Spring and summer at our favorite Ohio State Parks!
Todd and I have been busy traveling with our camper and hiking to our favorite state parks in Ohio that includes; John Bryan, Caesar Creek, Hocking Hills, and Glen Helen. What is so surprising about these parks is that Ohio received a large amount of rainfall this spring and continues to receive regular rainfall that allows for the rivers and waterfalls to overflow.
My advice for budding photographers is to get out early or state late in order to get the best light and the parks are typically not as crowded. We visited Hocking Hills State Park and stayed from Memorial Day to Thursday of that week and we pretty much had the park to ourselves.
The hike we took at Hocking Hills State Park was very impressive considering the first time we visited there were no waterfalls and not much water either. We got up early for a hike near Rose Lake and Old Man’s Cave around 6 in the morning and continued to hike and take photos till about 830 in the morning. It was well worth it and I even got snorted at by a deer!
Caesar Creek was also beautiful, but the lake was so high that you could not visit the shore area it was completely covered by water! We did manage to get some wonderful sunset shots of the lake near the boat landing by the camping area.
Finally, we had an evening visit to Glen Helen and everywhere you looked was a beautiful waterfall or series of waterfalls. Take the time to visit in the summer since it stays lighter longer. Definitely visit these state parks I have mentioned if you live locally since they are close and provide so much variety for campers and hikers alike.
We are hoping to visit a camping area near Lake Erie so I will update about that soon!
Have fun hiking and camping this summer in Ohio State Parks!
In you are interested in any of my photography please email me at andel.photos@gmail.com
You can also visit my photography site: http://www.andelphotos.com/
Or my Imagekind site
Winter Hike in John Bryan State Park
Todd and I love to hike in John Bryan year round. Winter is a beautiful time of the year to hike in the park! The trails are pretty snow packed but still well traveled. The hike is a little more work than during other times of the year, but well worth the effort. We managed quite a workout after taking one of the main roads back from the trails and found that deep snow is much more difficult to walk in than snow packed trails. The park staff shuts down some of the other parking areas so that visitors can cross-country ski and take advantage of the sledding on some of the hills and road ways.
I managed to get some cool winter shots with my new monopod and I hope you enjoy them! Now get out there and hike!
Caesar Creek State Park
Camping at Caesar’s Creek offers a lot of variety to campers. The lake is a great spot for fishing and boating. The campsites closest to the lake are premier sites and fill up quickly. The views from the lake sites offer the best scenery in the park. The lake offers great views for photographers to take lovely sunset shots and also great for fall color shots.
In addition to the camp sites there are camper cabins and cedar cabins available to visitors that can be reserved from April 1 to October 31.
We hiked 2 trails within the state park Flat Fork Ridge and the Gorge Trail. Both trails are listed as moderate and can be easily hiked. The water levels in Ohio were down for the spring and summer so unfortunately the “Horseshoe Falls” on the Flat Fork Ridge were dry. The trails in the park offer some variety, but I think that the Lake was the jewel of the park and the hiking was pretty tame.
I would definitely recommend the park based on the lake and the quality of the campground. Caesar Creek is a great close spot for campers and provides a variety of activities for park visitors. I wouldn’t give the trails as high of recommendation as other hiking areas in the state of Ohio, but I think that the park offers enough variety for campers and hikers to make it worth a visit.
The Caesar Creek Lake US Army Corps of Engineers Website addresses the creation of the lake and the park facilities.
According to the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS website:
Congress authorized Caesar Creek Lake under the Flood Control Act of 1938. The Louisville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed, built, and operates Caesar Creek Lake.
Caesar Creek exists as a cooperative management effort among the Corps of Engineers and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Divisions of Parks and Recreation, Wildlife, and Natural Areas and Preserves.
For more information about the park visit these websites:
And
Local Park Site
Hocking Hills and more!
We love the camper sites at Hocking Hills and our three-day visit was great. We beat the crowded camping scene that happens on Labor Day weekend and went during the week instead. We explored the camping area and even went swimming in the campground pool, which had a water slide and was great on the hot days after our hikes. We hiked Conkle’s Hollow and Cantwell Cliffs and I have to say that you should definitely not miss Cantwell Cliffs. We also took an afternoon walk around Rose Lake and got some great shots of the area. Another great spot for visitors to Hocking Hills.
We hiked Conkle’s Hollow previously and had a great time again on the trail for our second visit. The trail was a bit easier this time since the summer was pretty dry and the trails were not as slick as the previous visit. This hiking spot is great not only because of the views but also the diversity of the trail as well.
The best part of our hiking treks was Cantwell Cliffs. It is about 17 miles away from Hocking Hills but well worth the drive.
The park has 2 trails that allow you to meet up with both trails. We took the red trail which was marked as moderate and the yellow trail was a bit father and is listed as moderate to difficult. The main attraction with this hike are not only the ridge views but also the way the trail winds its way through narrow passageways. The most narrow passage has been sarcastically named Fat Woman Squeeze.
We loved the different aspects of the this trail and in parts surrounded by so many interesting rock formations that I felt like I wasn't in Ohio, but that we were in Sedona Arizona. Make sure you take time to visit Cantwell Cliffs!
Camping is much easier with all the amenities of a camper and I have to say much nicer to come back to after a long afternoon of hiking. The campground offers a number of amenities and I recommend a visit to Grandma Fays…such great food and a good place to stock up on supplies.
We are hoping to make another camping trip before winter and if not we will at least hike at Hocking Hills or maybe another site …who knows! But either way the camper life for us is here to stay!
Return to Hocking Hills!
We have a 3 day trip planned to Hocking Hills with the new camper. Our plans are to head to Conkle’s hollow, Cantwell Cliffs, and another short hike around Rose Lake. I will post plenty of pics of the trails and our camping adventure! See you later…it’s time to hike & camp!!!
Our New Camper!!!!!
Well Todd returned home safely from Iraq and is home for good! To celebrate we bought a camper! Well we wanted one for a while and this one was just too good to be true! Good price and only less than 5 years old and barely used!
WE ARE SO READY TO CAMP IN STYLE!!
It’s been a long time for hiking!
My better half has been deployed to Iraq for over seven months so I haven’t had a chance to do much hiking. He came home for his R&R and decided that hiking was one of top things to do on his list. Since he only had two weeks and we had limited time for camping we decided on a local trip to John Bryan and Clifton.
Close to the beginning of summer is a great time to visit John Bryan. The trails are practically covered by a canopy of leaves and the rushing waters and small waterfalls are a beautiful sight to see. We hiked a little over 2 miles since I recently found out I have a slipped disc, but I still enjoyed the short hike. There are plenty of great spots to capture the waterfalls and views from the bridge before Clifton.
We visited Clifton Gorge the day before Memorial day and the park was packed. I really like Clifton since it is a great spot for scenic overlooks. It’s also a great park for people who aren’t avid hikers but love nature. We saw a group of young people scale down the cliffs and were swimming in the water. Not the brightest thing to do considering the fast moving falls and it is rather slippery on the rocks at the edges of the overlooks. We got some great shots and I even took a small video on my Cannon Power Shot SX10. I think I will practice more with the video setting for future trips.
My better half is headed back to finish his deployment but luckily he will be done in August so I will probably be camping and hiking again by the end of the summer.
Have a great summer and get out there and hike!
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Cumberland Falls Trail
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is located in Corbin KY and offers a variety of trails and activities for everyone regardless of hiking level expertise. It is a great place for tourists since the Falls are the main attraction of this state park. The trails are varied but you will definitely want some experience with rocky trails since a majority of the trails are steep and quite a climb.
Todd, Cumberland Falls Trail
One of the best ways to see the falls is actually from the Cumberland Falls Trail which also leads to the Eagle Falls Trail.
View from the Cumberland Falls Trail
The views from the Cumberland Falls Trail are spectacular and offer great opportunities for photos and quiet reflection. If you continue onto the Eagle Falls you will have a great steep climb which also allows for a variety of trail trekking. The smaller Eagle Falls are beautiful and allow visitors to get quite close to a waterfall and enjoy the rocky serene surroundings.
Eagle Falls
You can stay in the campground or the wonderful cabins that are part of the resort and lodge facility, which is also part of the State Resort Park system. I highly recommend the cabins! You have a full kitchen, fireplace, nice rooms and great views of the natural surroundings. You also have access to the great lodge restaurant and a small grocery store if you want to stay in and cook.
Eagle Falls
Todd and I only stayed for about 2 days but it is definitely worth the short trip from Ohio to Corbin KY. Make sure you visit Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Lake Talquin State Park
In 1927 the Jackson Bluff Dam was constructed on the Ochlockonee River to produce hydroelectric power. The waters held back by the dam formed Lake Talquin. Visitors can enjoy nature walks, picnicking, boating, and canoeing. Nature lovers will enjoy the rolling hills and deep ravines with forests of pines and hardwoods where they may spy wild turkeys, bald eagles, ospreys, and deer. (Lake Talquin State Park Website, 2009)
Todd, Laura, and I hiked this area and we thoroughly enjoyed the area. The Lake is quite beautiful and the trails follow along the lake, which makes it not only scenic, but very peaceful with plenty of photo opportunities. This is a great area for a variety of activities and is a nice area to visit in Tallahassee, Florida. Trails are wooded and easy to navigate and are great for all fitness levels.
Stop by and take a nice walk with a friend!
Torreya State Park
Torreya State Park is located off S.R. 12. on C.R. 1641, 13 miles north of Bristol, Florida. Torreya trees are some of the oldest and hardest to locate in the world. The tree was named after famed botanist John Torrey in the 1800s.
Torreya State Park has great trails and also a nice camping area. We hiked the area and had a great time. There is one trail called the Torreya Challenge but we weren’t able to hike it as the trail was more than 7 miles and we drove from Tallahassee and it was a long drive. I recommend exploring that option of the Torreya Challenge if you are an avid hiker.
Hiking in Florida is always interesting since there are so many “creatures” and I mean snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawlers. But it is also a great hiking area since North Florida is hilly and offers more traditional hiking than other flatter parts of the state.
If you visit the area make a stop at Torreya State Park you will enjoy it!
Let's Hike! 
