Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

Great Parks to Receive $500K to Fund Trail Connecting Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods

The planned 3.6-mile shared-use trail will extend the existing West Fork Mill Creek Greenway Trail through Glenwood Gardens to the Harbor Loop Trail in Winton Woods to create 9 miles of contiguous trail.

May 6, 2024 at 12:35 pm

Parkgoers will eventually be able to move between Glenwood Gardens and Winton Woods via a 3.6-mile shared-use connection trail. Photo: Provided by Great Parks

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Hamilton County’s park system received a big boost to connect two of its most popular parks.

Great Parks says it will receive $500,000 from the Ohio Department of National Resources (ODNR) Clean Ohio Trail Fund program for a trail that will link Winton Woods to Glenwood Gardens. The funds will add to the $6.47 million in state and federal transportation funds for the project.

“The Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods Trail is an eagerly anticipated connection and we are excited to build and further expand the network of trails in our region,” Todd Palmeter, Great Parks CEO, said in a press release. “This is the latest example of how we are continuing to leverage public funding support from local taxpayers to create new trail miles, which the public has identified as a top priority.”

Great Parks says even though Winton Woods in Springfield Township and Glenwood Gardens in Woodlawn are adjacent to each other, there’s no way to access both parks without leaving one park first. The planned 3.6-mile shared-use trail will extend the existing West Fork Mill Creek Greenway Trail through Glenwood Gardens to the Harbor Loop Trail in Winton Woods to create 9 miles of contiguous trail.

click to enlarge

Map provided by Great Parks

A map of the 3.6-mile shared-use trail between Glenwood Gardens and Winton Woods.

Construction on Phase 1 of the project will begin this year. This initial phase will include connecting trail access to a bus stop at the intersection of Glendale Milford Road and Springfield Pike.

The Glenwood Gardens-Winton Woods shared-use trail is part of Great Parks’ Parks and Facilities Master Plan, which will add 50 miles of internal trails, more than 10 miles of new regional trails and a 25-mile blueway and trail system along the Great Miami and Whitewater river corridors. You can read more about the master plan here.

Great Parks' New Proposed Trail System Would Link Hamilton County's Western Parks and Communities: The public's invited to share their input on the new trail system through an online survey or at an in-person open house July 13.

Glenwood Gardens, 10397 Springfield Pike, Woodlawn & Winton Woods, 10245 Winton Road, Springfield Township. More about the trail: greatparks.org.

Slideshow

28 Hikes in Greater Cincinnati That'll Make You Feel One With Nature

Mt. Airy Forest5083 Colerain Ave., Mt. AiryForest trails zigzag through the thick — and sometimes hilly — Mt. Airy woods with trails ranging from 0.7 miles to 4 miles. Mt. Airy is also home to Everybody’s Treehouse, Ohio’s only wheelchair-accessible public treehouse, as well as a beautiful arboretum, mountain bike trail and a dog park.

Fernbank Park50 Thornton Ave., Sayler ParkThis peaceful park offers a 1.2-mile paved walking loop that offers gorgeous riverfront views and shaded benches perfect for a break to rest or people-watch. Fernbank also has the 1-mile Sycamore Trail that takes you through the woods. It’s also just a short walk away from 13 Below, a microbrewery that makes delicious beers and hard seltzers (we recommended the orange cream one on a hot summer day). In the warmer months, Cabana on the River is also open, offering guests beachy foods, refreshing margaritas and amazing views of the Ohio River so you can relax and refuel.

Sharon Woods11450 Lebanon Road, SharonvilleThere’s no need to drive too far if you want to hike to a waterfall in Ohio. Great Parks’ Sharon Woods in Sharonville is home to several along its Gorge Trail. This moderate-level, out-and-back trail stretches about 0.7 miles one way. You start the hike at Sharon Lake and follow the creek, where you’ll spot several small waterfalls. As you take in their beauty, you’ll notice the alternating layers of shale and limestone rock in the gorge. These rocks are filled with fossils that date back to the Ordovician period – about 450 million years ago. The park also boasts a 2.6-mile paved, multipurpose trail around Sharon Lake and a 1-mile fitness trail.

Ohio River Trail (Downtown Cincinnati)Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park: 1135 Riverside Drive, East End; Smale Riverfront Park: 166 W. Mehring Way, DowntownFor an easygoing urban hike, you can’t beat the couple-mile stretch of the Ohio River Trail between Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park in the East End and Smale Riverfront Park downtown. Start your journey at either end and meander along the river, enjoying the views of the Roebling Bridge and Northern Kentucky. On the way, you’ll also pass through Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove, which offers plenty of relaxing spots to rest. Or, you can go off-trail and onto the Purple People Bridge, which will take you over the river to Newport on the Levee where you can refuel with a drink or snack from Bridgeview Box Park.

Ault Park5090 Observatory Circle, Mt. LookoutAult Park is nestled within a quiet nook of Mount Lookout. Here, the suburban rush slows to a lull. From early morning until late afternoon, the sprawling landscape is full of people traversing its paved loops and gravel trails. If the park were smaller than its boastful 224 acres, it may feel crowded.

Big Bone Lick State Historic Site3380 Beaver Road, UnionIf you're up for a short drive, Big Bone Lick State Park in Union has a collection of easy and moderate trails that pass through the historic site's woodlands, grasslands, savanna and salt-sulfur springs. Named after the Ice Age megafauna that once occupied the area and its saltwater streams, the park is still home to a collection of giant mammals: bison. The 10 to 15 on view are a link to the Ice Age and an attempt to reestablish a herd of the endangered animals at the park.

Click to View 28 slides

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...

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Great Parks to Receive $500K to Fund Trail Connecting Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods