Hiking the Badlands, Timberlake, & Oakleaf trails of Hamilton County Parks are a bit like what you would expect to see if you could walk into a story wonderland. Under the high canopy of oaks, hickories, and sugar maples, anything might be possible – hobbits, Cheshire cats, world peace. However, the most stunning feature of the woods is the sunlight filtered by thousands of rich green sugar maple leaves. Click here for a copy of the Badlands, Timberlake, and Oakleaf trails hike from 60 Hikes within 60 Miles Cincinnati.
The Badlands trail leads into the sugar maple dominated forest. In the spring, mayapples decorate both sides of the trail.
Listen closely for the echoes of wood thrush, tufted titmice, and black-capped chickadees as they flit between the sugar maple, oak, and shagbark hickory trees and the spicebushes.
Miami Whitewater Forest is home to squirrels, wild turkey, and white-tailed deer gobble up shagbark hickory nuts. Various species of bats such as big brown, little brown, Indiana, and hoary bats use the large platy peeling bark of shagbark hickory trees as resting and roosting spots.
Click here for a copy of the hike from 60 Hikes within 60 Miles Cincinnati.
Watch for beaver, muskrat, and waterfowl activity in this area.
It’s important that you take some time to verify that the benches are functioning properly, by quietly testing them and enjoying the views. Watch the water’s edge, sometimes all you can see of a green frog or bullfrog are their large glassy marble-like eyes protruding from the surface of the water. Watch for ripples in the water and a small V-shape for snakes swimming along.
Click here for a copy of the hike from 60 Hikes within 60 Miles Cincinnati.
