Powell, Ohio

Officially opened in 1975, Buck Creek State Park is home to a 2,120 acre lake with 1,896 acres of land consisting of forests, meadows, a beach, and two dams. On a warm summer day, this beach is the place to be! Plenty of free parking and plenty of space to spread out. It is the only beach in Spri...

This walk is safe, open, flat and perfect for getting some exercise with a view!  The dam is 1.2 miles round trip, and open for a variety of activities - walking, jogging, biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading!  At the far end of the dam is a long set of stairs leading to the lower parking lot...

This 0.4 trail is tiny but mighty!  It is hidden up the hill from the CJ Brown Reservoir Visitor Center, and leads down a small wooded path to a less accessed part of the lake.  This is a common spot for birdwatching, and a favorite place for Springfield's elusive Great Blue Herons.  Follow the p...

This course, sponsored by Hazy Shade, is not for beginners! It is for disc golfers who have some experience and are willing to challenge themselves and live on the edge. Almost every hole has a water hazard, with several of them being in spots that may cause you to need to stop and switch your ga...

Just a short hike down from the parking lot lies a half mile of cliffside full of climbing opportunities! Plenty of variety for different skill levels, although someone in your group will need to lead climb to set up the route first. There are hooks already in place on each route, and you are not...

Getting to Honey Run Falls is incredibly easy! There are two parking lots for the park, one on the west side of the road for the Honey Run Highlands, and one on the east side of the road in the forest for the falls. From the forest parking lot, follow the trail south for roughly 500 ft until you ...

Both the eastern and western trailhead have ample parking and access to the Blackhand Trail, which winds its way along the banks of the Licking River for a 4.3 mile one way trip.  While the trail isn't terribly long, it makes up for it in its scenery, staying within eyesight of the Licking River...

Starting at the eastern trailhead off of Gratiot Rd, follow the paved Blackhand Trail for 0.2 mile till you arrive at the sign of the Quarry Rim Trail, a 0.9 mile trail that roughly parallels the bike trail, but takes you along the rim of the old sandstone quarry that was in operation in the late...

This pet-friendly park has some great sites for lakeside camping, all on the east-end of the lake, giving campers a great view of the sunset. The sites are near a 'field' of lily pads, and the frog calls that emanate from the area make for a relaxing sound to sleep to. There are few trees lakes...

The entirety of this hike is within the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, a protected park with strict restrictions on off-trail travel with pets prohibited. Starting at the parking lot off of Jackson St, follow the trail northwest along the narrows of Clifton Gorge. Here, the river has carve...

Starting at the Creekside Meadows Parking Lot, follow the Creekside Meadows Trail for 0.3 of a mile until it forks into two trails. Follow the left fork towards the road, and as soon as you cross the road, the Cemetery Ridge Trail begins. Once across Clear Creek Road, the trail gains elevation fa...

The George Rogers Clark Park has over 6 miles of nature hiking trails as well as a fishing pond. There are large A-frames at several points in the park to set up for the afternoon and grill some hotdogs, and plenty of field space to lay out some blankets and break out the picnic basket. The bigge...

I hiked this trail on a very cold, blustery day. A winter storm was blowing in across the ice and temperatures were downright frigid. Nevertheless, this trail was enjoyable and offered some great views of the lake. It is a very easy one mile loop and has a couple of side trails for fishing and hu...

This section is perfect for the beginner river adventurer or a family with little ones. It is only 2.5 miles long, and is extremely calm and pretty. Depending on river levels and speed, it should take around 60-90 minutes to complete (kayak/canoe). There are also several shores along the way for ...

If you are new to climbing, someone who really enjoys toprope climbing or if you live in west central Ohio and are looking to climb somewhere within a reasonable driving distance, John Bryan State Park is a great option. Equipment is not provided and all climbers are encouraged to use safe climbi...

If you're driving along US 68 towards Yellow Springs, Ohio in early September, you just may be lucky enough to come upon the Tecumseh Sunflower Field in full bloom!  You only have about two-three weeks where the flowers will be bright, happy and alive, so make plans to hit it in time.  There is f...