52 Hike Challenge: Month Two Recap

Month two of the 52 hike challenge is officially under my belt! I was able to explore some new areas and visit old favorites as well. While it was a quick month, I made sure to make the most of every hike.

Hike #5: Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, 5 miles 

My friend and I took a road trip to Yellow Springs for the first time and it was such a blast! There is so much to see in this area. We spent the entire day hiking and made sure the explore the cute little town of Yellow Springs and grabbed coffee and food. We visited Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park and Glen Helen Nature Preserve. Our longest hike was at Clifton Gorge (pictured above). The water is incredibly blue, the trails are well maintained and everyone we encountered was friendly. We even discovered some small waterfalls when we ventured off the trail.

Hike #6: Whipps Ledges, 1.3 miles 

We had a beautiful, sunny day for this hike and overall it was a great day. My husband and I went to visit friends who had just had a baby. They live in the Medina area, so we decided Whipps Ledges would be the perfect spot to check out after the visit. We had the trail almost entirely to ourselves. This was only my second time visiting this area, but I will definitely be back. The jutted out ledges were majestic and we loved climbing them and seeing the park from all different perspectives.

Hike #7: Lake to Lake Trail, 4.8 miles 

The Lake-to-Lake Trail is Middleburg Heights is an interesting area. The trail is roughly 5 miles out and back. It starts with a beautiful boardwalk, takes you through a parking lot/road and a hospital, then another pretty boardwalk surrounded by a marsh and wetlands. This area is my favorite to visit in the summer time. It’s also a great place to  bike ride!

Hike #8: Cascade Park, 4.5 miles 

Cascade Parks is one of my favorite areas, because of it’s massive waterfall and the cave underneath it that you walk through. The area is tucked away below neighborhoods and is lesser known than some other surrounding parks. I love coming back here during different seasons to see how the water changes the entire landscape. The main entrance is currently closed, so be sure to park at the East Falls area which is located right by the police station.

March will definitely be an interesting month, just based on the fact that the weather fluctuates so much. One weekend I will be hiking in a snowstorm, the next I’m sure it’ll be 65 and sunny. I’m looking forward to another month of beautiful views!