Trails: Limestone Steps, Geology, Far Ridge, Wildflower, Buckeye, and Stanley M. Rowe Trails
Hike Location: Cincinnati Nature Center
Geographic Location: northwest of Batavia, OH (39.12539,-84.24591)
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Dates Hiked: 1999, August 2017
Overview: A moderate hike through a remote corner of the Nature Center’s preserve.
Directions to the trailhead: On the east side of Cincinnati, take I-275 to exit 63B, which goes onto SR 32 east. Take SR 32 east for 1.2 miles to Glen Este-Withamsville Road (the first traffic light) and turn left. Follow this road north 0.4 miles to Old SR 74 and turn right. Take Old SR 74 east for 0.25 miles and turn left onto Tealtown Rd. The Cincinnati Nature Center is about 3 miles ahead on Tealtown Rd.on the left. A large "Rowe Woods" sign marks the entrance. Pay the small parking fee and proceed to the main parking lot in front of the interpretive building, where our hike will begin. A second gravel parking area is available to the right of the main parking area, should the main area be full.
The hike: For my general comments on the Cincinnati Nature Center, see the Waterfall Loop description. The bulk of this hike takes you on one of the more remote trails at the nature center. Nevertheless, this route includes some of the more popular sites in the center. The areas viewed on this hike include a wide variety on habitats, a great frog pond, and a fascinating bird blind.
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| Trail to Krippendorf Lodge |
Begin at marker #1 outside the interpretive building and walk west on a gravel path toward Krippendorf Lodge. On the first gravel trail that goes to the left, take a left and enter the center's flower and herb gardens. After passing under a wooden arch entrance way, turn right at the first intersection. There was a pretty planting of black-eyed susans just past this intersection when I walked this way in mid-summer.
Cross a bridge and descend some steps to begin the Limestone Steps Trail. This short trail is named for the 175 rock steps it descends through maple/beech/ash forest with a dense understory of ferns. This trail provides the quickest access to Avey's Run. At the bottom of the hill, the Limestone Steps Trail ends at an intersection with the Geology Trail. Turn right on the Geology Trail and begin following Avey's Run downstream.
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| Avey's Run |
The trail crosses the stream twice (neither time via a bridge) before coming out on the edge of a field at marker #9. This field is grown up with field grass, thistle, and berry briers. With the steep, forested hills surrounding this meadow on all sides, this valley more resembles the scenery found in the Appalachian regions of Kentucky or Tennessee than it does Clermont County, Ohio.
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| Hiking along a meadow |
Continue straight as the trail follows the left side of the meadow beside young forest before taking a sharp left turn to cross Avey's Run. There is no bridge for this crossing, so some wading may be required during times of high water. Now on the south side of Avey's Run, the trail goes about 10 feet away from the creek before coming to an intersection that forms the loop of the Far Ridge Trail. This trail is a little easier to hike if you use the trail on the left as the outgoing portion and the steep steps to the right as the return portion of the loop.
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| Hiking through the floodplain |
Keeping left, the trail stays in the floodplain of Avey's Run for a couple hundred yards before turning right and beginning a very long, moderate ascent through young maple forest for the first major climb of the hike. This ascent is less strenuous due to the gentle grade provided by the old logging road used as a treadway. On top of the hill, the trail takes a sharp right turn passing marker #11 and begins following the right hand side of another field. This one looks much like the one you passed earlier, except that it sits atop the ridge instead of in the valley.
The trail curves around the southern end of the field before turning right and ducking into the forest. For the next 0.3 miles the trail stays atop the ridge and winds its way through young maple forest. The ridge narrows and, upon reaching the end of the ridge, the trail utilizes a long set of wooden steps to return to Avey’s Run floodplain and close the loop.
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| Wooden steps into the floodplain |
Retrace your steps back to marker #9 and turn left to continue the Wildflower Trail. The trail follows the eastern edge of the meadow for a short distance before turning right and entering the mature forest. The trail begins ascending moderately steeply for the last major climb of the hike. Fortunately, several benches are provided on this long climb.
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| Climbing on the Wildflower Trail |
At the top of the hill the Wildflower Trail ends at the Fernwood Trail. Turn left at this intersection and begin climbing slightly. The trail curves right and soon becomes a blacktop trail beside a small frog pond. When I was here in mid-summer, small green heads of bullfrogs could be seen throughout the pond intermixed with green lily pads. Even more interesting was a 3-foot turtle sunning itself on the bank. I spent several minutes looking for heads to pop out of the water and listening for croaks.
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| Turtles in pond |
When done at the pond, follow the blacktop trail past a field and restored log cabin on the left to a bird blind also on the left. On my visit, this stop featured three different species of finches at one time feeding on the finch food. Squirrels and chipmunks enjoyed the large mammal feeder, and other common birds such as blue jays, cardinals, robins, and mourning doves enjoyed a snack from the other amenities. There was so much to see here, I could have remained about twice as long as I did.
When you are finished indulging your eyes and ears at the bird blind, continue down the paved trail and take a left on the gravel access road. The parking lot lies about 10 feet down this gravel road.
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