Trip #1  region 5  Level C
Ohio River Bluffs, The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
Whipple State Nature Preserve, Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves
For pure show and wildflower density, no other field trip can excel the Bluffs!

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: one hour and fifteen minutes.

Meet at the Ohio River Bluffs at 10:15 a.m. Tour will begin promptly at 10:30 am.

Difficulty Level C:  Trip requires hiking uphill on a long ascent. although not at a fast pace, and an eventual return descent. Trail is very narrow and uneven, cut into the side of a very steep hillside. Pace yourself for approximately 3 1/2 miles of hiking for the day. Leaders: Brent Charette, Volunteer Trail Guide for the Arc, and Jeff Foster, Biology Instructor, Southern State Community College

Description: Ohio River Bluffs is a 63 acre preserve located west of Manchester in the region of steep limestone bluffs that border the Ohio River. For sheer density of flowers, Ohio River Bluffs is in a class of its own. This preserve is so densely carpeted with bluebells, dwarf larkspurs, wild hyacinths, and in some years -- Blue-eyed Mary's -- that, in the spring, the pull-off on Route 52 is often filled with cars whose drivers have pulled off the highway just to take in the marvelous view.  It is worth driving across the state just to see this with your own eyes. Whipple State Nature Preserve is an exceptionally beautiful 331-acre preserve located  near the Ohio River.  The Whipple family generously donated the original tract of 249 acres to the state of Ohio, and the preserve has grown from there.  This relatively undiscovered treasure has a 2-mile trail that passes through a number of different habitats including dolomite cliffs, slump blocks and mature oak-maple forests.  Some of the tree specimens at Whipple are quite large and impressive. On the ridge-top, the trail offers nice views of the Ohio River valley while winding between a number of sinkholes formed along joints in the calcareous bedrock. The preserve is exceptionally rich in a variety of spring wildflowers including twinleaf (which the trail is named after), large white trillium, bishop’s cap, shooting star, Dutchman’s-breeches and a variety of violets. A dozen rare plants occur in the preserve including the rare Tennessee bladder fern.   Larkspur Photo by Rick Gardner.

Trip #13  region 7  Level C 
Buzzards' Roost, a pristine 2000 acre Ross County Park District
Nature Preserve outside Chillicothe
Stunning Appalachian scenery

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 45 minutes
 
Meet at Buzzards' Roost just west of Chillicothe 9:45 am. Hike will begin promptly at 10:00 am. Leader: Bob Scott Placier, Instructor, School of Natural Resources, Hocking College.

Difficulty Level C: Although much of the trail is an easy walk along the bluffs, the hike includes an off-trail trek from rim to valley floor, requiring one very steep ascent & descent. Hikers must wear sturdy hiking boots, have good balance, and be willing to walk off-trail part-way along the side of a steep slope. For those of you who want to see Buzzards' Roost but do not want to handle the slope, a shorter and easy rim-only hike is offered on Sunday. The views alone are worth the trip. Length of hike approximately 2.5 miles.

Description: This is truly one of Ohio's best-kept secret splendors. Highly recommended for its scenic beauty. Buzzard Roost presents one of the purest "essences of Appalachia" that can be found in Ohio. Because the roost is 600 feet from ridge-top to creek with extremely steep flanks, the preserve offers spectacular vistas that are perhaps the best in the state. High above the winding course of Paint Creek, sandstone shelves jut out over the deep valley -- offering welcome rest stops for hikers who wish to pause and drink in the grand views. Each lookout is gracefully framed by the greenery of Virginia Pine. If you have ever read The Frontiersman, you are going to see scenery that jumps right out of the book and Ohio's past. Buzzards' Roost is a classic Appalachian Forest with a nice collection of wildflowers on both rim and valley floor, with assemblages not found in the limestone bedrock preserves which currently dominate the Arc of Appalachia system. You can expect to see wild geranium, mayapples, buttercups, golden ragworts, starry chickweed, large flowered trillium, and sessile trillium.   Waterfalls and valley photos courtesy of Gary Merkamp, Ross Co. Park District.

Trip #2  region 8   Level C  
Spruce Hill --
2000 year old Earthworks & 238-acre Natural Area
Archaeological Conservancy & Wilderness East in cooperation with The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System & Ross County Park District


Saving Spruce Hill from the auction block last summer (even though its final purchase is not yet complete) was the highlight of an already spectacular year for preservation. Here is an opportunity to hike Spruce Hill and witness one of the densest, showiest flower displays found anywhere in the Arc.

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: Twenty minutes.

TWO Hikes going out on Saturday. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at one of two locations. We will confirm which location you have been assigned and will send you directions. Please bring a packed lunch as we will be eating on the trail.

Leader: Larry Henry, Co-Director of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System; Bruce Lombardo, Interpretive Ranger with Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Difficulty Level C. The hike will mostly follow a long gradual ascent from the bottom of the hill to the top and then a return, with side spurs taken to botanical points of interest on narrow unimproved trails. Endurance is required more than strength, since for the most part the slopes are gradual but long. Hikers must be able to comfortably walk 3 miles during the day at a slow to moderate pace.  Preserve Description: It was at the 2007 Wildflower Pilgrimage that Larry Henry made his first speech to save Spruce Hill and he collected the first dollars for the cause. Two months later, just 48 hours before the auction, the ARC contributed $300,000 to pull Spruce Hill off the auction block and get it into contract. As we write, fund-raising continues to raise the remaining $300,000. Spruce Hill's steep wooded hillsides boast one of the Arc System's most spectacular wildflower displays. In the spring the place is  literally wall-to-wall flowers -- with three species of trilliums, huge colonies of leeks and mayapples, anemones, mats of squirrel corn and Dutchman's breeches, wood poppies, and Solomon seals--just to name a few. Truly, only the Rocky Fork Gorge itself can rival Spruce Hill's dense displays. And yes, you will get a chance to see the remains of the stone wall that once circumscribed the sacred space of the flat hilltop. Highly recommended.

Trip #6  region 3   Level B
Friday only; Saturday filled for 2008
Spring Flower Prairie Primer: spring comes to the prairie
The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System

Flowers and Butterflies--bring your bincoculars
Ka-ma-ma Prairie, an intact alkaline short-grass prairie
 

65 species of butterflies, 44 state-listed endangered plants; 28 reptiles and amphibians; 528 species vascular plants

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 45 minutes

Meet at Ka-ma-ma Prairie with a lawn chair or blanket to sit upon at 10:00 a.m. Program will begin promptly at 10:15.

Difficulty Level B: Easy except for the moderate length. Ka-ma-ma is all on flat ground on easy trails at a slow pace. Some off-trail hiking is possible. Hiking distance is approximately 2.5 miles for the day. If time permits, leader may take the group to other nearby prairies for a deeper education in prairie ecosystems.
 
Leaders: John Howard, naturalist and land steward of Ka-ma-ma Prairie, and Tricia West, Volunteer Arc Trail Guide, and Jim Davidson, a devoted life-long naturalist. These leaders are excellent botanists and are great butterfly enthusiasts!

Description: One of Ohio's rarest and most premiere ecosystems is the alkaline short-grass prairie found only in Adam's County. Prairies are condensed sun-drenched plant communities less than a meter and a half high, boasting an array of flower and plant life highly accessible to our own species' modest height. Yet, to truly understand them takes a bit of training. Your leader will give you an introduction to the significance of an alkaline short-grass prairie, as well as an overview of the natural history of North America's native grasslands. Then, off to the field for a discovery hike that includes not only wildflowers, but insects and trees.

Ka-ma-ma Prairie is a prestigious 88 acre short-grass alkaline prairie with over forty species of state-listed rare and endangered plants and over 65 species of butterflies. Ka-ma-ma was appropriately named after the Cherokee word for butterfly. Each season the prairie boasts a new assemblage of unusual botanical species. This time of the year we should be treated to hoary puccoon, Indian paintbrush, and rare Leavenworthias and Drabas, to name a few. As for butterflies, we will be keeping our eyes out for Henry’s elfin, falcate orange tip, zebra swallowtail, and possibly the rare cobweb skipper. Hoary Pucoon Photo by Tim Pohlar
 

Trip #3  region 6 Level AA
The Little Smokies of Ohio -- Auto Tour & Short Walks to Botanical Hotspots; Shawnee State Forest & Shawnee State Park
 

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 1 hour and twenty minutes. This is a fantastic tour of one of Ohio's densest forest regions. Consider staying at Shawnee State Park Lodge and pick up other tours in the Arc South region; or just go down for the day. It's well worth the drive.

Meet at Shawnee State Park Lodge at 10:30 a.m. Tour will leave promptly at 10:45.  Leaders for this event will be the irrepressible Jenny Richards, Park Naturalist; and Kevin Bradbury, Shawnee Park Manager.

Difficulty Level A: EASY. RELAXING and DIVERSE. People rave about this trip every year. Shawnee State Park provides 7-passenger vans so that once you begin the tour, you can leave your car behind, sit back, and enjoy the flowers. Participants will drive along forestry roads, stopping frequently to view roadside flowers. Hiking will be short treks only.  This is one of the best wildflower viewing options for maximum diversity.

Description: Shawnee State Forest and the State Park it encircles is one of Ohio's greatest treasures. A magnificent 63,000 acres in size, Shawnee is not only the largest and least fragmented of Ohio's state forests, it has the steepest hills and the richest flora. Because of its southern-most position in Ohio and its proximity to the Ohio River, Shawnee is a botanical paradise, boasting many species found no where else in the state. Car travel to hotspots will ensure that this tour will rank among the highest of the field trips in obtaining a large number of blooming species. Some species to look forward to include Bird's-Foot Violet, Vernal Iris, and Spotted Mandarin.  Hazy Hill photo by John Howard.

Trip #5   region 4   Level C
Exploring the Floral Highlights of the 13,000 acre
Edge of Appalachia Preserve
Tiffin Cliffs, Buzzardsroost;,Cedar Falls and Abner Hollow
Ohio Nature Conservancy & Cincinnati Museum Center


Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: one hour and fifteen minutes

Meet at the Edge of Appalachia Office at 10:00 a.m. Tour will leave promptly at 10:15. Led by Cincinnati Museum Center naturalist, Chris Bedel.
Difficulty Level C: moderate to difficult. This day's hike will cover 2.5-3 miles of ground, and will be off-trail some or much of the time. Some ascents and descents are involved.

Description: The Edge of Appalachia Preserve is a natural wonder in southern Ohio  -- serving as the largest single nature preserve in all of Ohio.  Co-owned by The Nature Conservancy and Cincinnati Museum Center, this Preserve includes 8 globally rare plant communities and 50% of Ohio’s native flora. This hike will choose among four locations as your guide uses his knowledge of the Edge to take you into the areas with the most beautiful wildflower displays to be seen in the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System. This hike will be "chef's" choice, so there are no guarantees which preserves will be included in the day's smorgasboard of exploration. But here are some of the possibilities: At Tiffin Cliffs one can stand at the bottom of an eighty foot dolomite cliff surrounded by large flowered trilliums, Virginia bluebells and Celandine poppies, Dutchman’s breeches, Twinleaf, toad trillium, hepaticas, ginger and maybe even late-blooming marsh marigolds. Buzzardsroost is a destination that is special any time of the year -with its botanically-rich prairie-influenced woodlands. There are secret spots off-trail that an experienced guide can lead you to -- such as a sea of trilliums and twinleaf observed by few eyes.  At Cedar Falls Preserve you may hike to one of the prettiest waterfalls in Ohio, possibly seeing early-blooming hoary puccoon, woo betony, meadow rue in a young developing prairie. Th3 dolomite-exposed waterfall cuts through a white cedar bluff woodlands, housing many rare and unusual plants such as the state-listed wall rue and bristle-leaved sedge. Abner Hollow enters into the wooded hill-country of The Edge, passing dolomite boulders covered in wild columbine and walking fern, and Bisher dolomite cliffs covered with miterwort, large flowered trilliums, jack in the pulpit, and possibly the state-listed spotted mandarin.  Small prairie pockets in the forest may reveal Indian paintbrush and more hoary puccoon. Regardless of which preserves your guide chooses to take you, you can be assured you will see the best of the Edge of Appalachia Preserve.  Waterfalls Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

Trip #9  region 1  Level A & C
(also see photography trip below)
Cave Canyon & Barrett's Rim -- jewel of the Rocky Fork Gorge
Highlands Nature Sanctuary, The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System


Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: Cave Canyon begins at the the Appalachian Forest Museum. Barrett's Rim is a five minute drive away.

Difficulty Level A for Cave Canyon and Level C for Barrett's Rim: Approximately 3.5 miles of hiking all day, with several short stairways at Cave Canyon (.25 mile loop) and only a few short ascents on the narrow primitive trails of Barrett's Rim. Barrett's Rim trail is single-file  in width with four short stream crossings on stones, two of which have short but slippery steep banks. Streams are narrow but can have 2 inches of water in them. Good balance and hiking boots are requested. Sections of the trail can be slippery if it has recently rained.

Description: The Barrett's Rim Trail in the Rocky Fork Gorge is spectacular in April -- truly a heady experience. The preserve is fondly referred to as the jewel of the gorge. The dolomite rock walls and fallen boulders support an incredulous density of wildflowers, presenting floral displays not only at one's feet but also above your head. As you walk between the winding river and the dolomite cliffs, columbine, trillium, bellwort, miterwort, anemone, cohosh, and wild geraniums produce a wonderful verdant display of classic Appalachia wildflowers. Highly recommended. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary which contains the gorge is the Arc's largest preserve region at 2000 acres in size.  The Cave Canyon Trail takes you into the region's lush cave country with an abundance of springs, waterfalls, and grottos. Five of the preserve's seven largest caves dot this small side canyon of the Rocky Fork Gorge. Although the caves are closed to the public for the purpose of bat restoration, you will see spectacular geologic scenery and a wealth of flowers growing in this deep sheltered ravine, including the drooping Trillium flexipes and Sullivantia.  This ravine is truly enchanting.

Trip #4  region 1  Level B  Saturday only
PHOTOGRAPHER'S SPECIAL!!!! Barrett's Rim --jewel of the gorge--and more
Highlands Nature Sanctuary, The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System


Dear Friends, If you are a serious photographer and want to spend lots of solo time taking pictures, this is the very best field trip for you. Unfortunately, taking pictures very slowly and earnestly while on most of these field trips can slow down the group and makes it very hard for the leader to keep in communication with the entire group. So, instead of fighting the natural pace, if you are a photographer here is a program JUST for you and your needs. Although all photographers must stay on the trail to keep the wildflowers intact, this field trip will be structured so that participants will have quiet solo time out on some of the best picture-taking trails of the Sanctuary. Load up your equipment and join us!

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: Barrett's Rim is a five minute drive away.

Difficulty Level B for Barrett's Rim: Approximately 2.5 miles of hiking all day and only a few short ascents on the narrow primitive trails of Barrett's Rim. Barrett's Rim trail is single-file  in width with four short stream crossings on stones, two of which have short but slippery steep banks. Streams are narrow but can have 2 inches of water in them. Good balance and hiking boots are requested. Sections of the trail can be slippery if it has recently rained.

Description: The Barrett's Rim Trail in the Rocky Fork Gorge is spectacular in April -- truly a heady experience. The preserve is fondly referred to as the jewel of the gorge. The dolomite rock walls and fallen boulders support an incredulous density of wildflowers, presenting floral displays not only at one's feet but also above your head. As you walk between the winding river and the dolomite cliffs, columbine, trillium, bellwort, miterwort, anemone, cohosh, and wild geraniums produce a wonderful verdant display of classic Appalachia wildflowers. Highly recommended. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary which contains the gorge is the Arc's largest preserve region at 2000 acres in size. If we finish with Barrett's Rim in time, Bob will lead participants to other botanical hotspots in the region.

region 6     Rock Run Nature Preserve
 
Trip #10 -- Level C hiking
FLOWERS AND HERPS!

The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 1 hour and twenty minutes 
Meet at the rest stop at Sandy Springs at 10:15 am. Departure from the rest stop will begin promptly at 10:30.
Leaders for these trips will be among: John Howard, Southern Ohio Naturalist, Jon Srofe, preserve caretaker, Dan Boone Botanist, AND Greg Lipps Herpetologist

TWO HIKE OFFERINGS: Choose Difficulty Level B OR Difficulty Level D: Hike length is 2.5 - 3 miles for Level D. Level D will begin the same way as the other, but the hikers will drop into the steep v-shaped valley requiring off-trail hiking and navigating the leaf-covered rock-strewn valley walls where footing is very uneven and difficult to predict. Strong ankles necessary! At the end of the descent we will walk in the water across slippery large stones mid-creek, and work our way into the heart of the hemlock/birch forest that lines the creek. The trail is for the adventuresome, lithe, and limber and is not suitable for anyone nursing injuries or unwilling to possibly slip on a rock and get their feet wet.  Hikers must be hardy with good balance and wear water-proof hiking boots with good tread. A walking stick is a good idea. Although previous hikes have all been safely enjoyed by participants, hikers must be willing to hike at their own risk and be willing to get a bit wet and dirty. The Level D trek will follow the creek back out to Route 52 and shuttle back to the rest stop. The Level B trek will return the way they came back to their cars.

The above said, both trips take hikers into an amazingly wild place -- well worth seeing regardless which hiking level you choose. These Pilgrimage trips to Rock Run are one of the few opportunities to see this fragile and hard to access preserve.

Description: Rock Run is a 262-acre preserve containing a significant botanical ecosystem in a 500 feet deep valley adjacent to Shawnee Forest, Ohio's largest State Forest. The general region has a fantastic array of herps -- snakes, frogs, toads, and lizards -- including the imperiled Timber Rattlesnake. Rock Run is an extremely clear stream that drains into the Ohio River a short distance from the preserve.  The steep ravines have a diverse display of wildflowers including large white trillium and the best displays of red Trillium erectum that any field trip will see on the Pilgrimage. HIkers will also see dwarf crested Iris, yellow mandarin, and many different species of violets -- in a very unusual forest association of hemlock, sweet gum, and black birch.  Rock Run is one of the few locations to find the extremely rare Mud salamander -- in addition to the rarely seen but present bobcats and Allegheny wood rats.

Trip #11  region 1   Level A
Etawah Woods and Valley of the Ancients Trails

Highlands Nature Sanctuary, The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: none, on-site
Meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum at 9:00 a.m. Hike begins promptly at 9:15. Leader: Jim Davidson & Karl Peters (Friday) and Debbie Miller (Saturday), Appalachian Forest Museum Trail Guides

Difficulty Level A: Relatively easy. Approximately 1.0 to 1.5 miles of hiking along wide graded paths. Includes a few short ascents, and several stairs, one of which is long. Pace will be slow because there is so much to look at.

Description: The Valley of the Ancients Trail threads its way into the deepest section of the Rocky Fork Gorge through a landscape abounding in springs, waterfalls, and grottos. The trail features the Pyramid of Trilliums -- truly a wonder to behold -- and large quantities of Walter's Violet -- a state-listed miniature violet growing in shallow niches of soil harbored on the exposed rock of the bluffs. Ancient white cedars, another rare botanical in Ohio, cling from the canyon rim.  The Etawah Woods Trail takes hikers into an equally stunning section of the gorge. Etawah Woods is truly Eden in the spring with a proliferation of columbine, trillium, wood anemone, geranium, goldenseal, and celandine wood poppies -- set against imposing rock walls and the shadows of giant hemlock trees. Etawah Woods is one of the few Ohio sites where the state-listed gray polypody or resurrection fern grows.   Trillium Photo by Tim Pohlar

Trip #12   region 1   Level C
The Henrietta Miller Memorial Flower Pilgrimage
Birders!  Bring your binoculars!!

A One-way Pilgrimage along the Rocky Fork Creek
through the Eugene & Henrietta Miller Nature Sanctuary, a state preserve & Cedar Run Preserve, part of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve system
 

Without the early philanthropy of Henrietta Miller in 1995, when the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System was only a fragile ideal with neither money nor land, the organization may never have survived to be the 3000 acre preserve system it is today. We dedicate this hike to Henrietta, who once lived upon and loved the land that is today owned and managed as Miller State Nature Preserve, ...and who once made a gift of funds to the Arc that made all the difference in the world to the future of the Rocky Fork Gorge. In 2007, when this great nature lover departed from this earth to explore higher realms, she left behind a mighty legacy.

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 15 minutes
Meet at Miller State Nature Preserve at 9:30. We will begin shuttling cars as soon as enough people arrive. We will begin the Pilgrimage at 9:45 am or as soon thereafter as the shuttle cars are in place. Leaders: Bill Creasey, Chief Naturalist with the Cincinnati Nature Center and avid birder, and Bob Staggenborg & Nina Keller, Volunteer Naturalists with the Arc. Difficulty Level C: Moderately strenuous. We will be hiking approximately 3.5 miles, bordering the Creek and walking at the base of the rock cliffs most of the way. Not a lot of long ascents or descents, but a long walk on sometimes narrow trails and gently undulating land.

Description: Miller State Nature Preserve is the oldest of preserve on the Rocky Fork Creek and is one of the most beautiful. Its claim to fame is its nearly unbelievable density of Shooting Stars, otherwise known as Pride of Ohio. Shooting Stars are not particularly common in Ohio, so seeing a quantity of them is always an uplifting sight. We will likely be too early to catch them at peak, but we shall see their prolific foliage on the rocks and lots of other flowers. Miller State Nature Preserve has a rich and compelling display of Appalachian flowers, with dense carpets of ginger, Solomon's Seal, bellwort, bluebells and waterleaf. The hiking paths cross over several small bridges that ford musical spring-swollen riffles. After hiking the full stretch of Miller Preserve, we will walk across its boundary and enter Cedar Run Preserve of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. At Cedar Run we will continue to follow the rim of the Rocky Fork all the way to the Elders' Landing Trailhead, where we will take a side-spur up scenic rock-rimmed Cedar Run to a hidden waterfalls, then shuttle back to our original trailhead.  Wildflower displays are excellent along the entire length of the trail.  

Trip #14  region 2  Level C  Friday only
Fort Hill, a 1200 acre State Memorial & Preserve
In search of the Old Forest! And butterflies too!
Ohio Historical Society


Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 30 minutes
Meet at Fort Hill at 9:45 am. Hike will begin promptly at 10:00 am.
Leader: John Watts, Naturalist, Columbus Metropolitan Parks.
Difficulty Level C or maybe even D: This will be the longest hike we offer, at approximately four miles. The trail is of average back country width and is often unlevel. It follows an undulating landscape as it threads between limestone boulders. The trial parallels the bank of scenic Baker Fork, tributary of Ohio Brush Creek. Hikers must have physically active lifestyles and be able to walk 4-5 miles without exhaustion. We plan to walk more slowly in the beginning to admire the flowers, and then, on our return, we will be hiking at a brisk pace.

Description: Fort Hill is an EXCEPTIONAL preserve with one of the most intact forests in the state. It was one of the favorite jaunts for the famous early botanist, Lucy Braun, who gave Fort Hill its well-earned reputation of being a botanical hotspot for some of the state's highest forest diversity. It is one of the last places in Ohio, for instance, for the rare plant known as Canby's Mountain Lover. For wildflower enthusiasts, Fort Hill is a gem, offering among its 11 miles of trails some of the best hiking in the state. We will be following the scenic course of Baker's Fork, as it winds its way through a low limestone gorge filled with a bounty of rich wildflower displays--trilliums, anemones, jack in the pulpits, geraniums, bluebells and miterworts, just to name a few. John Watts is, among his many talents, a great butterfly lover, and he will be keeping an eye out for the early season butterflies: such as zebra swallowtails, and falcate orange tips. Fort Hill is acclaimed for its recorded sighting of the rare Early hairstreak, a little butterfly that lays its eggs on unfolding beech trees. Usually it stays high in the canopy, but occasionally it nectars on the forest floor on none other than spring beauties. But only in mid-morning -- then it's back up to the treetops!! Who knows? We just might see one!

Trip #15  region 2A   Level C
The ever-enigmatic Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs Preserve! The Nature Conservancy
Located in the Sinking Springs Crypto-explosion area
Explore almost the entire diversity of southern Ohio's ecosystems --
in just one field trip, and just one destination!


Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 30 minutes.
Meet in the town of Sinking Springs by 9:45 am. The car caravan to the trailhead will leave  promptly at 10:00 am. We will shuttle in as few cars as possible because of the limited parking at the preserve. Leader: This hike will be led by Dave Minney, Southern Ohio Land Steward for Nature Conservancy, Ohio Chapter, who, among other duties, manages Strait Creek Prairie Preserve.
           
Difficulty Level C. This hike is moderately strenuous and follows a primitive trail along the entire length of the park. Hiking boots are recommended for the occasional steep slopes and stream crossings. The hike will be 2.5 to 3 miles long.

Preserve Description. Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs is a 640 acre preserve situated on the outer edge of the Sinking Springs Cryptoexplosion feature, an ancient geologic event thought to have been caused by a meteor or asteroid impact affecting a four to five mile radius area. The geologic fall-out of this event is a crazy quilt bedrock exposure of sandstone, shales, and limestones. Strait Creek Prairie Bluffs provides a microcosm of what the pre-settlement plant communities and their distribution may have looked like within this geologically-diverse and botanically-rich region. Strait Creek has extremely high biodiversity (many not spring bloomers), with an astounding plant species count of 650! Little bluestem-Indian grass barrens and prairies are dominant on soils derived from Peebles dolomite, hosting such species as Indian paintbrush, blue-eyed grass, and Leavenworthia uniflora. Massive exposures of Peebles dolomite with wild columbine and dwarf hackberry are exposed above Strait Creek. Oak-maple and mesophytic forests with a variety of spring wildflowers occur on the dolomitic substrates of the low slope and ravine habitats. Acidic oak-hickory forests are found above the dolomitic bedrocks. Photo by Randy Edwards of TNC.

Trip #17  region 6A  Level B & C
first wildflower count for this preserve!  
Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve, Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
& Raven Rock State Nature Preserve, Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves
 

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: one hour Meet at the Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve at 10:00 am. Hike leaves promptly at 10:15.      
Difficulty Level B for Gladys Riley, one mile total on or off the trail, no extreme ascents or descents. Leaders: Guy Denny, retired Chief of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP) and Martin McAlister, Southern Ohio Preserve Manager for DNAP.
 Difficulty Level C for Raven Rock (participation optional. A steep 500 foot ascent to a lookout. Trail is narrow. Footing is not difficult, but the trail will give your lungs and legs a real workout. Approximately one mile total hiking distance for Raven Rock.
Preserve Description. If you are a naturalist at heart and want to explore one of Ohio's newest preserves, here is an opportunity. The Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve lies on the banks of the Rocky Fork tributary of Scioto Brush Creek near Shawnee State Forest -- this is a different Rocky Fork than the one that runs through the Highlands Nature Sanctuary farther north. Here the bedrock is sandstone, and the habitat is classic Appalachian hill country. This preserve is THE ONLY PROTECTED LAND IN OHIO for the Golden Star Lily, Erythronium rostratum, a state-endangered relative of the common trout lily. The Golden Star Lily, which blooms in early April, is rare throughout its range. In Ohio, it is found ONLY on the Scioto Brush, ONLY on Rocky Fork, and ONLY along a small section of this particular tributary. The ARC was extremely fortunate to protect this 53-acre preserve with the aid of private donors and Clean Ohio funds. A trail is planned for the area which --if luck is with us -- will be debuted for this Pilgrimage showing. If not, we will be walking off-trail, which shouldn't present any serious difficulties to participants so long as you are comfortable walking through the woods without improvements. Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve was named after a career teacher in the nearby town of Otway that taught elementary school children all of her life. Gladys was a devout naturalist, and invested the same love of nature in her many students, spontaneously taking the children outside to learn their trees and flowers on sunny spring days. Gladys inspired many a student to follow a professional vocation in conservation, and it is only fitting that this preserve bears her namesake.
     Although Scioto County flowers usually hit their floral peak in late April and early May, we are nevertheless very interested in hiking the preserve during the Pilgrimage time period and recording what we find. This will be the FIRST time a mid-April plant inventory has been accomplished for Gladys Riley. In addition to floral discoveries, the Golden Star Lily has a classic southern forest worth visiting, with giant sweetgum trees such as the one shown at right. After enjoying the star lily preserve, we have a scenic treat for those who don't mind a Level C climb to the top of another Scioto County preserve, Raven Rock. Thanks to a generous donation to the state of this historic site, a sacred site of Native Americans is now preserved for  future generations. Martin will take hikers up the short but steeply ascending trail to the lookout on the top, moving through chestnut oak forests, and keeping an eye out for an interesting flower, the Appalachian Scorpionweed. Raven Rock is too dry of a habitat to support a dense wildflower display, but the stunning view of the grand sweep of the Scioto River is worth the climb ANY time of the year. It's hard to imagine a trip to the Little Smokies of Ohio, without a climb up Raven Rock. Please see Sunday's trip section for photos of Raven Rock.

Trip #18  region 1  Level B  Saturday only
Just for CHILDREN --  for ages 6 through 12
Flower Hike & Nature Journal Making

Special Pricing for Children--$20.00 each

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: five minute drive from Cave Canyon on Cave Road.  Meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum between 8:30 - 8:45 am. Check in at the Museum Gatehouse and the children will be guided to their leader. Program will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Please pick up children promptly at 3:30 p.m. Please note: adult programs will vary in their ending times. Please be prepared to keep an access to your car in case you have to leave a bit early to pick up your children. We suggest that you choose a field trip in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary region (#1) so that you don't have to fit in a long drive after parting from your group. Most Sanctuary events will be ending between 3 and 4. Like all of our field trips, this trip is limited to 15 participants. ALL MATERIALS PROVIDED. Leaders: Kris Cross, Children's Environmental Educator. Please pack a lunch.
        
Difficulty Level B Approximately 1.0 miles of hiking all day on wooded sections of Barrett's Rim. Barrett's Rim trail does NOT have dangerous lookouts or bluffs. 

Program Description. Children will learn to witness, enjoy, and identify several of our native wildflowers, while listening to folktales and natural history stories. The day will begin with a trek on Barrett's Rim trail where the children will be encouraged to observe and draw a few of the flowers that engage them the most. Then they will return to Kellogg's house where they will make their own recycled paper journal covers, bind their own journal covers, identify their chosen flowers, practice with flash cards they can take home, and maybe learn a story or two they can teach their parents. Please see Sunday for another children's activity.  Hepatica Flower Photo by Tim Pohlar

Trip #7   region 2   Hike is Level B

Kayaking Scioto Brush Creek with Martin McAlister, Founder of Friends of Scioto Brush Creek, Friday only

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 40 minutes 

Meet at Chalet Nivale with your own kayak or canoe at 9:45 a.m. We will begin shuttling as soon as enough people arrive and will be on the river before 10:30. You may wish to bring a plastic bag to waterproof your lunch and other personal possessions you desire to bring. Leader: Martin McAlister, Southern Ohio Preserve Manager, Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves; assisted by Jody Gray, President of the Arc of Appalachia Trustees

Description: If you can bring your own kayak or canoe (kayak strongly recommended), here is a rare opportunity to float one of the state's most beautiful rivers -- the Scioto Brush Creek, which flows through Adams and Scioto Counties. Everyone who has done this trip raves about it. The Scioto Brush is a tributary of the Scioto River and is one of the most ecologically-intact watersheds in all the state. Its clear blue waters, naturally tinged with dissolved minerals, supports 69 species of fish, three species of state-endangered mussels, one of Ohio's few federally-threatened plant species, Appalachian Spirea, Spiraea virginiana; and the state-endangered Southern Monkshood, Aconitum unciatum.  Although these plants will not be in bloom on this trip, the waterway is known for its spring floral display, and the clear waters are bordered by exceptionally scenic dolomite slumpblocks and cliffs. Boaters will enjoy floating under several blue heron rookeries. On our last trip we counted over fifty nests. This is a trip you will long remember for its picture-postcard scenery. Included in this field trip, if time allows, will be a short hike into Chalet Nivale Nature Preserve, owned by the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System. For a description of this preserve, please read trip #8. For more information on Scioto Brush Creek, click here. If the float needs to be canceled because of low water or storm-level water, participants will be notified by last minute email and the trip will be replaced by a Chalet-Nivale/Shomeaker Preserve hiking tour to meet at the same advertised time and place, also led by Martin McAlister. If the alternate trip goes, it will be the first publicly guided tour into Ohio's newest state nature preserve -- Shoemaker Preserve. Shoemaker is home of the extremely rare Plantago cordata, Heart-leaved Plantain, which is rapidly disappearing throughout its range. The preserve was generously donated to the state by Joyce Shoemaker.
River Difficulty and Arrangements: The float takes approximately 3-4 hours and runs six river miles. Boaters will meet at Chalet Nivale Nature Preserve. From there some of the cars will be shuttled two and half road miles to the take-out point. This float requires moderately high water and recent rains -- so everything depends on last minute weather conditions. Boating difficulty is average to slightly challenging. The difficulty is not deep water or high currents, but rather the narrow twists and turns of the headwaters, shallow rapids which can sometimes be tipsy, and the occasional low-lying tree or logjam. There are a few fast riffles, which the author admits to succumbing to on her last trip and getting dunked! Canoes require more water than kayaks. We will advise you by email by Wednesday night if canoes can’t make it, or if the float is off for any reason, so be sure to check your emails Thursday morning for a last-minute report before packing up your boat and departing for the Pilgrimage. Kayak photo by Martin McAlister; Heron Photo copyrighted by William Gladish, all rights protected.

Trip #16  region 1  Level B & C
  
Ridgeview Farm Wetlands & The Listening Trail at Ravenwood
Highlands Nature Sanctuary, The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System

Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: Located at a fifteen minute drive from the Appalachia Forest Museum at Cave Canyon Preserve. Meet at Ridgeview Farm at 9:15 am. Hike will begin promptly at 9:30 am. Leaders: Marjie Becus, Botanist with the Cincinnati Wildflower Preservation Society; and Beth Staggenborg, Educator and Volunteer Naturalist with the Arc.

Difficulty  B for Ridgeview, C for Ravenwood,.  Ridgeview Farm is an easy loop trail that is fairly wide and level and a little over one mile long. There are no ascents or descents. Ravenwood is a one mile loop trail. It has occasional steep but moderately-long ascents and descents. It's main difficulty lies in its uneven footing over rocks, with trails that are slippery if it has recently rained. One's feet are often at a slight angle to one's legs. 

Preserve Description. Ridgeview Farm is an easy trail that goes through old farm pastures to a wet woodlands with hundreds and hundreds of skunk cabbages and marsh marigolds. The skunk cabbages will be unfurling their large symmetrical leaves, and, if we are lucky, we may catch the last of the marsh marigold bloom. Ravenwood:  The Listening Trail was designed as a contemplation trail -- with lots of natural niches to occupy and listen ... to the bird calls without, or the quiet voice within.  The trail offers a wooden swing for two, a cave grotto to curl up in, slanted rocks in the creek to repose upon, and a deck jutting out over the gorge. Packed in a short distance, there are few trails as spectacular for both wildflowers and scenery than the Listening Trail located behind Ravenwood Lodge. This section of the Rocky Fork Canyon has its own unique character and essence. It's steep v-shaped valley offers loamier habitats for wildflowers than the vertical cliffs farther down stream, and the flowers respond to the fertility with heady abundance. Moss, lichens, ferns and liverworts seem to cover every rock and fallen tree. This is one of the greenest, lushest habitats in the Highlands Nature Sanctuary, indeed, in the whole Arc! Hikers will see carpets of trilliums, ginger, and Solomon's seal, as well as dozens of other species. Even without flowers, the Listening Trail is a stunning trail for breath-taking scenery. Click here for more information on the Listening Trail.

Trip #8  Level C
Chalet Nivale Preserve,  region 2   The Arc of Appalachia  Preserve System 
& Davis Memorial, A State Nature Preserve region 3


Driving Distance from Region 1, one-way: 40 minutes 

Meet at Davis Memorial at 9:30 am. Tour will leave promptly at 9:45. Leader: This hike will be led by Rick Gardner, Ohio Heritage Botanist, and Jeff Foster, Biology Instructor at Southern State College.

Difficulty C: Walking is slow-paced on narrow trails, covering approximately 3.5 miles all day. There are no long ascents, descents, or difficult water crossings but the trails at Chalet Nivale are newly established, primitive in nature, and include the possibility of going off-trail. Davis Memorial has well-established easily-navigated hiking trails.

Description: Chalet Nivale Preserve on Bacon Flats Road is one of Adam's County's best-kept botanical secrets. In March, it has what must be the densest display of snow trilliums to be found in the world; as well being recorded as a site for the state-listed Early Buttercup which blooms in early April. By mid-April, however, Chalet Nivale shows its charms through a wealth of more commonly occurring  species with a wonderful lush abundance that is classic to this region. The Preserve takes in a side tributary of Scioto Brush Creek that is rimmed by 30-40 foot dolomite walls harboring small grottos and caves. The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System owns a lovely log cabin on this site, and lunch will be enjoyed on its large wooden deck.

EXTRA APPEAL: We will also be able to also explore a one-hundred acre extension to Chalet Nivale that takes in the upper watershed of the two tributaries that flow through the preserve. The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System is working to gain funds to purchase this new acquisition through Clean Ohio funding, which will expand Chalet Nivale from just 15 acres, to 116!!

Davis Memorial is a 168-acre state nature preserve located near Peebles and is owned by the Ohio Historical Society and the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves.  The preserve is bisected by Cedar Fork, a tributary of Scioto Brush Creek, named for the bounty of arbor vitae, the very rare White Cedar trees, that cling to the Peebles Dolomite cliffs along the creek.  Some of these trees are over two hundred years old.  Over 20 state listed plants, including the state endangered Walter’s violet, are among the many spring wildflowers we expect to see.  Also present is Sullivantia, a plant discovered by the famous Ohio botanist, William Starling Sullivant, as well as many other more common wildflowers.

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