YEAH!  SPRING IS HERE!

 

At least it felt like it today so I finally put on short sleeves and walked a trail around Cox Arboretum, one of the Five Rivers MetroParks around Dayton. 

 

It was so nice and peaceful, except of course until I ran into two girls smoking weed in the deep woods in the middle of my walking trail.  Yes, you heard me right.  I'm not making that up.  Oh well, no big deal I guess as long as they don't start a forrest fire.  I don't partake in any drugs but perhaps they had a shitty day at work like I did.  I walked off my anxiety, they smoked theirs off.  To each, his own.

 

Anyway, as I walked around this park. I thought about how nice it was and how odd people are.  There was the couples smooching and cuddling on the benches next to the ponds overlooking those overpopulated Canadian geese.  There were families with kids and mothers pushing babies in strollers. The things I found the most odd were (1) people looked dressed up for church at the park.  I saw more people in slacks and dress shoes than sneakers and sweat pants like I was in.  And (2) people just sat and stared in the same spot for an hour, the hour I was there.  I'm used to people exercising, walking dogs, rollerblading, bicycling, walking, jogging, and doing more activity than what I saw today.  Perhpas I shouldn't be so hasty since it is really only the first day it felt like spring in Dayton. I guess I was surprised at how families sat on a bench for an entire hour just staring at the ducks.  Maybe I'm just jealous of them.  But I thought my hike in the woods was better for me. Although I did get to one section when I felt a bit frightened - I came across so many squirrels that I thought I was in an Alfred Hitchcock movie and that any minute, they are all going to "get me" while no one else is around.

 

Anyway, I'm rambling.  I haven't been on this site much in the past few weeks.  (I've been so busy with work and finally making new friends.)

 

The REAL reason for this topic is.... to find out what you think of other MetroParks and if you have a favorite? 

 

Which park do you recommend I visit next?

 

 

I like Germantown and Sugarcreek.

 

The neat thing about Germantown is that it has that deep forested valley of the Twin Creek, with an overlook platform so you can look over the wooded valley.  There is also prairie country on the west side of park, on flatter land. There are trails through the prairies, and from one location you can look across the rolling country and see Farmersville in the distance.

 

And the place is close to Germantown, one of my favorite little towns around here.

 

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

 

Sugar Creek is smaller, but it has a really impressive prairie.  .  There is a creek valley and forest there as well. And deep in the woods are three 550 year-old oak trees..the "Three Sisters".

 

I like Hillz & Dalez.  You've got some nice views there next to Mr. Patterson.  Plus its an easy trail to access that you can trail run, then reward yourself afterwards by going to Graeters in Oakwood. 

Englewood and Taylorsville are good for horse-riding, actually.

 

My favorite metropark is Possum Creek.  Why?  The name is just hilarious.

I have so rarely been to any of them, but I recall Germantown being nice, pretty much for the reasons Jeff stated.

 

Riverscape is of a different character of course, but it's of the MetroParks and is cool in its way.

Sugarcreek for the "tree tunnel". I also liked crossing the "bridge" on that creek which is just a series of stones in the water.

is this the one you mean?

 

 

i'll go with sugarcreek too, not that i know much about any of the other five rivers metroparks though

I'm a runner, and I like trail running, so I've been to a lot of the Dayton area metroparks to run on the trails.  My two favorite places to run are Germantown and Cox Arboretum.  I think Cox is the most beautiful metropark in the Dayton area, and you can venture off into the woods on their trails.  Only downside to Cox Arboretum in terms of running is that there is only about 2 miles worth of trails.

 

For longer runs, nothing beats the Germantown Metropark trails.  Head off on the orange loop, and you've got a challenging, hilly, 6.8 mile loop that is tough to beat. 

 

I also enjoy running at Sugarcreek and Englewood.  And while I've only done the trails at Twin Creek Metropark (also in Germantown), I seem to recall these trails being nearly as good as Germantown (although they were a bit more rugged at Twin Creek). 

Cripes, I forgot about that tree tunnel in Sugarcreek... that one goes on my list, too.

Thanks for the input.  Today my husband and I rode our bicycles with another couple down the Little Miami Scenic Trail which is in Waynesville (I think).  It was a nice path.  I loved that it is paved and has the double lines going through it.  We rode for over an hour and stopped just in time for some light rain and drizzles. 

 

What are the other nice bike trails?  I have heard that Yellow Springs is the best.  Do you concur or do you have others you like?

The Little Miami trail in Waynesville goes all the way up to Yellow Springs, and on into Springfield.

 

Downstream, it heads over close to Cincinnati.

There is a trail on the Great Miami too, running from Dayton (maybe further?) down to Miami Township, soon to Franklin. In several years this will connect to the existing section in Middletown and later to the section in Hamilton.

 

I'm not really firmiliar w/ Five Rivers except Riverwalk and Cox. Is the mound one? Have you been there yet New Orleans Lady? Its nothing really special, but as close as it is to you, you should get their this summer.

 

Does the Little Miami go throught Waynesville or is that Corwin? Or is Corwin part of Waynesville?

Apart from the Little Miami trail and I guess the Great Miami one, I think most of the area bike trails are the "rails to trails" kind that largely traverse  open farmland.  Which isn't to say they aren't nice... just not the most scenic.  The main longer trails are the one to the northwest (through Brookville), and several that converge on Xenia.  Can't say I like any one of them better than the rest, though.

I've always been a fan of both Taylorsville and Carriage Hill...they're only maybe 5-7 minute apart from each other...and if you want to drive another couple miles, you can check out Charleston Falls

 

What are the other nice bike trails?  I have heard that Yellow Springs is the best.  Do you concur or do you have others you like?

 

Yellow Springs is probably one of the best towns ever...anywhere. Very Progressive..hippish. I love it there....you are free to be yourself there and no one will judge you for it. Plus Glen Helen is an awesome place to hike...and the bike path is great too. If you get tired of that, they have a great little downtown with unique shops and cafes....it's a quick 20-30 minute drive from Dayton.

ODOT has a good interactive Bike Trail map on their website:  http://www.dot.state.oh.us/bike/Southwest.htm

Unfortunately, I don't take advantage of the Five Rivers MetroParks as much as I should....RiverScape and the 2nd Street Market are the Fiver Rivers facilities I visit most often.  If I feel like a hike out in the woods, I usally end up going to Glen Helen, John Bryan, or Clifton Gorge, all in the Yellow Springs area.

Also, here are some other maps of bike trails and proposed bike trails in the Dayton area.

 

http://www.bikemiamivalley.org/maps.htm

Thanks for the maps and suggestions.  I saved the information in my favorites folder. Lately I have been getting into visiting local parks and recreational places since it's finally warming up and longer daylight hours.  Today I walked again at a local park.  I noticed at the Little Miami River Scenic Trail that you could go canoeing there. I have never been canoeing or kayaking so I might try that this summer. 

 

I want to be one with nature.  (Aa ummmm.....this is me meditating......Aa ummmmm)

 

Ink, I have not been to the Miamisburg Mound but a co-worker of mine has mentioned it.  I guess I'll have to check it out soon. 

 

 

I have a question.  What are the "Five Rivers"? ? ?

 

I can get three:

 

Great Miami River

Little Miami River

Mad River

 

:? :? :?

Wolf Creek, Twin Creek, and Stillwater.  Little Miami is not part of the Five River Metropark system.

Where is Twin Creek?  I always forget that one, probably because I have no idea where it is.  Up north somewhere?

I think the Germantown area

Whats it a twin to?

I think the Germantown area

So I was way off.  Thanks! :-)

yeah, Twin Creek is fairly new.  It is south of Germantown, and is mostly prairie and hills...the high points actually have a nice view over the valleys.  There is a plan to construct or aquire a greenway or bikeway to connect Germantown Reserve, Germantown proper, and Twin Creek..which would make Germantown a great recreation destination as a base of biking, or as a goal.

 

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

 

The Glen Helen area is great.  It is actually close to some European walking/hiking experiences Ive had as there are sort of landmarks on the trails and a dining/drinking place as the goal.  For landmarks there is the Yellow Spring itself, the piney woods, the Horace Mann Monument set back in the field...and then its possible to walk into John Bryan Park along the Clifton Gorge, to the mill in Clifton as the goal, which has or had a little restuarant or sandwhich shop, as a place to rest & eat/drink, before hiking back to Yellow Springs.

 

 

 

 

^ I've hiked there three times and have yet to do that. Next time...Oh, I did stop over at Ha Ha Pizza the last time and was surprised to see the name of the place in Arabic. It's funny because they don't have a "p" so it's Ha Ha Bizza. And yes, that is the tunnel, though the pic I took was in winter.

Whats it a twin to?

 

I ran accross this line on the Lane Public Libraries Local History by Jim Blount pages:

 

The 1882 Montgomery County history says: "Germantown is situated in the Twin Valley with Little Twin Creek on its east side and Big Twin on its west and south sides, being in the forks of these streams.

Wolf Creek, Twin Creek, and Stillwater.  Little Miami is not part of the Five River Metropark system.

 

Thank you sir!

I like Hillz & Dalez.  You've got some nice views there next to Mr. Patterson.  Plus its an easy trail to access that you can trail run, then reward yourself afterwards by going to Graeters in Oakwood.

 

Hey Audiodave, I rode all around this park but could not find where there were any designated walking/hiking trails.  I drove all around the golf course trying to figure out where to go in at but I couldn't figure it out.  I must be an idiot.  I didn't see any people walking around either.

 

For the past two weeks I have been going to the Cox Arboretum two to three times per week.  It's on my way home from work so it's a convenient stop and a really nice park.  This weekend I want to try the SugarCreek park though. 

 

I've been getting into the trail walking and hiking. I notice there is a Trail Trekker Club through the Five Rivers Metro Park bi-monthly publication.  Maybe I will join that team and hike amongst them.  The club goes to a different park every other week.  It might be a good way to force myself out of my neighborhood and see the nature out there. 

 

I really love all the parks and recreational things around here.  Where I lived in Louisiana had nothing nice like this.  The walking paths were flat, no hills or inclines and not much to see unless you walked along Lake Pontchartrain.  It's a nice change and I find myself liking Ohio more now that it's spring and I can get out and see it!

 

Where I lived in Louisiana had nothing nice like this.  The walking paths were flat, no hills or inclines and not much to see unless you walked along Lake Pontchartrain.  It's a nice change and I find myself liking Ohio more now that it's spring and I can get out and see it!

 

Relatively speaking I find this area pretty flat compared to where I lived in Louisville, which was considerably rugged as the city was sort of situated at the edge of an escarpement and knob belt...lots of steep slopes, hollows, ridges, forests to hike.

 

For that you have to drive east to the "Edge of Appalachia", where there are some pretty good preserves and state parks for hiking, like Buzzards Roost Rock and Fort Hill (best to hike these in fall).

 

Closer in, a place I like that is pretty scenic and not well known is Ceasars Creek Gorge. It is south of Corwin, between Corwin and Oregonia.  As you head south on the highway the parking area is to the right (its also off that bike path).

 

This is not to be confused with Ceasars Creek lake and dam.

 

You can hike the bottomlands in the gorge, along Ceasars Creek. But the trails also go up the hills and slopes to some dead fields which are filled with those cedars that one sees so often on old fields.

 

It is really a nice place to walk, and is pretty empty too.

 

 

 

A Photo Tour of Sugar Creek (where I went today around 3:00 PM)....

 

A word of advice though....do not walk these metro parks after a night of rain, hail, and stormy weather.  I was dodging puddles and fallen trees, and my shoes got so muddy. 

 

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

The entrance way to Sugar Creek Metro Park (off Wilmington Pike and Conference Road in Sugar Creek/Bellbrook):

 

 

This park has hiking trails and an area where you can ride horses.  I just went for the hiking though.

 

 

I chose the orange trail, which was just over a mile and is known for its scenic trees.

 

 

There were also signs from last night's stormy weather - fallen trees were everywhere:

 

 

The orange trail had the "Three Sisters Trees".  Here's a post that told the history behind these trees:

 

 

Now here are the Three Sisters Trees:

 

 

This walkway reminds me of a famous plantation home in Louisiana called "Oak Alley Plantation".  The entrance way to the plantation is lined by Oak trees on both sides leading up to the home like this path shown here, except this one is just one side of the path and no plantation home at the end:

 

 

Before I went on the blue-colored trail, I wanted to use the park restrooms but I found a lost bird stuck in the bathroom that wouldn't fly out.  I tried to help him out but he was too scared.  But I took his or her photo just for memory sake:

 

 

More fallen down trees from last night's bad weather.  Seeing this reminded me of post Hurricane Katrina and all the devestated vegetation we saw before we moved to Ohio.

 

 

 

Several streams fed into the creek:

 

 

 

Looks like you could white-water raft here.  I wonder how deep this water is....

 

 

More fallen trees:

 

 

 

 

And that completes today's tour of Sugar Creek. 

 

Next week I will try to get some shots of Cox Arboretum for those of you who have never been there. That is also a lovely park but not as vast as Sugar Creek. 

 

Get out of the city and get into some Ohio nature!  It's worthwhile!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing those pix.

 

This makes me want to go back and walk Sugarcreek again soon (in drier weather, as you not, wet trails are not fun!)