Great Parks is Bringing Back its Winter Hike Series With New Themed Hikes This Year

Hamilton County’s Great Parks is bringing back its popular Winter Hike Series this January, but with more experience options and some fun souvenirs this time.

The Winter Hike Series kicks off Saturday, Jan. 11 at Winton Woods, with hikes on the next four Saturdays at different Great Parks locations:

Jan. 18: Sharon Woods
Jan. 25: Woodland Mound
Feb. 1: Shawnee Lookout
Feb. 8: Miami Whitewater Forest

All hikes start at 10 a.m. and range from 4 to 5.5 miles. There will be accessible hikes on multi-use trails at Winton Woods and Miami Whitewater Forest.

New this season, each park will offer different themed hiking experiences, like choosing to learn how to identify trees or birds, fast-paced or leisurely hikes or family hikes, designed for ages 5-10, with games and family exploration opportunities. Each park will also still offer the traditional standard hikes from the past years, which are moderately paced for nature-based education.

Also new this year, hikers will receive a fun souvenir: buttons and commemorative stickers to represent each hike. Each hike’s sticker is unique, and the buttons have enough room for stickers from all five hikes.

At the end of each hike, participants will get to warm up with a bowl of soup, a cookie and the chance to connect with other hikers.

You can register for the Winter Hike Series at greatparks.org. You must register for each hike to participate. Each hike is $10 per person for ages 5 and up and free for children under 5, and you need a valid Motor Vehicle Permit to enter each park.