This Little-Known Scenic Spot In Ohio That Comes Alive With Color Come Fall
By Sarah McCosham|Published October 09, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
There’s something inherently calming about the water. Gazing upon the placid, glassy surface that reflects the sky and surrounding foliage is good for the heart and soul. Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” is a timeless piece of literature that exalts the power of such natural scenes, and here in Ohio, we have our very own Walden Pond that, while beautiful all year round, is simply sublime come fall. Nestled within the Cincinnati Nature Center, Powel Crosley Lake is a beautiful pool that, when surrounded by the fiery oranges, reds, golds, and yellows of fall, takes on a transcendent kind of beauty that’s simultaneously inspiring and grounding.
The Cincinnati Nature Center has long been a favorite haunt of mine; I grew up in Milford and my family had a membership (my parents are now retired and volunteer there). While summer camp at the Cincinnati Nature Center was always fun, my favorite memories are of the fall hikes we'd take as a family.
Today, as a mom of four, the Cincinnati Nature Center continues to be a place of endless joy and inspiration, and I love taking my kids for long and leisurely hikes on languid weekend afternoons...
...especially during the fall. You see, the Cincinnati Nature Center comes ablaze with color come fall; Rowe Woods is 1,016 acres of pure natural beauty with 14 miles of trails that traverse deciduous woodlands, fields, streams, ponds, wetlands, and forests, giving adventure seekers an immersive experience inside a kaleidoscope of fall color.
But if you don't want to lace up your boots for a hike, you don't have to -- the fall foliage of Southwest Ohio can be appreciated from one of the weather-worn benches on the boardwalk overlooking Powel Crosley Lake.
The Edge Trail is a 0.6-mile loop that meanders around the lake. It's a connector trail many use to "build their own" longer hiking adventure, but at just over a half-mile long, it's really more of a casual stroll than serious hike.
In the fall, the verdant foliage that frames Powel Crosley Lake explodes in a fiery display of red, orange, yellow, and gold, and, when the skies are clear, you'll see this fantastic fall foliage mirrored ad infinitum in the most marvelous, magical way.
Henry David Thoreau spent most of his life in Massachusetts, and Walden Lake was his muse. But here in Ohio, in the heart of it all and hundreds (and hundreds) of miles from Walden Pond, the Cincinnati Nature Center's Powel Crosley Lake is a place of sublime beauty and inspiration; the perfect place to stop and sit and simply enjoy a season that passes by all too quickly.
Have you visited this little-known scenic spot in Ohio before? If you have, you’ll want to double back during the fall because the beauty of this autumnal scene is unrivaled. And if you haven’t? Well, load up the car and head over to Powel Crosely Lake this season! Learn more at the Cincinnati Nature Center website.
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