You don’t always have to be a fit, well-seasoned backpacker to explore some of Ohio’s most beautiful trails. In fact, there are many beautiful sights to behold in Ohio’s forests, metro-parks and state parks that don’t require a lot of time or exertion to get to. The following are eight incredible trails in the Buckeye State that nearly anyone can do. In addition to being super accessible, they’re also some of the best hikes in Ohio!
- Cascade Falls Trail (Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park)
rarabecca/Flickr This short, half-mile trail leads to an impressive waterfall, complete with a short boardwalk and observation deck below the falls. Learn more about this gorgeous hike in Ohio in our feature article . Kennedy Ledge, Nelson Township, OH 44231, USA
- Brandywine Falls (Cuyahoga Valley National Park)
Jasper/Flickr Walk down the wooden pathways and stairs to see the beautiful, easily accessible Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park at 8176 Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills Township. Near the falls, the 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Trail allows you to explore beyond the waterfall and see other views of the creek. If you hike this trail after a healthy Ohio rain, you’ll be positively dazzled by these rushing falls! Brandywine Falls, Sagamore Hills Township, OH 44067, USA
- Rowe Woods Trails (Rowe Woods)
Angelskiss31/Flickr Within the Cincinnati Nature Center, you can find this easy to hike loop trail in Rowe Woods, which features an abundance of wildlife and beautiful plants along the way. It is approximately 1.8 miles long. There’s another accessible trail here that leads through an old-growth forest! Cincinnati Nature Center, 4949 Tealtown Rd, Milford, OH 45150, USA
- Wilderness Trail (The Edge of Appalachia Preserve)
Keith Robinson/Flickr The Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Adams County is best known for its biological diversity, steep cliffs and the Wilderness Trail; a 2.5-mile loop that’s perfect for an afternoon adventure in the Buckeye State! Wilderness Trail - Edge Of Appalachia Preserve, West Union, OH 45693, USA
- Old Man’s Cave Loop and Ash Cave Trails (Hocking Hills State Park)
April Dray/Only In Your State What is arguably Ohio’s most scenic hiking trail is approximately a mile long and can be completed in about one hour. In addition to Old Man’s Cave, you’ll encounter the Devil’s Bathtub, Sphinx Head, A-Frame Bridge and the Upper and Lower Falls. The nearby Ash Cave Trails feature a .25-mile long Gorge Trail that is wheelchair accessible, as well as a half-mile long Rim Trail. We share more of our favorite hiking trails in Hocking Hills in this article. Old Man’s Cave Campground, 19852 OH-664, Logan, OH 43138, USA
- Charleston Falls Preserve (Tipp City)
Stephen/Flickr Best seen after a good rain, this waterfall can be found in Charleston Falls Preserve in Miami County. The trail system within the park loops around and consists of about four miles total. It’s definitely one our favorite accessible waterfall hikes in Ohio! Charleston Falls Preserve, 2535 Ross Rd, Tipp City, OH 45371, USA
- Hebron Trail (Ohio Canal Greenway)
Harry Wagner/Flickr This recreational trail in Licking County is located on the old Penn Central Railroad right-of-way, just south of the village of Hebron. It is approximately 2.7 miles long, and features farmland scenery and a charming fairy tale footbridge along the way. Ohio Canal Greenway, Unnamed Road, Hebron, OH 43025, USA
- Ottawa-Magee Partnership Trail (Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge)
Benny Mazur/Flickr Arguably the state’s top bird-wathcing spot—featuring more than 300 species of birds—you can find this peaceful refuge along western Lake Erie, between Toledo and Port Clinton. The Ottawa-Magee Partnership Trail is approximately one mile long. Magee Marsh, Carroll Township, OH 43449, USA
Have you hiked any of these trails before? What are your picks for the best easy and accessible hikes in Ohio? Share them with us in the comments below!
rarabecca/Flickr
This short, half-mile trail leads to an impressive waterfall, complete with a short boardwalk and observation deck below the falls. Learn more about this gorgeous hike in Ohio in our feature article .
Kennedy Ledge, Nelson Township, OH 44231, USA
Jasper/Flickr
Walk down the wooden pathways and stairs to see the beautiful, easily accessible Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park at 8176 Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills Township. Near the falls, the 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Trail allows you to explore beyond the waterfall and see other views of the creek. If you hike this trail after a healthy Ohio rain, you’ll be positively dazzled by these rushing falls!
Brandywine Falls, Sagamore Hills Township, OH 44067, USA
Angelskiss31/Flickr
Within the Cincinnati Nature Center, you can find this easy to hike loop trail in Rowe Woods, which features an abundance of wildlife and beautiful plants along the way. It is approximately 1.8 miles long. There’s another accessible trail here that leads through an old-growth forest!
Cincinnati Nature Center, 4949 Tealtown Rd, Milford, OH 45150, USA
Keith Robinson/Flickr
The Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Adams County is best known for its biological diversity, steep cliffs and the Wilderness Trail; a 2.5-mile loop that’s perfect for an afternoon adventure in the Buckeye State!
Wilderness Trail - Edge Of Appalachia Preserve, West Union, OH 45693, USA
April Dray/Only In Your State
What is arguably Ohio’s most scenic hiking trail is approximately a mile long and can be completed in about one hour. In addition to Old Man’s Cave, you’ll encounter the Devil’s Bathtub, Sphinx Head, A-Frame Bridge and the Upper and Lower Falls. The nearby Ash Cave Trails feature a .25-mile long Gorge Trail that is wheelchair accessible, as well as a half-mile long Rim Trail. We share more of our favorite hiking trails in Hocking Hills in this article.
Old Man’s Cave Campground, 19852 OH-664, Logan, OH 43138, USA
Stephen/Flickr
Best seen after a good rain, this waterfall can be found in Charleston Falls Preserve in Miami County. The trail system within the park loops around and consists of about four miles total. It’s definitely one our favorite accessible waterfall hikes in Ohio!
Charleston Falls Preserve, 2535 Ross Rd, Tipp City, OH 45371, USA
Harry Wagner/Flickr
This recreational trail in Licking County is located on the old Penn Central Railroad right-of-way, just south of the village of Hebron. It is approximately 2.7 miles long, and features farmland scenery and a charming fairy tale footbridge along the way.
Ohio Canal Greenway, Unnamed Road, Hebron, OH 43025, USA
Benny Mazur/Flickr
Arguably the state’s top bird-wathcing spot—featuring more than 300 species of birds—you can find this peaceful refuge along western Lake Erie, between Toledo and Port Clinton. The Ottawa-Magee Partnership Trail is approximately one mile long.
Magee Marsh, Carroll Township, OH 43449, USA
For more beautiful trails to explore in the Buckeye State, check out these trails in Hocking Hills.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Best hikes in Ohio April 03, 2022 Sarah M. Where are some of the best places to go hiking in Ohio? Natural beauty abounds in the Buckeye State, and there are so many wonderful parks and preserves where you can quite literally immerse yourself in it all! These are some of our favorite peaceful and picturesque places to hike in Ohio; this list includes scenic spots like Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve in Rockbridge, Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Sugarcreek Metro Park in Bellbrook, Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park in Garrettsville, Mt. Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Scioto Grove Metro Park in Grove City, Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, and Charleston Falls Preserve in Tipp City. What’s the most beautiful hike in Ohio? Some hiking trails can make you feel a million miles away from it all; the Ledges Trail is one such trail. Located within the Virginia Kendall Unit of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you’ll find this gorgeous trail, where, more than 300 million years ago, it was actually covered by an ancient sea. Melting glaciers helped to form what are now captivating ledges you can hike through. It’s easily one of the most scenic trails in Ohio; a place to really bask in the state’s natural beauty. You can learn about more beautiful hikes in Ohio in this article: A Nature Lovers Definitive Guide To Ohio’s Natural Beauty – Waterfalls, Beaches, Hikes And More!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best hikes in Ohio
April 03, 2022
Sarah M.
Where are some of the best places to go hiking in Ohio? Natural beauty abounds in the Buckeye State, and there are so many wonderful parks and preserves where you can quite literally immerse yourself in it all! These are some of our favorite peaceful and picturesque places to hike in Ohio; this list includes scenic spots like Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve in Rockbridge, Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Sugarcreek Metro Park in Bellbrook, Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park in Garrettsville, Mt. Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Scioto Grove Metro Park in Grove City, Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, and Charleston Falls Preserve in Tipp City. What’s the most beautiful hike in Ohio? Some hiking trails can make you feel a million miles away from it all; the Ledges Trail is one such trail. Located within the Virginia Kendall Unit of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you’ll find this gorgeous trail, where, more than 300 million years ago, it was actually covered by an ancient sea. Melting glaciers helped to form what are now captivating ledges you can hike through. It’s easily one of the most scenic trails in Ohio; a place to really bask in the state’s natural beauty. You can learn about more beautiful hikes in Ohio in this article: A Nature Lovers Definitive Guide To Ohio’s Natural Beauty – Waterfalls, Beaches, Hikes And More!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Natural beauty abounds in the Buckeye State, and there are so many wonderful parks and preserves where you can quite literally immerse yourself in it all! These are some of our favorite peaceful and picturesque places to hike in Ohio; this list includes scenic spots like Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve in Rockbridge, Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor, Sugarcreek Metro Park in Bellbrook, Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park in Garrettsville, Mt. Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Scioto Grove Metro Park in Grove City, Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, and Charleston Falls Preserve in Tipp City.
What’s the most beautiful hike in Ohio?
Some hiking trails can make you feel a million miles away from it all; the Ledges Trail is one such trail. Located within the Virginia Kendall Unit of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you’ll find this gorgeous trail, where, more than 300 million years ago, it was actually covered by an ancient sea. Melting glaciers helped to form what are now captivating ledges you can hike through. It’s easily one of the most scenic trails in Ohio; a place to really bask in the state’s natural beauty. You can learn about more beautiful hikes in Ohio in this article: A Nature Lovers Definitive Guide To Ohio’s Natural Beauty – Waterfalls, Beaches, Hikes And More!
