John Bryan State Park: North Rim/South Gorge Loop (Blog Hike #10)

Trails: North Rim, South Gorge, Pittsburgh-Cincinnati Stage Coach Trails

Hike Location: John Bryan State Park

Geographic Location: east of Yellow Springs, OH (39.78692,-83.86299)

Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: 1997, 2004, August 2016

Overview: A loop hike, first along the rim of Clifton Gorge, then along the banks of the Little Miami River.

Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/john-bryan-state-park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=716336
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Yellow Springs, go east on SR 343, which goes right off of US 68 just north of town.  Take SR 343 about 2 miles to SR 370 and turn right on SR 370.  SR 370 takes you to the park entrance.  At the first fork bear left, pass the park office, then turn left on the first park road.  Park in the picnic area first parking lot on the right.

The hike: Located about halfway between Columbus and Dayton, John Bryan was one of Ohio's first state parks.  Mr. Bryan, a prominent businessman of the early 1900's, gave the land to the state in 1918 with the intent of it being used as a "forest park."  It remains one of the more popular parks in Ohio today, as people from miles around come to watch the scenic Little Miami River flow through a gorge of sheer dolomite walls. 

            The hike described here takes you atop the gorge and alongside the river.  The best time to hike this trail is on a spring weekday so as to catch the wildflower show at its peak and to avoid the weekend crowds.  Note that John Bryan State Park lies adjacent to Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and the two trail systems do interconnect.  Thus, this hike and my hike at Clifton Gorge could be combined into a single hike if you so desire.

Picnic area trail entrance

            Start at the sign that says "Trail Entrance" at the rear of the parking lot.  Major intersections at John Bryan State Park are identified by letters, and this point is point U although no signs on the ground identify it as such.  The short spur trail very quickly intersects the North Rim Trail at point T.  Turn left to begin hiking east. 

            As the name suggests, this trail takes you along the north rim of the gorge through a second-growth maple forest.  A gentle upward slope and trees can be seen to the left, while a sheer drop of some 30 feet is on your right. The river can be heard within the dolomite walls of the gorge, but it usually cannot be seen due to the thick canopy of the trees growing in the gorge.  The trail soon passes some sites designated for rock climbing and rappelling on the right.  These are marked by small wooden posts stamped with a letter and a number.  This part of the trail crosses numerous drainages, each with the aid of a wooden bridge.

Hiking along the north rim

            After passing the last rock climbing site, the trail becomes a little rougher and more encumbered with vegetation.  Still, the treadway remains obvious.  About 1.25 miles from the beginning of this hike, the trail reaches an intersection with a trail coming out of the gorge.  There is a large, white park sign stating "North Rim Trail 1.4 miles" to the left of this intersection.  To access Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, continue straight on the North Rim Trail.  The remainder of the North Rim Trail is described in my Clifton Gorge hike.  This hike turns right here and begins a steep, rocky descent to the floor of the gorge with the aid of one switchback.  An old stagecoach road linking Cincinnati and Pittsburgh entered the gorge here. From this point, the road proceeded west through the gorge on its route to Cincinnati.

            At the bottom of the hill, the hiker has a choice.  The Pittsburgh-Cincinnati Stage Coach Trail goes right and follows the old road on the north side of the river.  Straight ahead, a wooden bridge crosses the river and links you to the South Gorge Trail.  The two trails meet up again about 1.2 miles downstream, so either one will suffice.  For this hike, I will describe the South Gorge Trail, usually the more scenic alternative. 

Hiking the south Gorge Trail

            Cross the sturdy bridge, which dates to the 1960's, and turn right on the opposite shore. The trail passes through a steady litter of talus that has broken off from the sheer gorge wall to your left and begins its journey westward.  In most spots, about 10 to 30 feet of second growth forest separates the trail from the river on your right, and more forest separates you from the dolomite wall on your left.  Holes in the trees give good views of both the river and the rock. 

After passing a private residence on your left and several very scenic waterfalls (some decent-sized streams cascade over 50 feet down the limestone bedrock before joining the river), the trail comes to a fork.  The two trails at this intersection rejoin in several hundred yards, so I usually take the left fork because it is a little easier to walk. 

Little Miami River

            After the trails rejoin, the unified trail climbs to a 50-foot bluff overlooking another waterfall and the river.  This occurs about 100 yards before arriving at the second wooden footbridge over the river, where the South Gorge Trail ends.  Cross the footbridge to rejoin the Stage Coach Trail on the north bank of the river, then take a soft left onto the Stage Coach Trail, which soon begins a rather steep ascent out of the gorge.  The climb is very rocky, so watch your step.

Climbing on the Stage Coach Trail

            The Stage Coach Trail ends at a sharp bend in the blacktopped main park road.  Take a very soft right on the road and continue ascending. At the top of the hill, a right turn onto the grass of the picnic area and another 0.1 miles of walking will return you to the parking lot, thus completing the hike.