Columbus: Paint Creek North Loop
Hike 4.9 miles into wooded pockets colored with summer wildflowers along the hills of Paint Creek, where white-tailed deer congregate at sunset.
Ohio Trails
Ohio, located in the midwestern U.S., is comprised mostly of rolling hills and valleys, especially in the Allegheny Plateau stretching across the southern and eastern parts of the state. Ohio is also home to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a refuge for native plants and wildlife between the major cities of Akron and Cleveland.
Cincinnati: Caesar Creek Loop
String together two loops on this 8.3-miler along the streams and young woodlands near Caesar Creek Lake--a 2,830-acre reservoir.
Cincinnati, OH: Waterfall Circuit
String several wooded paths and waterfalls together on this 3.5-mile dayhike located only minutes from downtown.
COLUMBUS: Overlook Trail, Highbanks Metro Park
Take this gravel and hardpack trail 2.3 miles to an observation deck 100 feet above the slow, snaking Olentangy River. "You'll climb steep grades through dense maple forest with rarely too many other hikers," says Kathy Lince, president of the YMCA Columbus hiking club.
Dayton, OH: Twin Valley Trail
Ramble along a wide river to quiet, old-growth hollows.
Athens, OH: Zaleski Backpack Trail (South & Middle Loops)
Escape into tranquil, rolling woods in the foothills of the Appalachians.
Rip & Go: Zaleski Backpack Trail, Zaleski State Forest, OH
Escape into tranquil, rolling woods in the foothills of the Appalachians.
Rip & Go: Twin Valley Trail – Five Rivers MetroParks, OH
Ramble along a wide river to quiet, old-growth hollows.
High Points: Campbell Hill, Ohio
Time it just right to get to the top of this one.