Tammy York - 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Cincinnati: Including Southwest Ohio, Southeast Indiana, and Northern Kentucky

Ohio

Cincinnati

Indiana

Kentucky

Albuquerque

Atlanta

Baltimore

Boston

Chicago

Cleveland

Dallas and Fort Worth

Denver and Boulder

Harrisburg

Houston

Los Angeles

Madison

Minneapolis and St. Paul

Nashville

New York City

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Pittsburgh

Richmond

Sacramento

Salt Lake City

San Antonio and Austin

San Diego

San Francisco

Seattle

St. Louis

Washington, D.C .

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Cincinnati

Copyright 2014 by Tamara York

All rights reserved

Published by Menasha Ridge Press

Printed in the United States of America

Distributed by Publishers Group West

Second edition, first printing

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

York, Tamara.

60 hikes within 60 miles, Cincinnati: including Clifton Gorge, Southeast Indiana, and Northern Kentucky / Tammy York.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-89732-510-3 (paperback) ISBN 0-89732-510-9

1. HikingOhioCincinnati RegionGuidebooks. 2. Cincinnati Region (Ohio)Guidebooks. 3. HikingIndianaGuidebooks. 4. IndianaGuidebooks. 5. HikingKentuckyGuidebooks. 6. KentuckyGuidebooks. I. Title. II. Title: Sixty hikes within sixty miles, Cincinnati.

GV199.42.O32C528 2014

796.5109771dc23

2014016132

Cover design, cartography, and elevation profiles: Scott McGrew

Text design: Annie Long

Front cover: Cox Arboretum MetroPark. Back cover, left to right: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum,
Shawnee Lookout, Thistlethwaite Falls at Whitewater Gorge, and Withrow Nature Preserve.

Cover photo Texas141/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-3.0

Back cover and interior photos, unless otherwise noted on page, by Tamara York

MENASHA RIDGE PRESS

An imprint of Keen Communications, LLC

PO Box 43673

Birmingham, Alabama 35243

menasharidge.com

Disclaimer

This book is meant only as a guide to select trails in the Cincinnati area and does not guarantee hiker safety in any wayyou hike at your own risk. Neither Menasha Ridge Press nor Tamara York is liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death that result in any way from accessing or hiking the trails described in the following pages. Please be aware that hikers have been injured in the Cincinnati area. Be especially cautious when walking on or near boulders, steep inclines, and drop-offs, and do not attempt to explore terrain that may be beyond your abilities. To help ensure an uneventful hike, please read carefully the introduction to this book, and perhaps get further safety information and guidance from other sources. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the areas you intend to visit before venturing out. Ask questions, and prepare for the unforeseen. Familiarize yourself with current weather reports, maps of the area you intend to visit, and any relevant park regulations.

A PPENDIXES

I wouldnt have been able to write this book without the continuous and overflowing support from my family. My husband, Allen, is a tremendous support; without his devotion to my success, Id still be using a typewriter. My daughters, Margaret and Madaelynne, never fail to show me the lighter side of life and provided comic relief in the midst of thunderstorms, simmering hot days, and 16 inches of snow.

Thanks to my mother, who discovered some of the trails less traveled and took care of the girls while I hiked the more difficult trails. My brother, Michael, who graciously provided GPS, Google Earth, and mapping tech supporteven though I tend to call in the middle of the night.

I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to so many behind-the-scenes people who help bring a book from an idea to a reality. The second edition is no less of an undertaking than the first, and I would like to thank Amber Kaye Henderson and Molly Merkle for their support; Kara Pelicano for simply rocking; Richard Hunt for guiding the way; and Jack Heffronhis enthusiasm for writing is contagious and delightful. Thanks to Molly Merkle and Holly Cross for patiently leading me through the maze of writing my first book; Tanya Sylvan, Liliane Opsomer, Jim Nunn, Howard Cohen, and Darcy Lathrop for helping market the book; Kerry Smith for his magical copyediting; Annie Long for her incredible graphic design work; cartographer Scott McGrew for creating easy-to-read maps; and Russell Helms for answering my mapping questions.

Special thanks to Great Parks of Hamilton County naturalists, especially Amy Roell and Jerry Lippert; naturalist John Cimarosti; Keith Robinson of Clermont County Parks; Erin Morris of Cincinnati Parks; Chris Bedel of The Edge of Appalachia; and Bernadette Harawa of Five Rivers MetroParks. Thanks to Kevin Snyder and Dick Davis at Clifty Falls State Park; David Whitehouse of Boone County Parks; Rob McGriff and Darrel Breedlove at Selmier State Forest; Joyce Bender and Daniel Cox of Kentucky Nature Preserves and Natural Areas; and Quinton Tyree at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park. Thanks to Scotty Richards and John Cunningham for their dedication to the Tri-State Hiking Club and their top picks for hiking trails.

I owe much gratitude to the incredible women of the Moms Club, especially Dayna Brown, Kim Johnson, and Nicole Eckert. Thanks to naturalist Bonnie Martens for her from-the-trenches advice on hiking with young children and her top picks for kid-friendly hiking trails.

Along the trail Ive met many incredible people, but special thanks to my hiking buddies Allen York, Margaret York, Madaelynne York, Kathy Keller, Mike Keller, Renee McBride, Kiersten McBride, Chris Bedel, and Bonnie, Samantha, Josh, and Clay Martens for joining me.

Thanks to all of the naturalists, maintenance staff, law-enforcement officers, and land managers who take care of the natural areas. And thanks to all of the people who in one way or another had a hand in preserving these natural spaces.

If by some chance I havent acknowledged your contributions, I am truly sorry and will make amends by buying you a soda pop and joining you for a hike.

To everyone who reads this book and is encouraged to take a hike, I owe you a debt of gratitude, especially if you share the wonders of nature with your children or a friend orbetter yetboth!

Tamara York

PS: Connect with me and other hikers at cincyhikes.com and facebook.com/6060CincyHikes .