Trail Tale: Otto Armleder Memorial Park, September 2010

Today we decided to take in the cool breeze and sunny skies while investigating the nature trail at Otto Armleder Memorial Park.  Usually we head straight to the playground and on the last two visits, we walked the paved trails, played in the Little Miami River, and threw stones in a small fishing pond which is tucked in at the base of a hillside beyond the soccer fields.  This time, I passed by the playground--promising my protesting boys a visit after our hike--and drove beyond the dog park to the Little Miami Access area and the trail head.  Parking is permitted in the grass. Somehow I persuaded the kids to skip the river this time around and let Marshall choose the direction of our hike, either to the Left or the Right.  He chose Right.

So, off we went.  At first, it seemed like a perfect path for the boys with plenty of room and only grass growing on the edge of the trail.  But after about 2 minutes in, the trail became overgrown enough that I decided to turn back and try the other direction.

 Again, it began as a lovely little hike...

We made it about 8 minutes before encountering the same problem, except this time there was plenty of poison ivy reaching it's threatening leaves into the pathway.  I have a huge fear of the three-leaved plant since I've had horrible experiences with rashes in the past.  I wish it wasn't such a deterrent and I could just barrel through.  But, I find it too difficult to keep myself and the two boys from brushing against the stuff when it's growing over the trail.

Leaves of Three--XXX!

I suppose overgrown trails are a given when hiking in the height of summer, but it is still a disappointment to have to turn back so soon.  All was not lost, though.  The boys still had fun finding a stick... 

Miles with Stick

...and a feather.

Marshall with Feather

Even fifteen minutes on a trail with a river view and tall trees reaching into a clear blue sky is better than nothing.

I'm not giving up on this trail just yet--I'll be back in the fall.  But, at this time, my favorite part of Otto Armleder Memorial are the paved paths that run along restored prairie land and the chance to wade  and skip stones in the Little Miami River.  As a whole--this is a great place to encounter nature with the boys.  (See my August 2010 post for more information).  And they really love the playground.

Fast Facts: Otto Armleder Memorial Park

5057 Wooster Pike
Cincinnati, OH  45226
http://cincyparks.com/parks-events/east-region/otto-armleder-park/
http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/parks/armlederpark.htm


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Kids Will Like

• Playground
• Seeing Airplanes from Lunken Airport Flying Overhead
• Running, Playing Ball or Frisbee, Flying Kites in Open Fields
• Riding Bikes or Walking on Paved Bike Trail
• Spotting Wildlife in the Prairies/Meadows and Along Hiking Trails
• Wading and Throwing Stones in the Little Miami River (when water level is low)
• Watching Dogs Romp Around Dog Park

Good to Know

• No Admission Fees
• Paved Parking Lot
• Stroller Friendly Paved Path-1.9 miles
• Playground Area
• Designed for Ages 2-5
• Water Fountain
• Shelter with Picnic Tables
• Restroom Rating:  A+
• Playground is Not Shaded
• Little Miami River Access Area
• Parking Allowed in Grass
• Bike Rack Available
• No Restrooms or Water Fountain
• Hiking Trails
• Trail Head Located Near River--Follow Park Signs
• Trails Run Beside River
• Overgrown in Late Summer
• Poison Ivy Present 
• Dog Park On Site
• Small Fishing Pond On Site
• Park Closes if Flooding Occurs
• Soccer Fields

Synopsis
This park seems most commonly known for it's dog park, playground, and paved trails--all excellent facilities that see plenty of use, but are never overcrowded.  There is a nice hiking trail that runs along the Little Miami River as well as an access point to the river that deserves more attention.  At this summertime writing, I have only hiked a very small portion of the trail since it was too overgrown to continue with kids in tow. I look forward to a fall or winter hike--especially if the river freezes.  Now, that would be neat!
  

Historical Information
Otto Armleder: 
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/armleder/armleder.htm

Informational Sign about Otto Armleder at the Playground Area

Paved Trail

Hiking Trail

Little Miami River in August

Fast Facts: Avoca Trailhead

8063 Wooster Pike
Cincinnati, OH  45227
http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/parks/littlemiamigolfcenter.htm



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Kids Will Like

• Close-up view of the Little Miami River
• Throwing Stones into the Water
• Riding Bikes on the Little Miami Scenic Trail
• Playing Ball or Frisbee in Field Nearby
• Spotting Butterflies Along the Trail

Good to Know

• Hamilton County Parks Sticker Required
• Paved Parking Lot--Plenty of Spaces
• Small Covered Shelter with Picnic Tables
• Water Fountains Available
• Bathroom Rating:  A
• Bike Trail is Busy in Summer
• Strollers Welcome on Bike Trail / Possible on Hiking Trail

Synopsis


[August, 2010]  The Avoca Trailhead Park is a small, but very busy place with cyclists, runners, and walkers starting out on a trip from the paved parking lot or making a pit-stop to utilize the restrooms, water fountains, and small shaded picnic area.  With a big enough grassy field, people playing soccer, baseball, frisbee, and such can easily utilize this park as well.  The hiking trail is fairly short, about a 15 minute hike one-way, and ends at the banks of the Little Miami River.  Caution should be taken after rain as the water may be high.  I recommend holding hands!  If the water is low, however, there is a large "beach" of smooth stones to wander upon while getting a good look at this lovely State and National Scenic River as it rounds a bend. 

Further Information


Little Miami State Scenic River:  http://dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/1862/default.aspx
Little Miami Bike Trail:  http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/miami.htm
Armstrong Family Mills:  http://www.indianhill.org/History/Ppl003.htm 
Armstrong Family Mills: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohhamilt/histhc/254c.htm

Trail Tale: Avoca Trailhead, August 2010

I usually think of cabin fever as a wintertime occurrence, but the stifling August heat can also do the trick.  To avoid a scene like a WWF-style cage match in our basement / playroom--yikes, I decided to take an early, short hike at Hamilton County Parks' Avoca Trailhead off Wooster Pike between Mariemont and Terrace Park.  From the parking lot, he trailhead is located across the Little Miami Bike Trail and behind a small picnic shelter.  You can see it in the very center of the photo below between the two tall trees.

An informational sign provided by Hamilton County Parks marks the beginning of the trail which ends at the edge of the Little Miami River.

[A little Google searching led me to some historical information about the Armstrong family.  I placed a couple links at the bottom of the blog entry 'Fast Facts: Avoca Trailhead.' if interested.]


The trail starts with plenty of room and even terrain and turns into what looks like an old driveway for a few feet before narrowing down again. 

Along the way, we spotted a few splashes of wildflowers among the green, green understory.  Looking through the sun-dappled woods, I caught glimpses of some small, open prairies with patches of tall yellow flowers that could have been Wingstem or Brown-Eyed Susan.  If the boys weren't trudging along ahead, I may have been tempted to venture off the trail a bit to get a closer look, but then I would be breaking the code of conduct to stay on the marked trail and not disturb the wilderness!  I think, instead, I'll remember to bring my binoculars next time I hike (and some plant identification guides).  It would be fun to have the boys use the binoculars and try to find the plant in a book--if I could get them to stop long enough! 

About halfway into the short hike, I found a cool tree to add to my collection of cool tree photos.  Check it out:

It almost looks like an eye is peering at you from the bark--kind of eerie.  But no, it's a street sign lodged in the tree with the bark growing over most of the letters.  I wonder how it got there?  A person, most likely.  Or perhaps the river flooded after a storm and the rushing water hurtled the sign into the tree!  Okay, probably not.  Hiking always stirs my imagination...


Getting toward the end of the trail, the path becomes more congested and the plants tower above our heads.  You can tell you are quite close to the river when you reach a fork in the trail, as seen in the picture below.

Either one leads to the river, but the one to the left is a bit easier to navigate, even though the plants close in on you quite a bit.  There is a little patch of poison ivy stretching into the path as well.  And, it dips down just enough so that you have to watch your footing.  If I had a stroller, I'd probably park it near the fork in the path.  I ended up carrying my youngest, Miles (in football hold, of course) and grabbed Marshall's hand to steer him through the ivy. 


We suddenly encountered another hiker at the dip and she graciously stood back into the tall plants to let us bumble our way past.  The last time I hiked this trail, in the spring, the river was high and I'd say, dangerous if you are not careful.  But on this sweltering August day, I was delighted to find plenty of space to let the boys roam.  Their eyes were big at the wide beach of smooth stones before them and they each set out to toss as many of the stones as possible into the river lazing by.

In the olden days of cabrewing (ahem--canoeing!), this would have made a perfect spot for the crew to put down the oars and take a little "snack" break.  But today, I just enjoyed the beautiful scene, so deserving of it's status as a State and National Scenic River.  And, tried to keep Miles from getting too close to the flowing water. 

It was still before noon, but the humidity had already wet our brows and the boys were getting red-cheeked.  The hardest part of our hike was coaxing poor Miles to leave his beloved rocks.  He ended up in the football hold once more and we made our way back along the trail.  I noticed the canopy to this patch of woods and realized there were quite a few massive Sycamore trees providing our shade.  If my camera had not run out of batteries at the river, I would have snapped a few shots of their tall, wide trunks and papery bark--next time.


We ended our hike at the small picnic shelter, used the water pump to cool our faces, and gobbled up a quick snack while chatting with a friendly Biker...I mean, Cyclist--sorry guy, next time I'll get it right!  All in all a quick, enjoyable hike that I can come back to anytime I need to deter the boys from duking it out in the basement during a hot summer spell.