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Trails in
Hueston Woods
State Park
3,000 acres and about
40 miles of trails make
Hueston Woods State Park
one of greater Cincinnati's better bets for
outdoor activity.
With dedicated hiking,
biking, and horse riding trails, and within easy
driving time from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hueston
Woods State Park is well worth the trip.
My trail picks for this park
are: Hiking - Big
Woods (Note: dogs are NOT allowed on this
trail) almost two miles of hiking through 200
acres of old growth forest in the
Hueston Woods Nature Preserve. Biking
- The moderate
loop has wonderful sweeping turns. Horse
Riding - Loop B
will wind you through a few miles of well
maintained trails with a beautiful creek at the
midpoint.
Individual Trail Details
West Shore Trail -
Follow the the edge of Acton
lake for three quarters of a mile, turn around
and retrace your steps back to the Sugar shack
parking area. The lake edges weren't
particularly awe inspiring, mostly because of
the accumulated trash that had washed ashore.
Unless the area has been cleaned up your best
bet is to enjoy a picnic near the fishing pier
and then take the Blue Heron loop trail.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Blue Heron Trail
-
A very pleasant and enjoyable
walk through the sugarbush (woods of mature
maple trees tapped for maple syrup) in the
hillsides above Acton Lake. Park near the sugar
shack where the maple is boiled into maple
syrup. If you brave the elements and go in late
winter when the sap is running you'll enjoy not
only a walk but perhaps learn about the craft of
making maple syrup.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Sugar Bush Trail
-
 Wind your way through three
quarters of a mile of broad paths that follow
the route of syrup wagons early each Spring.
These woods are still used to collect Maple sap
for creating Maple syrup.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
Big Woods Trail -
 Parts of
this one and three quarter mile trail wind
through the Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve.
A national natural landmark of 200 ought acres
of old growth forest. You've got your pick of
four trail heads to get onto this trail. If
walking in solitude isn't your thing, bring a
human companion as dogs are NOT allowed.
Over-all for a short
afternoon outing the Big Woods trail can fill
your need to get out. You'll see some of the
last remaining mature woods in Ohio while you're
on it and like most trails in this park is very
well marked.
As you can see, from the
contour lines above, you'll be traversing a few
ravines. Not to worry though as all of the
streams have bridges constructed over them. No
muddy shoes here!
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
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Woods Trail List
Cedar Falls Trail
-
Meander with a feeder creek
of Acton Lake for eight tenths of a mile and
enjoy the views from a bluff overlooking the
stream. Cedar Falls itself is nothing to write
home about. It's pretty enough for a small (very
small) shelf falls but again nothing terribly
spectacular. Of course, going for a walk in the
woods is reason enough and a pretty little falls
is just icing on the cake.
Unlike most of the other
trails at Hueston Woods this trail is NOT marked
well. It's not as though you're going to be out
for days on end but you could easily wonder for
an hour before making it back to the Sycamore
Grove Campground.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
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Hedge Apple Trail
-
Start at the trailhead across
the road from the marina parking area. A shade
over a half mile long you'll feel the initial
slight but steady climb if you take the right
hand branch when the trail divides. Don't worry
this is a loop trail and after your uphill walk
you'll enjoy the downhill ease on your way back!
Make this a one way trail by
hopping on the Big Woods trail at about the
halfway point.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Mud Lick Trail -
If you're staying at the
Hueston Woods lodge this hike after breakfast
makes for a good way to start the day.
If you don't feel up to the
entire one and one quarter mile loop there are
several connector trails that you can use to
shorten the hike. I'd recommend walking the
entire route. The trail winds through mature
trees and in several spots has nice overlooks of
Acton Lake. Several wooden bridges help to keep
you out of the mud (and there's not much of
that) as well as make the several ravine
crossings easier .
I was never able to get good
explanation for the name. Maybe the folks who
built the trail were having a bad day.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
Pine Loop Trail -
Park in the Sycamore grove
parking lot and cross the road for access to
this trail through the Sycamore Trail. Well
placed signs will guide you. While hiking this
trail I came across several large (pileated?)
woodpeckers as well as the ubiquitous white tail
deer. Combining this trail with the Sycamore
Trail makes a fairly easy loop of just under 2
miles total.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Sycamore Trail -
Park in the Sycamore grove
parking lot and cross the road, you'll see the
the trailhead sign easily. About 3 quarters of a
mile long you'll wind along a stream or two that
feed into Acton Lake. Very little elevation
change and quite enjoyable, although... I did
come across what seemed to be the local party
spot. As long as you were looking at the lake it
was a great view. Anyplace else and you had an
overflowing garbage can to see and smell.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
Mountain Bike Trails
Mountain Bike
Novice -
Park in the bike rental lot
at take off on the GREEN blazes. There are two
segments, totaling 3 miles, of the novice trail.
One, on the west side of the
the main loop road , and directly across from
the bike concessionaire, is a loop that will
take you up a gentle incline and then wind along
a power line before bringing you back to the
bike rental lot.
The second Novice Trail
starts across the road from the rental shop.
Consisting of a series of loops around a waste
water retention pond the scenery isn't exactly
inspiring. I used both of the novice routes as a
warm up for the moderate route. The trails were
well maintained, easy to find and navigate, and
well marked.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Mountain Bike
Moderate -
I wish more bike trails were
like these. At two and one half miles it's one
big loop that takes you through the woods
overlooking Acton Lake and includes many fast
sweeping turns. I recommend taking the left hand
trail entrance across from the bike rental shop.
You'll immediately begin an uphill climb,
gradually at first then the grade increases!
Once you reach the top of the
hill you'll begin the first of many sweeping
turns eventually reaching the lake and gravel
road back to the parking lot. I was too busy
riding to take pictures!
A note regarding the advanced
bike trails. - They seemed to be more an
inter-connected maze of deer paths than bike
trails.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
Horsemen's Bridle Paths
A 25-site horsemen’s camp
features pressurized water, hitching stands and
plenty of shade. Miles of easy to moderate
trails twist in and out of the woods. Click
HERE for directions to the horse camp.
Horsemen's Loop A
-
Starting from the Horseman's
day use area and covering just over two miles of
flat to gently sloping ground through mostly
first and second growth woods.
Follow the purple blazes on
this very well marked and maintained trail. The
trail is easily wide enough to allow two to ride
abreast.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Horsemen's Loop B
-
All the Hueston Woods Bridle
paths start from the Horseman's day use area.
For a two and one half mile trip follow the red
blazes west, towards the water tower. You'll
briefly follow a power line corridor, crossing a
road before entering the trail proper of which
one side of the loop follows the main park road
before looping into the woods and back. Very
well maintained by the local Ohio Horseman's
Council.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
Horsemen's Loop C
-
Cross the main park road
south of the horseman's area for a a more
adventurous ride than any of the other bridle
paths at Hueston Woods. You'll cross several
moderately steep ravines on this loop with a
rest area at the southern most point overlooking
the Acton Lake dam.
Note: When I last rode this
trail there had been a severe wind storm which
resulted in significant tree damage with many
trees and branches down across the trail. Repair
work was already underway by the local Ohio
Horseman's Council groups.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Horsemen's Loop D
-
Follow the green blazes to
the east of the horseman's area for this nearly
three mile path that follows a loop along the
main park road and then along one of the park's
northern boundaries before returning you to the
main horse use area. Flat to gently rolling in
just a place or two. Don't expect anything other
than a pleasant outing.
If you have updates regarding this
trail, your comments are welcome!
Back to Hueston
Woods Trail List
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