3 hikes

After putting over 5000 miles on our version of the family truckster since June 1, I have become enamored with the idea that I might be able to log 500 miles by foot before the official end of summer in September -- so on opposite ends of a four day trip to Philly last week, I racked up some foot miles hiking three "gorges" here in central and southern Ohio.

The first was a 12 mile round-trip hike from Old Man's and Ash Cave and back at the Hocking Hills State Park.  The main trails thread through a well-known (justly so) and dramatic network of deeply carved, black-hand sandstone that boasts dizzying cliffs and arresting water features -- the result of extraordinary melt from the Wisconsin Glacier which parked itself for a while just to the north of the region.  Its unique and spectacular geography make it a popular destination and even on a Monday, with nary any electricity in the land, it drew a respectable crowd in the most striking and motorist-accessible areas.  However, solitude is the reward for those who have the endurance to venture further beyond the major attractions. I encountered only 2 pair of hikers on the Grandma Gatewood and Buckeye Trails that link the caves by way of Cedar Falls at the center of the park.

 

 

 

My second hike, the very next day, was a family trip to the Clifton Gorge at Yellow Springs -- a spontaneous trip inspired by excessive heat and lack of electricity which proved to be a pleasant escape, at the very least, from the deafening roar of our neighbors' generators.

It was a striking comparison.  Though both locations sit at approximately 39 degrees N latitude and fewer than 100 miles separate the two gorges, they are remarkably different.  Clifton Gorge is marked by cliffs that feature cracked layers of limestone, worn smooth too by raging water, but lacking the softness and obvious impermanence of sandstone.  The vegetation differs too, largely for the lack of the thick hemlock stands and carpets of fern that dominate the Hocking Hills, the deep shade of which, coupled with the sandtone's propensity to hold water, made the climate much cooler and more damp within the caves.  That Clifton Gorge was as hot and dry as its outlying areas was a fact frequently noted by the boy so to restore peace to our otherwise idyllic hike we employed our favorite parenting strategies; bribing him into silence with promises of (or rather threats to withhold) post-hike mugs of root beer and cheeseburgers.  Fortunately Yellow Springs offers a variety of places to chill out after a sweaty stroll.  After what I estimate to be about 4 miles (based on 2 hours of hiking, ambling really, over moderately challenging terrain in the Glen Helen nature preserve), we elected to reward ourselves at Peach's Grill, a pre-arranged decision based on prior research indicating the requisite selection of juicy burgers and cold (root)beers...  It was during this post-hike powwow that we decided that we couldn't stand another night of the equivalent to sleeping inside a lawn mower engine and sought refugee status out east...

 

 

(thought I'd share this charming circa 1904 report on the geology of the Clifton Gorge:)


...during which time we covered mostly highway miles, though we did take a train to the city... and no trip to the "east coast Karrs" is ever complete without running the 5 mile loop through Valley Forge Historical Park which featured a nice (barely visible here) morning moonset bonus!

Foot miles is what I have been aiming to rack up however and so upon our return, I woke Sunday feeling the familiar urge.  Even more encouraging was what proved to be a nice break in the weather accompanied by (gasp!) a breeze.  My only criteria, that I find someplace close and to which I had not previously been (becoming a somewhat maddening prospect).  After some quick research I headed up to the north side of Columbus for the Highbanks Metro Park.  I was able to make a good 5 mile hike out of the network of trails within the park and though some of the trails were somewhat unremarkable, (unless you like looking at small things like bugs and seeds and blades of grass, which luckily I do) the sections that pass through the deep ravines that make up the immediate watershed into the Olentangy river offer nice views and some mildly challenging elevation changes.  The geography and geology of this area too was heavily influenced by the advance and retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier.  The Powell End Moraine intersects the river roughly at the park and local shale that litters the riverbed and its surrounding ravines is mixed with other metamorphic rock that was relocated from its southern Ontario origins courtesy of the glacier.  Of more recent (relatively) historical note are the two Adena burial mounds and another prehistoric earthworks which is situated though-provokingly near the westward facing bluff.  In spite of the fact that the park is located within the Columbus metro-area -- and its resulting popularity, I would very much like to return here later in the fall so that I might better see the features for which this park is known, namely the impressive 100 foot bluffs overlooking the Olentangy which are currently fairly well concealed by the heavy summer foliage.

At the publication of this post, we are commencing to pack for some overnight wilderness miles -- a shake-down for a longer hike???? Could be, but for now total miles (sneaking in a 3 mile run on Tuesday) accumulated:  29

More info about the Olentangy Watershed here.

Ditto Hocking Hills State Park.

... and a nice list of other locations in Ohio of geological significance.

Update:  In case the Clifton Gorge report will not scroll here's the link.