres in Southern Richland County. The gorge was created by stream reversal where two rivers originated from the same elevation and flowed in opposite directions. The plateau acted like a divide between the two currents. Hikers can enjoy over five miles of riverfront. The formations of Clear fork consist of Black Hand sandstone.
For all of the dendrologists out there, there are plenty of trees to view. In the cool, shady lower portion of the gorge, hemlocks, Canadian yews and red maple abound with some yellow birch, mountain maple and black ash mixed in. At the top of the gorge, oaks, pines, black cherry and white ash dominate the landscape. At the sunny north bank observers can find red oaks, white oaks, tulip, beech, maple and sycamore trees. In the floodplain, sycamore, hawthorn, willow, buckeye and dogwood trees are the norm.
For the fans of wildflowers, some of the flowers you will find include mountain laurel, trailing arbutus and partridgeberry. The hillsiders include shinleaf, wood lily, rattlesnake plaintain and round-leaved orchid. There are also 15 kinds of fern including the rare walking fern.
If stationary wildlife is not for you, several species of amphibian and reptiles can be found including box turtles, dusky salamanders, toads, black rat snakes and copperheads. For the bird watchers in the family, look for turkeys, great blue herons, kingfishers and one of the 15 species of warblers that nest in the gorge.

Find more things to do Ohio

Woodland Mound Park

ohioguide — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:51:46 +0000

Around 1000 acres in Hamilton County near Cincinnati, is where Woodland Mound Park calls home. Limestone and shale provide much of the foundation of the park. Fossilized ancient sea creatures can be found preserved in the limestone. Honey and black locust trees are dotted throughout the landscape as well as many other trees including black, shumard, pine and yellow oaks; beech, hackberry, red cedar, cottonwood, redbud, ash, black willow, box elder, black maple, black walnut, shagbark and bitternut hickories. Virgin’s bower, black nightshade, black snakeroot, moth mullein, spring beauty, St. John’s wort, jack-in-the-pulpit, white & purple dwarf larkspur, jewelweed, catnip and giant hyssop cover the floor of the park in the summer. Wild grape vines and Japanese honeysuckle also abound.
Around the ponds visitors can find turtles, frogs, salamanders and snails. The park contains twenty species of amphibians and reptiles including hognosed, black rat & rough green snakes; slimy & ravine salamanders. The meadows fill with tiger swallowtail and monarch butterflies.
If you have had your fill of all of the wildlife, try your hand at Frisbee golf. Woodland Mound has an 18 “hole” Frisbee golf course as well as The vineyard, an 18-hole golf course. The Seasongood Nature Center has interactive displays, two outdoor observation decks and a classroom and an auditorium for naturalist programs. On the hot summer days cool off at Parky’s Wetland Adventure, a wet playground.

Indian Mound Preserve

ohioguide — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:07:33 +0000

Indian Mound Preserve consists of 166 acres of gorge, meadow, woods, river and marsh in Greene County. The gorge, known as Massie Creek Gorge, was created by the Wisconsin Glacier which retreated over 12,000 years ago. Another noteworthy site is the Cedar Cliff Falls which is actually a dam that was built to harness power for Harbison Mill which ceased operation in 1917. Be sure to stop by the pioneer style log house that dates to 1814.

The preserve boasts of over 100 species of wildflowers including the rare snow trillium. Some of the other wildflowers of note are large-flowered trillium, nodding trillium, wild columbine, Dutchman’s breeches and squirrel corn. While hiking the trails at Indian Mound, keep a look out for two rare trees, the northern white cedar and the mountain maple.

This park is a great place for birdwatchers too. Warblers come in droves in the spring. Among them are the yellowthroat and black-throated green warblers. In addition to the warblers, green and great blue herons as well as great-horned, barred and screech owls are a common site in the summer.

Be sure to check out the great restaurants and hotels in Ohio as well.

Brown’s Lake Bog State Nature Preserve

ohioguide — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:43:03 +0000

Consisting of 100 acres in South-Western Wayne County, Brown’s Lake Bog is a unique nature preserve. The bog is a kettle lake formed by glaciers thousands of years ago. From above, the bog looks like a bull’s-eye with the different plant zones radiating out from the center lake. The bog is covered with sphagnum moss, a rootless plant that floats on the water. The moss takes in minerals from the lake and expels Hydrogen which in turn makes the lake acidic.

The next zone of plant life grows directly on the moss mat. These plants include rose pogonia, marsh cinquefoil and marsh trefoil. Also found on the mat are carnivorous plants such as the pitcher plant and tiny sundew which eat insects. Additional mat plants are willow, rosemary, cranberry, leatherleaf and poison sumac.

The third zone on the shoreline consists of shrubs like highbrush blueberry, winterberry, chokeberry and trees such as alders and willows.

The fourth zone is the swamp forest zone and consists of swamp oak, ash and maples. The most distant ring has hickory, oak and maple trees.

Along the 1-mile trail system, be sure to look for the four-toed salamander as well as other unique wildlife. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk and make sure you bring your mosquito repellent in the summer.

For places to stay and eat while in Ohio visit Ohio Tourist Guide.

Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve

ohioguide — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 06:46:01 +0000

Eighty-seven acres in south-west hocking county is home to Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve. The preserve was named for an inscription that was once visible on the west wall of the gorge that read “W.J. Conkle 1797.”
Deposits from ancient rivers flowing into a vast inland ocean created what is now referred to as Black Hand sandstone. Sheer cliffs of Black Hand sandstone rise 200 ft above the valley floor creating one of the deepest gorges in Ohio. Even in the summer Conkle’s Hollow can be a bit chilly due to the deep gorge and tall trees, so plan accordingly.
This gorge is one of the most scenic preserves in the state with its many cascading waterfalls. Conkle’s Hollow has over three miles of trails. The lower 1 mile trail is handicap accessible.
Some of the plant species found here includes hemlock, Canada yew, teaberry and partridgeberry. The nature preserve is also home to several state threatened species of plants; radiate sedge, pale green panic grass, pipsissewa and round-leaf catchfly and a threatened fern, the triangle grape fern. At the top of the gorge where the sun reaches more easily; chestnut oak, Virginia pine, beech and tulip trees abound.
If wildlife is what you crave, there is plenty of that as well. For the avid birdwatcher, catch warblers, vireos, flycatchers, thrush and many others in flight. Be on the lookout on the ground level for beaver, white-tailed deer, grouse, turkey and bobcats.

For more things to do in Ohio visit Ohio Tourist Guide.

Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve

ohioguide — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:42:29 +0000

Since Spring is next week and the weather is warming, we are going to start a series on parks in Ohio. The first park is Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve.

Located in Eastern Licking County, Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve’s 956 acres was dedicated in 1975. The park consists of 7 hiking trails and offers a bike a wheelchair trail. Blackhand gorge is named for a large, hand-shaped petro glyph on the face of a sandstone cliff. Unfortunately, the “hand” was destroyed in the 1820’s during the Ohio-Erie Canal construction.
The gorge is made up of cross-bedded sandstone. Cross-bedding occurs in a fluid environment when deposits accumulate over time. Millions of years ago this are of Ohio was covered by water. To this day the Licking River continues to cut into the sandstone creating the gorge.
Blackhand Gorge is adorned with much wildlife. The park consists of Virginia pines, oak trees, hickories, mountain laurel, floodplain sycamores, willows, box elders and cottonwoods to name a few. Overall, there are over 70 different species of trees and shrubs and 15 fern species. Disperssed throughout the trees are 150 different species of wildflowers. For the casual birder, there have been 64 bird species observed including red-tailed hawks and vultures. Other creatures that can be found in the preserve are white-tailed deer, raccoons, squirrels, six salamander species and nine types of toads and frogs.
The park is open year around from dawn until dusk. Happy Hiking! To learn about other attractions in Ohio visit us at Ohio Tourist Guide.