Mount Echo Park (Blog Hike #44)

Trail: (unnamed)

Hike Location: Mount Echo Park

Geographic Location: west side of Cincinnati, OH (39.09135,-84.56603)

Length: 1 mile
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: 1999, June 2013

Overview: A short hike to one of the most famous views of Cincinnati.

Park Information: https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/visit-a-park/find-a-parkfacility/mt-echo-park/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=142280
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Cincinnati, take 6th Street west and exit onto Elberon Ave.  Take Elberon Ave. uphill to the park entrance, which is near the top of the hill on the left.  The entrance is marked by a small, brown street sign.  Turn left and take the main park road past the overlook to a small parking area where the road ends.

The hike: Mount Echo Park is most famous for the view of downtown Cincinnati that you passed on the way in.  However, the park, located at the southern end of Price Hill overlooking the Ohio River, also contains some tennis courts, a playground, several picnic areas, a pavilion, and the short nature trail described here.  Before you stand in awe at the view of downtown from the famous overlook at the end of this hike, take a few minutes to get to know the area's natural surroundings that this trail displays.

Trailhead

            Start by walking behind the playground adjacent to the parking area.  Pick up a narrow dirt trail that goes downhill into a steep ravine as it enters the forest.  The descent is aided by some pieces of wood placed in the trail as steps.  After crossing a small creek, turn left and descend a bit further to another drainage.  This young forest is dominated by maple with a dense understory of honeysuckles, garlic mustard, and ferns. 

            The trail now begins a long climb, the only major climb of the hike, up some stone steps.  The trail becomes a bit overgrown here, requiring you to bend down underneath some honeysuckles to pass.  Once atop the hill, the trail comes out in a mown field.  In the future, there may be a trail reentering the woods to the left to take you back to the parking lot, but it was not open when I was here.  Thus, you should turn right and begin walking along the paved road that is only a few feet from where the trail exits the woods.           

Downtown Cincinnati, as seen from overlook

Ohio River, as seen from overlook

            Look for a nice field of daisies to the right just a short piece up the road.  When the road forks, go to the right on another paved road which takes you uphill past a pavilion.  Passing the pavilion, continue straight to the overlook.  By all accounts, this is the most famous view of Cincinnati.  The Ohio River and its boat traffic are in the foreground, the city's skyscrapers in the middleground, and Mount Adams in the background.  After taking in the view, you can either retrace your steps or walk to the right along the main park road to your car to complete the hike.