The Narrows Reserve (Blog Hike #180)

Trails: River, Big Woods, Meadow, Sugar Bush, Cold Spring, and Vista Trails

Hike Location: The Narrows Reserve

Geographic Location: southeast of Beavercreek, OH (39.68979, -84.02986)

Length: 4.1 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: July 2005, June 2013

Overview: A barbell-shaped loop, first along the river through the narrows, then through upland forest.

Reserve Information: https://www.gcparkstrails.com/parks/narrows-reserve/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=720091
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Take I-675 to Indian Ripple Rd (exit 12).  Exit and go east on Indian Ripple Rd.  Follow Indian Ripple Rd. for 3.7 miles.  At the second sign indicating that you have reached The Narrows Reserve, turn right to enter the reserve (Factory Rd. exits to the left at this intersection).  Park in the only parking lot.

The hike: The Greene County Park District contains 13 properties scattered throughout the county.  While most of the parks contain significant amounts of natural areas, few of them have well-developed trail systems.  Indian Mound Reserve, located on US 42 north of Xenia, is one exception with several trails along the rock outcroppings along Massie Creek.

            The other exception is The Narrows Reserve described here.  The Narrows Reserve consists of 162 acres of land along the Little Miami Scenic River that has been leased to the Greene County Park District.  In addition to hiking, the reserve offers a nature center, a canoe launch, and a few picnic tables. 

            Still, the main attraction at The Narrows is day-hiking.  Two systems of trails exist at The Narrows, the upper system in the north and the lower system to the south, with a single foot trail connecting the two.  While the best trails occur in the lower system, the only car access to the reserve is to the upper system.  Thus, a good route to see all the reserve has to offer involves a short trip through the upper system with a more extensive tour of the lower system.           

Trailhead

            Begin at an information board on the left (east) side of the parking lot.  Pick up a park brochure and head for the river, where you will intersect the River Trail near the canoe launch.  Turn right and begin heading downstream.  As its name suggests, the River Trail parallels the west bank of the Little Miami River for its 1.25 mile duration.  The riverside forest contains some large sycamores, some smaller basswood and black walnut, and a very thick understory.

            At 0.15 miles, the Vista Trail enters from the right.  The Vista Trail returns directly to the parking lot and could be used to form a very short 0.6 mile loop hike.  The Vista Trail will form the last segment of this hike, but for now continue south on the River Trail.  Take at least one of the trails to the left that lead to the river itself to notice how calm the river waters appear at this point.           

Little Miami River

            As you continue downstream on the River Trail, the hillside slowly closes in from the right as you enter the narrows themselves.  The trail lies in the river’s floodplain and could be flooded in times of high water, making access to the lower trail system impossible.  Even in dryer seasons, there will be numerous wet spots to walk around, though wooden boardwalk carries you over the worst of the wet areas.  Looking into the river on the left now reveals some small ripples in what used to be calm waters.  The abundance of calm water along the river makes great breeding ground for mosquitoes, so make sure to wear bug repellent in season.           

The River Trail

            Ignore the Cold Spring Trail that exits to the right (you will use that trail later) and stay on the River Trail.  1 mile from the trailhead, where the Cold Spring Trail reenters from the right, the trail drops to an unbridged creek crossing right before the creek flows into the river.  Across this creek lies a confusing area with numerous wild trails and dry creek beds that could be mistaken for trails.  Stick with the well-worn main trail that curves away from the river right.

            At 1.1 miles, the River Trail ends at a major trail junction marked by several picnic tables in the edge of a meadow.  The Meadow Trail goes straight ahead and to the right.  This hike takes the Big Woods Trail that leaves to the far left.  After following the edge of the meadow for 0.1 miles, the Big Woods Trail returns to the river bank and reenters the forest and passes some large oak trees.  At 1.4 miles, the trail reaches the reserve’s south boundary and takes a sharp right turn.           

            Now heading west, the trail soon begins a moderate climb aided by some wooden steps out of the floodplain.  At the top of the hill, the trail enters some beautiful open maple forest as it curves right and crosses some small streams on newer wooden bridges.  While “big” might be a bit of an exaggeration, these woods are quite pleasant and the best in the reserve.  Some benches provide an opportunity for rest near the midpoint of this hike.

Entering the meadow

            At 1.8 miles, the trail reaches the brink of a ravine and curves right.  The ravine drops off sharply to the left and the open forest lies to the right.  At 2.0 miles, the trail turns sharply left and descends rather steeply.  At 2.1 miles, the Big Woods Trail ends at the Meadow Trail.  Turn left on the Meadow Trail, and at 2.2 miles intersect a dirt access road.  You could shorten this hike by turning right and skipping the Sugar Bush Trail, but then you would miss more beautiful woods.

            Turning left, the two track dirt trail curves right and crosses a creek.  A bridge over this creek is provided for hikers.  While the creek can be crossed with dry feet in all but the wettest weather, since someone volunteered their time and effort to build the bridge, the least we can do is use it.  After crossing the bridge, come to a maintenance building on your left.  Ignore the return portion of the Sugar Bush Trail in front of the building, and pick up the outbound portion of the Sugar Bush Trail behind the building.

            The Sugar Bush Trail climbs gradually on what appears to be an old sugar bush road.  At the top of the hill, the trail curves left and enters the beautiful upland forest.  The trail traces the perimeter of this upland forest and, upon reaching the opposite side of the same ravine that you saw on the Big Woods Trail, curves left and descends back to the maintenance building on newer wooden steps with mulch carpeting the treadway in between the steps.           

Creek crossing on Cold Spring Trail

            Turn right at the maintenance building and retrace your steps to the Meadow Trail, where you should continue straight.  You could return to the major trail junction you passed earlier, but look for an unmarked short cut trail that exits left just before reentering the meadow.  This trail dips to cross a creek on stepping stones and rises on the other side to intersect the Cold Spring Trail.  You could turn right and return along the River Trail, but why not see some more of what the reserve has to offer? Turn left to begin the Cold Spring Trail, which has fewer wet spots than the River Trail. 

            Almost immediately the Cold Spring Trail takes a sharp right turn and begins heading north, back upstream.  At 2.9 miles, pass the spring on the left for which this trail is named.  Osage orange trees give away that this spring was once part of a homestead.  At 3.1 miles, the Cold Spring Trail ends at the River Trail.  Turn left on the River Trail and retrace your steps north through the Narrows.           

Climbing on the Vista Trail

            At 3.6 miles, take the Vista Trail that exits left from the River Trail.  The Vista Trail crosses a small stream twice in quick succession, each time on a wooden bridge, and begins a short but steep climb to the western edge of the Little Miami River ravine.  Once atop the hill, the trail curves right, crosses a couple of smaller streams on wooden bridges, and passes a couple of wooden benches.  Despite the trail’s name, no vistas of the river will be found except perhaps in the leafless months.  At 4.0 miles, the Vista Trail ends at the Old Road Trail.  Turn right and descend some wooden steps that end at the parking lot, thus completing the hike.