91. Little Miami Scenic Trail
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 22 miles through numerous counties in Oh
Description: The best bike trail in the region is also a walking-and-hiking trail. The Little Miami Scenic Trail is a paved bikeway that runs nearly 22 miles along a former railroad track from Milford in Clermont County through Loveland in Hamilton County and into Morrow in Warren County. Watch out for fast-moving bikes.
92. Miami Whitewater Forest
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 367-4774
Description: At 3,906 acres, this is the largest park in the Hamilton County Park District. There are 3 miles of nature paths, a 7.8-mile walking trail, and a 1.2-mile inner loop for the less adventurous.
93. Mount Airy Forest
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 352-4094
Address: 5083 Colerain Avenue
Description: Though city parks aren’t often known for their hiking trails, the ones at Mount Airy are superb. At 1,466 acres, Mount Airy is the largest municipal park and forest in the nation. There are miles of hiking trails through a forest that boasts a million hardwoods and conifers.
94. Shawnee Lookout Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: The park’s self-guided trails are marked with numbered stakes that are keyed to brochures, which are available by calling ahead. Terrain is hills, woods, ravines, and creeks, with some terrific overlooks offering a panoramic view of three states as well as the Ohio and Great Miami Rivers. Both the Little Turtle and Blue Jacket Trails offer restrooms and drinking water and are good for the beginning hiker. Archaeology buffs will appreciate the 12-acre fort built by an ancient people, with walls built atop steep slopes.
95. Stonelick State Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 625-7544
Address: 2895 Lake Drive
Description: Stonelick includes shelters, a modern campground with tent sites, and 7 miles of foot trails. Warning: Much of the hiking trails are on level, poorly draining soil. During the late winter and spring, it’s soggy, but it’s one of the best places to spot butterflies or wildflowers, if you’re so inclined. Terrain is primarily flat forest.
96. East Fork Stable & Lodge
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 797-7433
Address: 2215 Snyder Road
Description: East Fork Stables teaches English saddle, western, and endurance saddle riding lessons for kids and adults, beginners to advanced. Lessons are available for $20 to $45 per hour. The four-day summer pony camps for kids teach all aspects of riding, grooming, and horse care for $225. You can also hop a horse and ride East Fork’s 50 miles of trails for $45 for 1.5 hours. There’s an overnight camping lodge and cabins available for $100.
97. Little Miami Scenic Trail
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 22 miles through numerous counties in Oh
Description: The Little Miami Scenic Trail runs nearly 22 miles along a former railroad track from Milford in Clermont County through Loveland in Hamilton County and into Morrow in Warren County. Although primarily a trail for bikers and hikers, horseback riding is also encouraged.
98. Winton Woods Riding Center
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 931-3057, (513) 728-3551
Address: 10073 Daly Road
Description: The center is in Winton Woods, which is part of the Hamilton County Park system. It offers riding lessons in English, western, jumping, and dressage. The center also offers a day camp in the summer for $250 and horse shows throughout the horse show season. Trail rides cost $29 for 75 minutes.
99. YMCA Western Ranch Camp
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (859) 586-6181
Description: The YMCA Western Ranch Camp is a summer riding camp for youngsters ages nine and older. Camp is $425, with a $25 discount for Y members, and is offered at various times during the summer.
100. Climbing Wall
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 529-6888
Description: Students and nonstudents alike can do a “Try Climb” at the facility for just $4. Then if you like it, you can take a class at $25 each to learn more about rock climbing. After that, the climbing is $2.50 once you pay the $8.00 to get in the recreation center.
101. RockQuest
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 733-0123
Address: 3475 East Kemper Road
Description: RockQuest has more than 18,000 square feet of climbing surface with something for both beginners and advanced rock climbers. It has textured and sculpted walls. Cost is $14 daily with a $4 shoe rental and $4 harness rental. There is an instruction course for $7, for which reservations are required.
102. Cincinnati Rowing Center
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 352-3660
Description: The Cincinnati Rowing Center at Sawyer Point offers classes and facilities for rowing indoors. It has a rowing tank inside the building, which is in the basement of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse.
103. Perfect North Slopes
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (812) 537-3754, (513) 381-7517
Address: 19640 Indiana Highway 1
Description: With 70 acres of tree-lined trails and wide-open slopes, Perfect North is the region’s top skiing facility. There are five chairlifts and seven rope tows, a ski school, a “slow skiing” zone for nervous novices, and much more. The pro shop can outfit you with any equipment you need, available for rental or purchase, and also specializes in boot repair, waxing, and binding. The resort, which uses man-made snow when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, offers skiing all day every day and late nights on the weekends, racing clinics, and racing camps. Season passes are available for $338 in the off-season to $520 in peak season. A single lift ticket on weekends is $43.
104. Cincinnati Sports Club
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 527-4000
Address: 3950 Red Bank Road
Description: Softball is so big in Cincinnati that an estimated 1,200 softball teams are fielded each year—and that’s probably a conservative estimate. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission, 805 Central Avenue, (513) 352-4000, organizes some mighty good amateur baseball leagues that may include former minor and major leaguers. Local recreation commissions (see subsequent section), employers, churches, and bars organize softball teams or can help set you up. The following softball complexes also organize leagues:
105. Kolping Society
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (513) 851-7951
Address: 10235 Mill Road
Description: Softball is so big in Cincinnati that an estimated 1,200 softball teams are fielded each year—and that’s probably a conservative estimate. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission, 805 Central Avenue, (513) 352-4000, organizes some mighty good amateur baseball leagues that may include former minor and major leaguers. Local recreation commissions (see subsequent section), employers, churches, and bars organize softball teams or can help set you up. The following softball complexes also organize leagues: