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24 Stunning Hikes in the Cincinnati Area

By on Fri, May 13, 2022 at 1:31 pm

Greater Cincinnati is home to a myriad of parks offering diverse hiking trails perfect for every sort of hiker. Cincinnatians should take advantage of the many benefits the outdoors offers. The outdoors increases serotonin levels and gives your immune system a boost — it’s a natural energizer. Got a dog? Walk it. Have kids? Tire them out. An old friend? Reconnect with them. Or, go Walden-style and wander alone to your heart’s content. Here is just a sampling of the best hiking spots in the Cincinnati area. 
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Caldwell Nature Preserve 430 W. North Bend Road, Carthage Ranked as one of the top 10 hikes in Ohio by Marmot outdoors company in 2016, Caldwell Nature Preserve in Carthage has 3.5 miles of trails that include a paved and level path into the woods that is accessible to those in wheelchairs.
Photo: Kellie Coleman

Caldwell Nature Preserve

430 W. North Bend Road, Carthage
Ranked as one of the top 10 hikes in Ohio by Marmot outdoors company in 2016, Caldwell Nature Preserve in Carthage has 3.5 miles of trails that include a paved and level path into the woods that is accessible to those in wheelchairs.
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Cincinnati Nature Center 4949 Tealtown Road, Milford The Cincinnati Nature Preserve has 15 trails with assorted degrees of length and difficulty. This park also offers the "Hike for Your Health" program. Grab a Hike for Your Health passport and get a stamp at the front desk after every hike. Complete all 15 trails and win a special prize.
Photo: facebook.com/CincyNature

Cincinnati Nature Center

4949 Tealtown Road, Milford
The Cincinnati Nature Preserve has 15 trails with assorted degrees of length and difficulty. This park also offers the "Hike for Your Health" program. Grab a Hike for Your Health passport and get a stamp at the front desk after every hike. Complete all 15 trails and win a special prize.
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Bender Mountain 6480 Bender Road, Delhi Bender Mountain Loop Trail is a 2.3-mile hike past scenes of wildflowers and woods. This trail is considered moderately difficult and is great for a small challenge with beautiful scenic payoffs.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Bender Mountain

6480 Bender Road, Delhi
Bender Mountain Loop Trail is a 2.3-mile hike past scenes of wildflowers and woods. This trail is considered moderately difficult and is great for a small challenge with beautiful scenic payoffs.
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California Woods Nature Preserve 5400 Kellogg Ave., California The California Woods Nature Preserve has a small network of short hikes. Trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. This park is 113 acres of woods filled with a variety of woodland and aquatic wildlife, including beavers, ducks, owls and more.
Photo: Izzy Viox

California Woods Nature Preserve

5400 Kellogg Ave., California
The California Woods Nature Preserve has a small network of short hikes. Trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. This park is 113 acres of woods filled with a variety of woodland and aquatic wildlife, including beavers, ducks, owls and more.
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Glenwood Gardens 10397 Springfield Pike, Woodlawn Glenwood Gardens has the Garden Loop Trail and the Wetland Loop Trail. The Garden Loop is 1.1 miles of paved trail leading past a gazebo, the Mill Creek and the stone bridge. The Wetland Loop is a nature trail past grassy meadows, woods and wetlands.
Photo: provided by Great Parks of Hamilton County

Glenwood Gardens

10397 Springfield Pike, Woodlawn
Glenwood Gardens has the Garden Loop Trail and the Wetland Loop Trail. The Garden Loop is 1.1 miles of paved trail leading past a gazebo, the Mill Creek and the stone bridge. The Wetland Loop is a nature trail past grassy meadows, woods and wetlands.
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O'Bannon Woods State Park 7234 Old Forest Road, Corydon, Indiana This 3,000 acre park offers fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, horse trails and biking. It also includes more unusual attractions like an operational blacksmith forge, a pioneer farmstead and a historic three-story haypress.
Photo: acebook.com/obannonwoodsstatepark

O'Bannon Woods State Park

7234 Old Forest Road, Corydon, Indiana
This 3,000 acre park offers fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, horse trails and biking. It also includes more unusual attractions like an operational blacksmith forge, a pioneer farmstead and a historic three-story haypress.
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Ault Park 5090 Observatory Ave., Mount Lookout Ault Park is nestled within an unsuspecting 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.
Photo: Kellie Coleman

Ault Park

5090 Observatory Ave., Mount Lookout
Ault Park is nestled within an unsuspecting 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.
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Sharon Woods 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville Sharon Woods, established 1932, is the oldest park in the Great Parks of Hamilton County network. Within its 730 acres are trails, a lake, a boathouse, pavilions, playgrounds, a golf course and Heritage Village, a "living museum" that recreates what Ohio life was like in the 1800s.
Photo: Madeleine Meeks

Sharon Woods

11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville
Sharon Woods, established 1932, is the oldest park in the Great Parks of Hamilton County network. Within its 730 acres are trails, a lake, a boathouse, pavilions, playgrounds, a golf course and Heritage Village, a "living museum" that recreates what Ohio life was like in the 1800s.
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Devou Park 1201 Park Drive, Covington Covington's largest park, Devou spans over 700 acres with scenic hilltop views of the city, plus trails, a golf course, picnic shelters and playgrounds.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Devou Park

1201 Park Drive, Covington
Covington's largest park, Devou spans over 700 acres with scenic hilltop views of the city, plus trails, a golf course, picnic shelters and playgrounds.
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Big Bone Lick 3380 Beaver Road, Union If you're up for a short drive, Big Bone Lick State Park in Union, Ky. 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.
Photo: Adam Doty

Big Bone Lick

3380 Beaver Road, Union
If you're up for a short drive, Big Bone Lick State Park in Union, Ky. 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.
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Winton Woods 10245 Winton Road, Greenhills Views of the lake, dense woods and vibrant grass fields can be found at Winton Woods. This park has 2.6 miles of paved trails, a fitness trail, two nature trails and a horseback-riding trail.
Photo: Izzy Viox

Winton Woods

10245 Winton Road, Greenhills
Views of the lake, dense woods and vibrant grass fields can be found at Winton Woods. This park has 2.6 miles of paved trails, a fitness trail, two nature trails and a horseback-riding trail.
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Burnet Woods 3251 Brookline Ave., Clifton This 90-acre park located near University of Cincinnati's campus offers plenty of hiking trails, a disc golf course, nature center, a planetarium, fishing lake and more.
Photo: Nick Swartsell

Burnet Woods

3251 Brookline Ave., Clifton
This 90-acre park located near University of Cincinnati's campus offers plenty of hiking trails, a disc golf course, nature center, a planetarium, fishing lake and more.
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Hueston Woods State Park 6301 Park Office Road, College Corner This park surrounds Acton Lake, where visitors can fish and canoe. Its almost 3,000 acres of recreation land also include hiking and fossil hunting sites. Other amenities include an archery range, dog park, disc golf course and other sports facilities.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Hueston Woods State Park

6301 Park Office Road, College Corner
This park surrounds Acton Lake, where visitors can fish and canoe. Its almost 3,000 acres of recreation land also include hiking and fossil hunting sites. Other amenities include an archery range, dog park, disc golf course and other sports facilities.
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Red Bird Hollow 6167 Given Road, Indian Hill On the edge of Terrace Park sits Indian Hill's Red Bird Hollow, a narrow, 3-mile-long gravel trail with a stream running alongside it. The path is simple: You come out the same way you went in. When the trees are in full bloom, the Hollow looks like a labyrinth— sun rays can't penetrate through the leaves and there are minimal sounds other than a trickling stream and chirping birds.
Photo: Madeleine Meeks

Red Bird Hollow

6167 Given Road, Indian Hill
On the edge of Terrace Park sits Indian Hill's Red Bird Hollow, a narrow, 3-mile-long gravel trail with a stream running alongside it. The path is simple: You come out the same way you went in. When the trees are in full bloom, the Hollow looks like a labyrinth— sun rays can't penetrate through the leaves and there are minimal sounds other than a trickling stream and chirping birds.
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Loveland Bike Trail Loveland, Ohio Ride for miles on a flat-paved trail next to the Little Miami River. Hike along it and enjoy the cool shade of the trees along the trail and stop at the many locations scattered throughout the trail, including the Loveland Sweets shop that sells ice cream and candies.
Photo: Savana Willhoite

Loveland Bike Trail

Loveland, Ohio
Ride for miles on a flat-paved trail next to the Little Miami River. Hike along it and enjoy the cool shade of the trees along the trail and stop at the many locations scattered throughout the trail, including the Loveland Sweets shop that sells ice cream and candies.
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Amberley Green 7801 Ridge Road, Amberley Village Amberley Green neighbors French Park. Bordered by Ridge and East Galbraith roads, traffic noise is a given but the space is peaceful nonetheless. It's a surprising 133-acre plot of land: formerly Crest Hills Country Club and golf course, it was converted to a park in 2007. A handful of ancient pine trees and stoic oaks surround the pond situated in the center of the park. Otherwise, the Green is not wooded.
Photo: Madeleine Meeks

Amberley Green

7801 Ridge Road, Amberley Village
Amberley Green neighbors French Park. Bordered by Ridge and East Galbraith roads, traffic noise is a given but the space is peaceful nonetheless. It's a surprising 133-acre plot of land: formerly Crest Hills Country Club and golf course, it was converted to a park in 2007. A handful of ancient pine trees and stoic oaks surround the pond situated in the center of the park. Otherwise, the Green is not wooded.
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Mount Airy Forest 5083 Colerain Ave., Westwood Forest trails zigzag through the thick — and sometimes hilly — Mt. Airy woods with trails ranging from .7 miles to 4 miles.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mount Airy Forest

5083 Colerain Ave., Westwood
Forest trails zigzag through the thick — and sometimes hilly — Mt. Airy woods with trails ranging from .7 miles to 4 miles.
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Woodland Mound 8250 Old Kellogg Road, Withamsville Woodland Mound Overlook has multiple trails including a 1-mile fitness trail through the woods, a half-mile trail called the Hedgeapple (past two ponds home to frogs, salamanders, snakes and more), another nature hike with a view of the Ohio River and a shared-use trail that leads to almost 2 miles of woods and prairie.
Photo provided by Hamilton County Parks

Woodland Mound

8250 Old Kellogg Road, Withamsville
Woodland Mound Overlook has multiple trails including a 1-mile fitness trail through the woods, a half-mile trail called the Hedgeapple (past two ponds home to frogs, salamanders, snakes and more), another nature hike with a view of the Ohio River and a shared-use trail that leads to almost 2 miles of woods and prairie.
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Withrow Nature Preserve 7075 Five Mile Road, Anderson Township The Trout Lily Trail in the Withrow Nature Preserve is a moderately difficult 1.7 mile nature trail through verdant green woods, bushes and grass. This trail is rarely crowded so it makes for a great peaceful walk.
Photo: Paige Deglow

Withrow Nature Preserve

7075 Five Mile Road, Anderson Township
The Trout Lily Trail in the Withrow Nature Preserve is a moderately difficult 1.7 mile nature trail through verdant green woods, bushes and grass. This trail is rarely crowded so it makes for a great peaceful walk.
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Miami Whitewater Forest 9001 Mt. Hope Road, Harrison Miami Whitewater is the go-to park for people living in Harrison. Four nature trails wind through the Miami Whitewater Forest. The paved exercise trail leads through views of woods, creeks, grasslands and local rural neighborhoods for a 1.4 mile loop or the outer loop of almost 8 miles.
Photo: Provided by Hamilton County Parks

Miami Whitewater Forest

9001 Mt. Hope Road, Harrison
Miami Whitewater is the go-to park for people living in Harrison. Four nature trails wind through the Miami Whitewater Forest. The paved exercise trail leads through views of woods, creeks, grasslands and local rural neighborhoods for a 1.4 mile loop or the outer loop of almost 8 miles.
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