#guentheradventures

  Renchtler Forest Preserve I think is a well hidden gem. Not to say that it is hidden, but I don't think people really know of it's beautiful trails inside this Metropark.

Dillon State Park We go "camping" although some may not call it camping since we rent a cabin. The boys think it is camping so they get all excited when we go and are sad when we leave. On the way home we hear at least two or three times, "Mom when are we going camping?" I love when I hear it because I love that they enjoy it as much as we do. So we enjoyed the majority of the trails this trip and were able to hike most of them. Dillon State Park has 6 different trails, which I listed below and I included our notes and thoughts with the trails as well: Blackberry Ridge — 0.6 Mile — moderate Bog Loop — 1 Mile — Easy   Eagle Ridge Loop — 0.8 Mile — moderate King Ridge Loop — 1 Mile — moderate Licking Bend — 4.4 Mile — moderate Ruffed Grouse Loop —  0.6 Mile — moderate Storybook Trail Loop - 0.5 Mile - Easy, paved Blackberry Ridge was super close to our cabin so it became our first hike of the weekend. It is shorter, only 0.6 Mile, but moderate. Here is the reason for...

  Buckeye Lake State Park has two marvelous points that make it a park we would visit again.

The trip to Stonelick State Park was a different one. First off, we arrived with a plan! Our family drove the the park before the hike would begin to make the "easter egg" hunt hike. E and I walked the trail backwards to hide easter eggs. We took pictures of each section so I would make sure I could pick them all up at the end (LNT and all!)

"The Gorge Trail (0.7 miles) is a perfect place to bird watch. There are a variety of woodpeckers that can be seen and heard as they hunt for insects in dead trees. Other common birds include the belted kingfisher, barred owl, white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse and Carolina chickadee.  In 1977, Sharon Woods Gorge was designated as a State Nature Preserve because it contains valuable examples of Ohio’s native plant and animal communities, geological features and the habitats of rare and endangered species.  It is under the protection of the Ohio Natural Areas Act of 1970. While walking through the gorge, you can easily see the alternating layers of shale and limestone rock. This is the same bedrock that is found throughout our area. These fossil filled rocks from the Ordovician period, about 450 million years ago, are quite unstable and are very prone to landslides." information provided by the Great Parks of Hamilton County website . The reason this hike was so cool is ...

Stonelick State Park - but this time without Marcus (he's the husband!) This was about to be a new experience!

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest - before I go on if I lived within an hour distance this would be a place I would visit regularly. Now, I heard about this place through a group on facebook called Cincinnati Hikes (check it out!) and it looked so different and interesting. I mean.. Forest Giants! Although, my little ones called them trolls.  Here is a brief description of the trail- "Forest Giants Trail - 2 miles - 1.5 hours - Easy The Forest Giants trail is an out and back trail, one mile each way. It leads from the Visitor Center to see all three of the Forest Giants in a Giant Forest. The first section is flat and mostly paved following along the Olmsted Ponds. The trail then crosses the Big Prairie - a prime spot to see native grasses and other prairie habitat. The final section of the trail is across rougher terrain, winding through parts of our popular Sun and Shade Loop to Lake Nevin, where you’ll see some of our renowned plant collections, including magnolias and the...