Cincinnati Nature Center: Nature Playscape Grand Opening

There are so many activities and destinations geared toward children in the Cincinnati region that it can be hard to choose what to do or where to go on any given day.  But when I heard about the new Nature Playscape opening at the Cincinnati Nature Center, I knew I had to be there with the boys to check it out.  In his opening remarks, Bill Hopple, CNC's Executive Director spoke about the fact that there are many natural areas to explore with children, but oftentimes there are rules to follow:  Stay on the trail, Don't pick the flowers, Don't climb the trees, Stay out of the stream.


At the Nature Playscape, it's "Opposite Day," as my 4 year old would say.  Children are encouraged to climb on the trees, build a fort, pick the flowers, play barefoot in the stream, and more.  The Playscape was designed for kids to have a hands-on experience within a nature preserve without anyone telling them what not to do.  After making a bee-line to the cookie and lemonade table set up for the grand opening, my sons got busy jumping, climbing, digging, and wading.  

Cookies and Lemonade Always Come First!

Inside the Playscape, mulch and gravel paths wind throughout the 1.6 acres of fields planted with native plants and lead to various play areas.  The main attraction is the stream which includes a small waterfall to climb and plenty of stones for building dams.

The Stream

Miles Prepares to Descend the Waterfall

Marshall and Miles Navigate the Stream

Surrounding the stream are play areas.  We managed to visit most of them.  Following are some photos of the areas we encountered in no special order.

Dirt Hill--Our Favorite!

Ring of Upright Logs

It's a Fort, It's a Balance Beam

Hidden "Cave"

We Could Stay Here All Day

All Natural Jungle Gym

Look at Me Mom!

Sand Pit--a Classic

I also observed a gravel pit, more dirt piles, and some older kids building a fort in the woods with fallen branches.  One little fella spent his whole time building a very functional dam in the stream.

After our exploration which lasted a good two hours, we ventured back outside of the fenced-in Playscape and followed a short path to check out the nearby picturesque "Matt's Pond" and Abner Hollow Cabin.

By this time, hunger and exhaustion began to set in and when the boys started pushing and shoving one another down by the pond, I knew it was time to go.  On our way back to the parking lot, we passed through a picnic grove and I made a note to pack a lunch on our next visit.

All in all, the Nature Playscape is a neat destination for the kids.  Because it is fenced in, parents can let the youngsters roam at will while relaxing on a nearby bench if they wish.  

The idea of natural playscapes is a trend that is gaining momentum.  There is a lot of discussion about bringing children closer to nature and the need to combat parents' fears about letting kids roam free in the woods.  Children certainly have less opportunity to roam wild places close to home now than when I was young.  My childhood neighborhood of woods and farmland has given way to suburbs with paved roads and manicured lawns.  Nature preserves are essential to protect our lands from over-development, but they become so protected that kids are not always free to get down and dirty with their surroundings. Natural playscapes, built into places such as  the Cincinnati Nature Center provide a balance between the need to preserve nature and allow children to explore without rules and boundaries.  

I am still a big advocate for taking your kids on all kinds of trails--preserved and wild.  It's not the playscape that creates the experience, it's parents and caregivers providing the opportunity to experience nature.  If parents are fearful of "the backwoods"  and all the dangers therein, perhaps natural playscapes can provide a worry-free place to get their children (and themselves) back in touch with nature  The Nature Playscape at CNC is a great introduction to the wonders of the natural world;  but if you go, why not begin with a hike on one of the many trails within the park?  There are some things that can not be re-created by human hands in a playscape, such as the smells of old rocks in a slow-flowing stream, moss on a rotting tree, or lumps of wet autumn leaves lining the forest floor;  or a glimpse of a deer close by and the deep silence that covers the ears in the thick of the woods.  There is a difference to playing in a controlled natural environment and communing with nature in the wild.  The good thing about CNC is that you can have both experiences, all in one place. 

Fast Facts: Sharon Woods

11450 Lebanon Road
Sharonville, OH  45241
http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/parks/sharonwoods.shtm


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Kids Will Like

• Playground
• Indoor Play Area and Nature Displays
• Outdoor Water Playground
• Boating on Sharon Lake
• Hikes Along the Gorge and Around the Lake
• 19th Century Village
• Special Events for Kids

Good to Know

• Admission: $3.00 daily or $10.00 for the year
• Small fees for Indoor Play Area, Water Park, or Boat Rental
• Heritage Village is Free for ages 4 and under (Small fees ages 5+)  
• Picnic Shelters Available for Reserve
• Snack Bar at Water Park
• Gift Shop at Visitor's Center
• Restrooms and Water Fountains Available
• Golf Course on Site

Synopsis

Sharon Woods is one of the large Hamilton County Parks which offers something for everyone:  nature, history, art, sports, and relaxation, togetherness, or alone time.  Our hike on the Gorge Trail featured waterfalls and educational signs to enhance our experience.  The paved trail around the lake is perfect for a good stroller workout.  The water park is a must-do summer activity for kids and the 19th century Heritage Village is an added attraction not found in most local parks.  The convenient location also makes this a definite go-to park throughout the year.

Links
Heritage Village Museum

Trail Tale: Sharon Woods, Gorge Trail

By the end of March in Cincinnati, the family is going stir crazy.  Not enough sun and very little signs that spring is around the corner.  To give Mother Nature a little encouragement, we all headed out for a hike on a gray, chilly Saturday at Sharon Woods in Sharonville.  We chose to take the Gorge Trail and walk along the creek.  Sharon Woods also has a multi-use paved trail which circles Sharon Lake.


We began at the trail's south entrance.  When arriving at the park from Route 42, take the first left.  There will be parking on your left near a picnic area.  To get to the trail head, cross the street and walk a few yards further down the road.  You will be greeted by a sign for the trail:

This end of the trail also closer to the visitor's center where you can find an indoor play area--a great place to go with pre-schoolers in the winter--a nature display area, restrooms, and a gift shop.  There is also a room which contains revolving nature-themed art exhibits.  Just outside the nature center is a play area and beyond that, the Heritage Village Living Museum.  Visit the park's website for more information.


Let's get to the trail!

The path is gravel and plenty wide.  Since it goes out and back, there are a lot of people and dogs to pass along the way.  Even on this chilly day, we encountered enough people and their pets to make it a friendly hike, but no so many that it felt crowded.  Shortly into the walk, you get a good look at the gorge on your right.  My younger son demonstrates the meaning of "gorge" as he gets a little too close to the edge!

In the beginning of the trail, it's important to keep an eye (and a hand) on small children.  Later, there are fences near the dangerous areas.  Just ahead, we encounter our first waterfall.

The boys and their Dad take some time to toss pebbles into the creek while I repeat "be careful, be careful" like a mantra.  There is a nice deck and bench for those who would rather contemplate the falls than to risk falling off the bank.

We venture on, further into the woods.  You can see the steep drop in the following picture:

Soon the trail moves away from the edge of the gorge and I find it's okay to exhale and start enjoying the hike.

There are several attractive informational signs created by the Hamilton County Park District along the way creating an added educational experience especially for older kids, like me.  Here is just one example, which discusses animals in the area during the Ice Age:

About half-way into the hike, the trail crosses the creek with a solid wooden bridge.

Here is a view of the creek from the middle of the bridge:

The next section of trail passes by a small portion of the 18-hole Sharon Woods Golf Course.  But my oldest, Marshall doesn't notice.  He is too busy balancing on logs from a fallen tree.

Next up is a neat-looking tree that contains three large trunks coming from the same root ball.

And, of course, it beckons to be climbed upon.

This would make a great spot to kick back and read a novel all day--in another lifetime, anyway... Just behind this tree, I spot my first sign that spring is indeed on it's way!  This may be the bud of a Buckeye tree, but I'm not a botanist, so I'd have to see it in bloom to know for sure.  What promise lies in this perfect little bud!  

Next, we come across another of the creek's Falls and Miles and I stop at the deck to admire them.

Marshall, however, is off and running through the woods!

The picture above is a good representation of how most of the trail appears.  If you look closely, you can see some green growing up from the matted brown leaves.  Most of the plants are wild onions.  


Only in the last leg of the trail do we find a slope with footholds to give us an extra workout.

Once at the top, we get a glimpse of Sharon Lake's waterfall as it empties into the creek beneath a pretty stone bridge.

The trail ends at the road across from the lake.  Watch for cars when crossing.  My kids had their eye on the lake and would have just run out into the road if we had not been aware!  

If you enter Sharon Woods from Kemper Road, you will be closer to the lake than the Visitor's Center and can reach the Gorge Trail by passing the large parking lot for the lake, then turning left.  There will be a small parking lot for the trail on your right.  You could also hop on the paved trail that circles the lake at this point.  A future post will be dedicated to the loop trail.  On this day, we gazed at the lake for a bit and then headed back the way we came.

We ended our day out at the park by driving over to Adventure Station, the indoor play area at Sharon Centre, where we also made use of the water fountains and restrooms and found warmth for our chilly bones. 

I look forward to returning to Sharon Woods to explore the Heritage Village.  In summer, this park has an outdoor water park for the kids near the lake.  It's also possible to rent pedal boats, rowboats, motor boats, pontoon boats, or canoes.  And if you like to fish, the boathouse offers supplies.  


Sharon Woods is one of the "Big Four" of the Hamilton County Parks, along with Miami Whitewater, Woodland Mound, and Winton Woods.  It's the kind of park that offers something for everyone.  It's big enough for family reunions, "stay"-cations, and day trips, yet close enough and small enough to visit often and spend just an hour or two at a time.  The two hours we spent hiking and playing inside was just the mini-break our family needed from long winter days spent indoors.

Trail Tale 1: Lindner Park, McCullough Estate Nature Preserve, November 2010

One day about a year ago, I stumbled upon this little gem of a nature preserve on the border of Norwood and Pleasant Ridge while taking a round-about way home from a lunch date.  I was hoping the ride would lull the boys into a nap, but we ended up exploring the trails instead.  I am somewhat familiar with the city of Norwood (I worked at the local library and later rented an apartment there for about a year), but I hadn't explored the area north of the Lateral where Lindner Park is located on a sleepy side street which features some really neat old homes, including those once occupied by members of the McCullough family.  So, finding this lovely and historically interesting site felt like I'd just discovered a secret treasure--of course, most of the hikes this year have felt that way since they are all new to me.


On a sunny Friday this past November, I took the boys back to Lindner Park to capture some photos for this blog entry and enjoy the beautiful day.  The inviting entrance to the park is off of Cypress Way.

A small paved parking lot is down the driveway, past the historic McCullough House, and on the left.  A very nice, shady picnic area is located at the end of the driveway near the parking lot with fairly new picnic tables, trash cans, and a working water fountain.  I did not get a photo of the picnic area for some reason, but this is the view from that spot looking toward a formal garden and the house beyond.

We found the restrooms in the building shown below, to the left of the garage doors.  In this view the picnic area is on the right, the house is on the left, and the woods are to my back.

Turning around, we found a trail head to the woods beside a bench overlooking the gardens.  After a quick snack and trip to the restroom, the boys were ready to go!

[NOTE:  This hike is divided into two posts--this post covers the Pawpaw trail at Lindner Park and the following post will describe the Cypress Trail.]


Just a few yards into the hike, we came to the first of several spectacular big trees.  These really stand out in comparison to the smaller, newer trees which make up much of these woods.

Some are nicely labelled, as you can see with this American Sweetgum:

And here we go down the trail...

Soon into the walk, we pass by the remnants of some old structures on the property...

...and quickly encounter a brand-new structure.  This sturdy fence protects hikers from a drop in the landscape and runs alongside the trail. 

It's hard to keep two active boys from climbing the fence, though I did succeed in keeping their climbs to a minimum.

The view is over a small ravine containing a creek and the trail eventually descends to that point.  A big Sycamore looms up from the ravine and I can't help but notice my shadow in it's trunk as I lean onto the fence.  Can you see it?

The trail continues on a little ways before it dips down toward the creek.  It's a bit steep and my 2 year old needed some help, but there are plenty of roots to serve as footholds.  The photos below give you an idea.

Shortly after the descent, we come to the first of two foot bridges (no handrails) crossing the small creek--always a point of interest for the kids.

Soon after the bridge we make a huge discovery--Nature's Own Jungle Gym!!

Welcome to the Jungle Gym

Enjoy Your Stay

Use Caution While Climbing

All Sticks Must Remain in the Play Area

Please Do Not Swing on the Vines

Benches Are Provided for Resting

Come Back Soon!

I took a ton of pictures of the boys at this awesome little nook in the woods created by a fallen tree.  These are only a select few--I could add more, but then I'd be gushing.  It was a lot of fun though and certainly a feature to enjoy.  On down the trail, you walk alongside the creek, which was very dry as all the creeks have been this year.  Soon we came to the second foot bridge.

Here is where a hint of sewage invaded the air.  It is known, according to the park brochure, that "Unfortunately, the creek receives sewer water from Cincinnati and at times can be an unpleasant place to be."  Yep.  It wasn't overpowering on this day, but still, we didn't linger for very long.  We made our way along the other side of the creek and eventually up some stone steps that took us back up to the restrooms and parking lot.

This completed our venture on the Pawpaw Trail.  With our stop and spontaneous photo shoot at the "jungle gym", this portion of the walk took us 35 minutes.  We decided to continue our hike on the Cypress Trail. Please see the entry which follows for the description of the Cypress Trail!