09 March 2010

Embshoff Woods - Off Trail

So, son was begging me to take another off-trail hike, and I had my eye on Embshoff Woods, since I had never been there and it is only a five minute drive from downtown, and we only had an hour or so to spare. The park entrance is in Delhi township, but the eastern half of the park appears to be inside the city limits. The park is run by Hamilton Country Park District, and the main part has picnic shelters and a parcourse trail.

So we went to the end of the drive, to the last picnic shelter and began walking. At first we got a bit lost, but after a while we found a path that apparently was an old farm driveway from Sedamsville up to a long-gone farm house. I estimate the change in elevation from the valley to the top to be almost 200'.

You can tell it is an old farm trail because there are traces of farm fence on either side of the drive, and it is wide for a vehicle. It also has many sugar maples, which may have been planted, who knows. The trail has many fallen trees across it, but it is wide and an easy walk as it goes down and bends to right:


Sap running out of a damaged maple tree


There was a nice, steep stream going down between the hills. Maybe much of the year this is dry, but today it was bubbly with water from melting snow. I'm not sure, but I think this is a nameless stream that flows into the now subterranean Bold Face Creek down at "Pete Rose Park" in Sedamsville.


mushrooms


It was very peaceful and quiet here, with just the sound of the stream. Strange for being in the middle of the city.


We had to hike back up, as the trail ends at a little street, named Eatondale.


Sycamore:


tree in sunlight:


Sedamsville is a fascinating neighborhood, with some very early buildings, very steep hills, but we weren't there to look at Sedamsville today, maybe next time. While leaving, this one home did catch my eye:
[where: 232 Fairbanks Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45204]

The civil war era house on Eatondale is also interesting, but I didn't get a picture of it. I need to start carrying my real camera and quit using these cell phone pics.

UPDATE: Map of Embshoff Woods:
 


Our hike in red:
 

4 comments:

Heather said...

I recommend Caldwell Nature Preserve off of North Bend Rd. for some great old growth forests. It is also a very quiet park with lots of fun hike features: logs to climb over, hills to hike, streams to cross, valleys to look over. And TONS of paw paw trees!

CityKin said...

Our kids have gone to Caldwell a few times for nature camps. Much bigger trees there than at Embshoff.

Unknown said...

My Dad grew up in Sedamsville. Next time you hike there, give a call!

Dave said...

Mike -
That looks like my kind of territory up along the trees and stream. Very nice!