Hiking out at Hocking Hills Ash Cave Photograph by Soham Parikh/The Guardian.
With spring approaching, the weather should be warming up, bringing the ability to go outside and exercise. Hiking is a great way to get moderate exercise and there are several great places to hike around campus.
Charleston Falls Preserve Hiking Trails
This hiking path is located in Tipp City, Ohio. The major benefit to visiting Charleston Falls, especially during early spring, is that the walkways are all stone and gravel, so you don’t have to worry about getting muddy.The major highlight of this trail is the waterfall at the end of your hike, which is beautiful no matter the time of year. The paths are all clearly labeled and it is great for beginning hikers.
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SugarCreek MetroPark
This hiking path is located in Bellbrook, Ohio and has several different trail lengths and paths to choose from.They have a wheelchair-accessible loop, as well as other paths of varying distances. The paths are all clearly labeled with colored dots to coordinate to the distance you want to hike.
With the exception of the concrete path, all the trails are dirt and go through the woods. This hiking path is busier than others I have been to but has plenty of space to pass or move out of the way of runners.
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Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve
Located in Yellow Springs, Ohio and next to John Bryan State Park, this hiking location is very large and allows for exploration. With exploration comes the possibility to become lost, though.Unlike other locations, the trails are not adequately labeled so it is easy for a three-mile hike to become five. However, it is a beautiful place to hike and visitors are less likely to run into a lot of people because of how large the parks are.
