Cincy Hikes!

Go Hiking

Children and Nature

Winter Activities for Kids

by

Snow Day Adventures

Are the parks open? A lot of the parks in our area are temporarily closed due to the weather.

Before you trek out of your comfy home for a trek in the woods call ahead and see if the location is open. Several parks will close and entering the closed park in a violation that includes a fine.

I love a good snow and I love hiking in the snow. I even love hiking when it is snowing. Mainly because of the sheer quiet that envelops you in a sort of soundless cocoon. A rare treat in the beep and tweet era of our lives.

Snow Day Activities
Snow day snow village snowman

Is The Park Closed?

The problem with winter weather is some of the parks don’t have enough manpower or funds to be able to go in and clean off their roads every time a good snowfall descends covering the park in a thick blanket of snow.

You can also check online to see if the park is open by searching for the park’s name plus alerts closures notifications. Some parks will have updated websites while others, not able to immediately access their websites, will post closures via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

If you happen to get to a park and then discover it is closed, please don’t go in the park. Parks are typically only closed when there is a threat to your health and safety – such as icy trails, landslides, fallen trees, etc.

Mini Snow Village!

(said like an announcer at a wrestling match)

Snow day fun for kids
Snow Village in Lights

Instead of venturing out enjoy some time to goof off near home but outside with my go to snowy activity:

Supplies:

  • Packable snow
  • Food coloring
  • Small spray bottles
  • Water
  • Watercolors
  • Paint brushes
  • Twigs
  • Scrap fabric to make tiny scarves and hats
  • Location for your Snow Village such as window sills, front porch, and railings.

Step 1. Make your snow people but keep them under about 8-9 inches tall.

Step 2. Make your snow village features: castles, bridges, cars, etc.

Step 3. Mix food coloring and water inside of a spray bottle. You’ll want this color to be fairly saturated so it shows well.

Step 4. Create small buildings, horses, dogs to add to your village. To expand problem solving and increase creativity, try to do this with your hands and items you can repurpose.

Step 5. Decorate Your Mini Snow Village by using the Snow Zinger spray to add lots of color, the watercolors to add details, and the scrap fabrics to add some whimsy.

Step 6. Take a few photos and then head inside for some hot chocolate!

Father’s Day Gift

by

Best Father’s Day Gift

Not another necktie!

Give Dad the gift of time together.

Make it easy to find the right trail by investing in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles Cincinnati.

hiking with dad



Hiking in Summer with Kids

by

Summer Break is Here

Breathing hot humid air down our backs and striking up an unexpected thunderstorm or two. But, that doesn’t mean you should cower inside with the ac blasting.

Take your kids on a hike. Any hike will do. But, here is the important part. The part we adults have a problem with, an addiction to, we just can’t help ourselves…stop leading!

Ah! Yes, you read that right.

STOP LEADING

What does that mean? Stop leading the hike. Let the kids lead. Let them go first. Let them be in charge.

Clifton Gorge (4)

STOP DEFINING EVERYTHING

Stop telling your kids what they are seeing and instead you ask them lots and lots of leading questions.

Phenology Book is a field booklet to get them started.

You have a lot of experience with this if you have ever had a three year old.

Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?

Beavercreek WA (69)

Just go on a hike and enjoy watching and learning from your child.

Ask them what they think the tree should be called. When my kids were little a lot of trees were named Steve.

Ask them what they would call a cicada? My kids said cicadas should be called Noisy with big red eyes.

Need to find a hiking trail that is great for kids just getting started?

Sharon Woods‘ trail around the lake is paved, pleasant, and mostly flat.

Beaver Creek Wildlife Area is mostly a boardwalk over the wetland. There are a lot of insects, birds, and mammals here but since it is a wetland the best time to go is early in the morning before it heats up.

Gilmore MetroPark is full of birds and water. This is a trail that heats up through the day so go early.

Caldwell Preserve is wooded and a cool retreat on a warm day. Trails do go up and down hills but nothing a rambunctious child can’t easily handle.

Cincinnati Nature Center is also wooded and hilly for many of its trails plus they have the Nature’s Playground.

If you need more help on getting started hiking buy my book through this link and let me know who to inscribe it to.

Best Spring Hikes

by

Hiking Trails Around the Cincinnati Area — Sort of

Spring is such a  wonderful season.

Especially after a winter that just doesn’t want to go away.

You’re itching to hit the trail and see some spring wildflowers – heck at this point you’ll be thrill with a green leaf!

 DSCN1695

HikeCincy’s Top Spring Hiking Trails are…

(drum roll, please)

  1. Cincinnati Nature Center — Rowe Woods is super hard to beat. Great trails that are clearly marked and well maintained. Grab a map and spend the day wandering around and checking out the vast variety of wildflowers. Wanting to burn off some of that …err…winter weight… Trek up the Far Ridge Trail! Dutchman's britches or breeches
  2. Germantown MetroPark — The trails with Five Rivers MetroParks are all looped based trails. This means if you start on the Orange Trail you’ll eventually get back where you started. For example, if you are on the Orange Trail and then get on the Pink Trail the Pink Trail will reconnect with the Orange Trail. You just have to know your cardinal directions or look at the map.germantown
  3. Cox Arboretum — Flower freaks. I love going here. Your eyes will love it too. There is a mini Monet bridge, gardens for just about anything including butterflies, a massive tower, oh and lots of trails!Cox_winter hike_tree tower (6)
  4. Wilderness Trail, Buzzardroost & Adams Lake SNP — Adams County has the corner on the market for geologically interesting trails. Whether you a climbing through the rocky bits of The Wilderness Trail, looking out across the landscape from the high point of Buzzardroost or checking out the Allegheny Mound Ants at Adams Lake State Nature Preserve — you’ll love it.
  5. Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge — Bird much? Then this is your home away from home. Muscatatuck NWR has water impoundments that managers can raise and lower the water levels in. This means if you like shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, or birds of prey such as eagles and osprey — you are going to be one happy hiker!  Oh, and don’t worry if it rains — the birds don’t!1-DSCN3389Follow on Facebook.