Sycamore State Park (Blog Hike #88)

Trails: Beech Ridge, Meadowlark, Heron Run, Ghost Hedge Trails

Hike Location: Sycamore State Park

Geographic Location: west side of Trotwood, OH (39.79984, -84.37510)

Length: 7.1 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Dates Hiked: April 2001, June 2015

Overview: A long but fairly flat course through young floodplain forest and fields.

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

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940202
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: In Dayton, take I-75 to US 35 and enter west on US 35.  Take US 35 west out of Dayton to Diamond Mill Road, an intersection marked by a traffic signal.  Turn right and go north on Diamond Mill Road 4 miles to Providence Road.  Turn left onto Providence Rd.  Take Providence Rd. west for 0.6 miles to the state park entrance on the left.  Enter the park, bear left where the road forks and park in the parking lot where the road deadends.

The hike: If the trails in southwestern Ohio could be compared to cars, the trails at Sycamore State Park would be sedans rather than sports cars.  The trails at Sycamore State Park are very pleasant to hike despite their lack of breathtaking vistas or towering vertical rock walls.  The trails do offer a relaxing stroll along the calm waters of Wolf Creek on well-maintained trails.  Also, despite their location only 10 miles west of Dayton, the trails at Sycamore State Park are very seldom used.  Thus, a good degree of solitude can be found in this young park. 

            The park land itself has a rather unexciting history.  Surrounded by flat Montgomery County farmland, much of the land now contained within Sycamore State Park was being farmed no less than 30 years ago.  In the late 1970’s, a housing developer purchased the land with the intent of building subdivisions.  Fortunately for nature lovers, these plans fell through, and the State of Ohio purchased the land to develop as a state park.  The 2368 acre park was dedicated in 1979 and is now being maintained as a day-use park.  Included in its offerings are 2 fishing ponds, a picnic shelter, a group campground, and 15 miles of bridle trails.

            Of course, Sycamore State Park also features 7 miles of hiking trails, all of which are used for this hike.  All of the trails parallel Wolf Creek, an east-west flowing tributary of the nearby Great Miami River.  Also, all trails are marked with small wooden squares with the universal hiking symbol painted on them.  The four trails interlink like links in a chain, so one can walk out and back four miles each way without hiking many sections of the trails twice.  Our hike will start at the picnic area anchoring the west end of the “trail chain” and work toward Snyder Road on the east.

Picnic area trailhead

            Start the hike with the Beech Ridge Trail.  This trail begins at an information board on the north (left) side of the picnic area.  The wide, grassy trail descends slightly through a grassy meadow with a few red cedar trees as it slowly curves to the right.  The first trail intersection is marked by a large brown sign containing pearls of wisdom such as “If you want to see your faults, look through your neighbor’s spectacles.”

            Go left at this junction and cross a wide wooden bridge.  Now in young forest, a cultivated field can be seen to the left.  The trail curves right again and descends moderately to reach a second trail junction.  The Beech Ridge Trail continues straight ahead and returns to the picnic area in 1.5 miles.  Our hike will use this stretch of trail at the very end of the hike.  For now turn left on a connector trail, cross Diamond Mill Road, pass through an opening in the chain-link fence on the opposite side, and follow at first a blacktop, then dirt, path to arrive at the loop portion of the Meadowlark Trail, the second “link” in our trail chain.

Starting the Meadowlark Trail

            A sign gives you two options for the Meadowlark Trail: Upper and Lower.  I suggest using the Lower option as the outward portion and returning on the Upper option, as this makes the hiking a bit less strenuous.  This means turning right at this intersection.  The lower option proceeds east with Wolf Run in sight to your right and another meadow on the left.  If the gold bird for which this trail is named is to be seen, it would probably be in the meadow through which the Upper Option passes.

Hiking the Meadowlark Trail

            When the two options converge to close the Meadowlark Trail loop, bear right on a connector trail heading for the third link in our chain, the Heron Run Trail.  Unlike the first two trails, the Heron Run Trail straddles Wolf Creek with the north and south portions of the loop on either side.  For no particular reason, I chose to stay on the north side of the creek going out and use trails on the south side coming back.

            Cross Nolen Road, a sparsely used paved road, and find the trail entering the woods on the east side, again marked by the hiker symbol.  The trail ascends slightly and crosses a pair of bridle paths before entering some older forest.  The trail now follows the rim of Wolf Creek’s ravine crossing a couple of drainages via wooden bridge.  A couple of benches overlooking the Wolf Creek valley provide a resting spot for tired legs.  As the trail’s name suggests, blue herons can be spotted flying over the valley to your right, as they tend to be seen around areas of calm water.

Descending toward Seybold Rd.

            A descent using recently-constructed wooden and gravel steps brings the hiker to a small one table picnic area and parking lot along Seybold Rd.  Again, this road does not have heavy traffic, and the table makes an ideal spot for a trail snack.  The final link in our chain, the Ghost Hedge Trail, can be picked up on the opposite side of the road right beside Wolf Creek.  Like the Heron Run Trail, the Ghost Hedge Trail straddles Wolf Creek. 

Hiking the Ghost Hedge Trail

            This final 3-mile loop is possibly my favorite part of this hike.  At the very beginning of the loop we see the large trees from which the state park derives its name.  The trail winds along the north side of Wolf Creek, usually remaining at creek level but occasionally climbing to a 50-foot bluff overlooking the stream.  Some of the climbs to and from the bluffs are a bit steep, but none are difficult or long.  At the top of one bluff there is a connection to access the park’s group campground uphill to the left. 

            About 0.5 mile after crossing the bridle trail, the trail comes out onto Snyder Road.  This moderate traffic road marks the far end of our trail chain.  To begin working your way back to the picnic area, turn right and walk along the road for about 50 yards as you cross the bridge over Wolf Creek.  On one of my numerous visits to this park I saw a blue heron from this bridge.  Look for the trail that enters the forest to the right on the south side of Wolf Creek.  This trail is marked by another sign containing the universal hiking symbol.

            The trail on the south side of Wolf Creek is flatter than the one on the north and passes through younger forest.  Be sure to continue straight where a side trail goes left to access the bridle trail staging area.  Another point of interest shortly past the bridle trail is a row of hedge apple trees from which this trail gets its name.  Hedge apple trees are usually a sign of former human activity.  Before this land was a state park, hedge apple trees were planted to mark a boundary between two tracts of land.  They are a ghost in the sense that the boundary and the farms no longer exist, and the tree is a “hedge” apple, thus the trail’s name.

Approaching the row of hedge apple trees

            The section of trail just before Seybold Road offers excellent woodland wildflower viewing during the month of April.  The Ghost Hedge Trail ends at this road, but you can cross the road and hike the other arm of the Heron Loop Trail.  This trail features more young woodlands and a nice bluff-top view of Wolf Creek.

            Where the trail appears to end at Nolen Road, turn right, cross Wolf Creek, and turn left to catch the Meadowlark Trail.  Where the trail forks, take the right trail to begin the upper option.  This trail heads gradually uphill to enter an old meadow dotted with red ceder trees and redbuds.  This is the section of trail where you would be most likely to see a meadow lark.

Beech Ridge Trail at Diamond Mill Rd.

            The trail drops steeply to intersect the lower option of the Meadowlark Trail.  Turn right here and head back to the Beech Ridge Trail, the first trail in our chain.  Cross Diamond Mill Road and stay left where the Beech Ridge Trail forms a loop.  The trail stays on level ground along Wolf Creek, which can be seen in the colder months to the left.  Pass an area on the right where park officials have planted a hand full of rose bushes.  The bushes are still young, not fully covering the wooden apparatus on which they are planted.  In a few years they will make an excellent display of color in the summer.

Hiking past the fishing lake

            After 0.5 miles from Diamond Mill Road, the trail comes out at one of the park’s small fishing lakes.  Occasionally you will meet an angler here looking to find some dinner or a wall trophy.  Better yet, bring some fishing gear of your own (assuming you have a valid fishing license, of course) and try your own luck.

            Keep the pond to your right and proceed about 150 degrees to a wide mown-grass trail that exits to the left.  Take this trail away from the pond and climb a moderately steep hill to the picnic area.  You will come out behind the eastern most picnic shelter.  A short walk remains to the parking lot to complete your hike.