I am pretty sure the husband would have been very happy with a career in geology.  He loves natural rock formations--and the Natural Rock Bridge or arch is an impressive sight.  The bridge is the focal point of the Rockbridge Nature Preserve--it is more than 100 feet long and 10 to 20 feet wide.  Considered the largest natural bridge in Ohio, it arches 50 feet across a ravine. The Rockbridge Nature Preserve surrounds the bridge with about 2.7 miles of hiking trails.

 Hiking to the Rockbridge Natural Bridge

The trail from the small parking area through the Rockbridge Nature Preserve begins simply enough with a grassy path to a little wooden bridge.  There had been a pretty crazy ice storm a few days before our visits--but, most of the area looked and felt almost springlike with muddy paths and slippery exposed tree roots and dried, waterlogged fallen leaves from the rapid thaw.

It wasn't long; however, before the trail inclines became a little more intense.  While the hike isn't impossible, a long part of the trail does have a moderate rating.  

I see people comment online that the hike isn't too difficult unless you are old or out of shape.  Well--my hiking crew included a couple of former cross country runners, a soccer player and teen gym rats and we all had moments where navigating the mud and tree roots and trudging up and down some of the slippery, uneven inclines were certainly moderately difficult.  

 I stopped to take several photos along the way to document the journey and, probably more honestly, to give myself a few minutes to catch my breath after a climb!

This was a hike where I do think a walking stick could be helpful.  

Since the area is a nature preserve, guests are asked to stay on marked trails and be respectful to the area at rest.  

Fallen trees, moss covered branches, ferns and pine needles make the brown Winter trails interesting!

 

Discovering the Natural Bridge in the

Rockbridge Nature Preserve

When we came to the fork in the trail that pointed us toward the Natural Bridge--we were all looking forward to seeing the site!  It certainly was an impressive site when we walked up to it.

Looking down into the ravine from the edge of the bridge made the size of the arch even more impressive!  Icy waterfalls remained from the week's frigid temperatures with one waterfall trickling down to the bottom of the ravine. 

Hikers can walk out onto the bridge and under the bridge to the rocks and ledges below.

While the photos above show the bridge's length and width, I think the scale of the bridge is more apparent with people standing on its path!

Visiting the Rockbridge State Nature Preserve and the Natural Bridge was a fun little afternoon hike!

 

If you Visit Rockbridge State Nature Preserve and the Natural Bridge in Rockbridge, Ohio

Plan a couple of hours.  This hike was a little more difficult than we had anticipated.   We hiked the full preserve and stopped for pictures and little breaks. Maybe allow a little more time if it's muddy or icy during spring or winter months. 

When should you visit? There is a waterfall under the natural bridge.  It was pretty small during our visit as the weather had been a little crazy during the week.  This park could be visited during much of the year with great viewing results.  We personally love going in winter when the water falls through the arch freeze over.  I would suggest heading to the park early in the day for smaller crowds on the trails and fewer hikers hanging out on the bridge for photo opportunities.

Where do you Park?  The parking area is just a small area at the park's entrance.  The 8-10 spaces are a bit narrow--so try to be considerate and park straight to give other visitors space to park as well.  Larger cars and suv's may struggle a little to park if the preserve is busy.

Restrooms?  There are no restrooms or even a portable potty at the site.  There is a little gift shop across from the Preserve's parking area--but, it does not have a public restroom.  The Rockbridge State Nature Preserve is close enough to Rockbridge and Logan that a public restroom is easy enough to locate--but, plan ahead and hit the restrooms before the hike and probably after the hike too!

Dining in the Area.  We stopped for coffee at The Oasis Coffee Shop in Rockbridge and had lunch at The Hungry Buffalo in Logan.  The coffee flights at The Oasis were fun to share and The Hungry Buffalo is a family friendly, casual spot with huge portions and yummy fries and cheese curds.     The park is about 15 minutes from Logan, Ohio--which has several small, local restaurants and chain spots.

Other Activities in the Area.  The Rockbridge State Nature Preserve is near the heart of the Hocking Hills region of Ohio.  It is located minutes from the Clear Creek Metro Park, Rock House and the Wahkeena Nature Preserve--and about 15 minutes from the more well-known Hocking Hills destinations like Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave and Cedar Falls. During warm weather months, there are Ziplines, petting farms and tons of family friendly activities within minutes from the park.  Winter months find it more quiet--but beautiful with frozen waterfalls and more visible rock formations.  

 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

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This hike was the first hike in our 2023 52 Hike Challenge!  You can learn more about the challenge and sign up to participate in the challenge yourself!  Check back every week to seek where the challenge takes us next!

We love finding family-owned restaurants favored by locals and visitors when we venture out for a day or weekend trip. After years of seeing posts and social media shares about Bentino's Pizza in Jamestown, Ohio (and in Yellow Spring, Ohio), we finally had the opportunity to fit in a trip to the Jamestown location! What did we think of Bentino's Pizza in Jamestown, Ohio?

Bentino's Pizza Fits Well into its Small Town Space

Jamestown is a little village nestled between Xenia and Jeffersonville. We had spent the day in Cedarville, Ohio, and planned to fit the trip to Jamestown and Bentino's in as we made our way back to I-71 for our trip home! Bentino's has ample space and a nice parking area--straightforward to find from GPS by the address.  

We were hitting the restaurant around 3 in the afternoon on a Saturday, so we were pretty late for lunch and still early for dinner. There were a handful of diners--many likely locals as they all seemed to know each other! There was only one server that I noticed, but the food and drinks arrived quickly, and he was super friendly and helpful the whole time we were there. 

 

Drinks & Appetizers

 

Bentino's has a full bar, offering beer, wine, liquor, and specialty drinks. We had a relatively long drive ahead, so a couple of lighter draft beers were on our wish list for this visit.

 

We had had a long day, and we were all pretty hungry!  We wanted to try everything:  the wings, garlic knots, the bull sticks, and the jalapeno cheddar spuds. In the end, we opted to go with a larger pizza and a single appetizer of the Jalapeno Cheddar Spuds.
 
 

The spuds were interesting little fried shredded potato, cheese, and jalapeno balls--served with a choice of ranch dressing or sour cream. We liked them--they had just a little hint of jalapeno, so they weren't really very spicy.  Kind of pricey for the appetizer--but, not really out of line for a smaller restaurant.

The Pizza

We opted for the 16-inch Very Veggie pizza with regular crust. The traditional crust wasn't very thick, so we were glad we hadn't picked the thin option! The vegetables were very fresh--and the cheese was perfect. I am always a little hesitant when fresh tomatoes are a main ingredient on a specialty pizza--but these were fresh, ripe, and well done. With red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese at the table, we soon found ourselves not needing a take-out box for leftovers!

 

Would we Recommend Bentino's Pizza in Jamestown, Ohio?

If you Visit Bentino's Pizza

They Offer More than Pizza!  I saw the garlic knots and a calzone or two heading to other tables--as well as a few Greek specialty pizzas.  All looked great.  There are dessert options too--but, most every table around us needed to-go boxes leaving no room for dessert. 

Other Activities in the Area.  Bentino's Pizza is located in a small town--but, is not far from Ceasar Creek and Cowan Lake state parks in the Ohio State Park system.  There is also an outlet mall near Jeffersonville and the interstate and a reasonable drive to flea markets, shops and activities in Xenia, Centerville or Waynesville. 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

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Ohio in the early spring is pretty brown.  Most trees and spring plants seem to bud and bloom between late April and late May depending on how long winter temperatures and snow hang around.  In the summer, Inniswood Metro Gardens in Columbus, Ohio, was one of our favorite parks to visit when our kids were younger. This year, we decided to take a walk in the park to see Inniswood in the early spring!  Here are some photos of Inniswood Metro Gardens just beginning to come to life for the year--and some tips if you visit in the early spring.

If you are visiting from the Blogging from A to Z challenge--I is for Inniswood Metro Garden.

Cherry Blossoms Always Liven Up Early Spring Gardens in Ohio

Even when the trails have yet to turn green or bloom!

Inniswood Metro Gardens, located on 123 Acres in central Ohio, offers a natural woodland space that is home to native wildlife, wildflowers and streams and ponds and beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens. Even when still in "winter sleep"--the trails are peaceful and offer plenty to see.

Inniswood Metro Gardens, on the estate donated by the Innis sisters, houses more than 2,000 species of plants, specialty collections and a children’s garden, as well as the Rose, Herb, Conifer and Woodland Rock Gardens.  T

Small stakes with plant identifications help visitors learn about some of the plants visible along the trails.  Wild leek apparently pop up during early spring!

 The park has several spots throughout the trails and gardens to allow visitors time to pause, rest, reflect and enjoy the sounds of nature around them. 

The Children's Garden /Sister's Garden is a focal point of Inniswood--and have always been a favorite spot for our girls to wander and play.

Little ones can follow a story on the trail at Inniswood Metro Gardens

Or climb in the treehouse / playhouse

The Sisters' Garden brings a magical garden play space to little ones with playhouses, a fruit garden, sculptures, a windmill and colorful natural spaces to explore. 

Art, sculptures and playhouses encourage little explorers at Inniswood Metro Gardens

Streams and a small pond offered wildlife viewings of basking turtles and ducks during our visit..

All of the trails at the gardens are fairly easy walks.  The park has a very family friendly atmosphere with an appeal to all ages.  Inniswood offered a nice nature walk with a few glimpses of Spring!  

 

 

If you Visit Inniswood Metro Gardens in Westerville, Ohio

Plan to spend a few hours.  A visit to this park can be as short as you'd like with just a quick visit to the nature streams or the garden near the park entrance--or can take an a few hours if you walk all of the trails and have some downtime at one of the benches or viewing areas.  

When should you visit?  In early spring, the gardens are still pretty barren--but, I love to visit for those early peeks of spring colors!  The gardens come completely to life in the summer months with rose gardens, greenery, vines and an array of color with its 2000 types of plants.  With that color comes larger crowds, families, photographers and more seeking to capture some images of the park.  I would suggest heading to the park early in the day for smaller crowds.  We usually go in the  morning and stay until around 11--have a picnic in the on-site picnic area and then head on to our next adventure. 

Restrooms are easily accessible.  This park is very family friendly.  There are restrooms  near the entrance as well as near the Sisters' Garden area.   None of the trails are longer than .5 miles--and the layout keeps the entire park accessible from the trails.

Make it a picnic.  There is a picnic area with a handful of tables.  Plan ahead and pack a picnic for lunch or dinner. 

Dining in the Area.  The park is near the Columbus suburbs of Sunbury, Westerville and New Albany.  All three have many restaurants.  We have enjoyed the Sunbury Grill in Sunbury, Delaney's Diner in Westerville,  Hudson 29  and Eagles Pizza in New Albany.  

Other Activities in the Area.  You can visit the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial, the Hoover Reservoir Park, and the Char-Mar Ridge Preserve.

Check out the Parks Activity Calendar.  Inniswood has a number of educational programs and events throughout the year.  There is also a popular spring plant sale every year that is well worth a visit if you are interested!  Check out the upcoming programs and events for family programs as well as those geared toward adult visitors.  

 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

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If there is a waterfall on our route during a road trip--we will add it to our trip!  In the case of the Honey Run Waterfall in Howard, Ohio, near Mt. Vernon--it, and its park trails, was the day trip destination.   Today, we have a few photos of the Honey Run Falls and the Honey Run Waterfall Park to share--along with some tips for your visit.

 

 Hiking to the Honey Run Waterfall 

The Honey Run Waterfall is quick and easy to access.  There is a small parking area across the road from the Honey Run Waterfall Park.  A short trek from the park's entrance brings you directly to the waterfall. 

 

You can also easily climb to spots in, around and above the falls.   While this means that you can get some great photos from various angles--it also means that the falls gets super crowded with waders and climbers in and around the falls.  We visited it early in the day--we were able to take a few pictures when we first walked into the park and then we were able to swing through again later in the morning for more photos.

 

While Chris and Maddy climbed around at the waterfall, I took a few minutes to sit and watch them from a bench somewhat above the falls.

The Hiking Trail at the Honey Run Waterfalls Park Continues

We saw a few people come into the park and make the quick trip to the waterfalls--then hike back out and leave.  The Honey Run Waterfall is certainly the most well known feature of the site--but, there is so much more to see as the trail continues.

We had walked just a few minutes past the falls when we were literally surrounded by dozens of the beautiful dragonflies (or damselflies maybe).  It was like walking through a magical, fairy forest.  This was a highlight of the trip for me!

 Trails, Trees and Rock Formations Lead to the Kokosing River

 

While Chris and Maddy headed to higher ground on the trails....

 

and found some cool photo spots

I could have stayed here for hours!

 Visiting the Honey Run Waterfall and Park was a fun little day trip!

 

If you Visit Honey Run Waterfall in Howard, Ohio

Plan about an Hour or Two.  This hike can be as short as you'd like with just a quick visit to the Honey Run Waterfall near the park entrance--or can take an hour or two if you trek through the park trails and offshoots to make your way to the Kokosing River.

When should you visit?  Those in the know say that the waterfall gets pretty dry as summer progresses.  We visited in late spring/early summer in early June about a week after a decent rain.  We enjoyed the park at that time.  I would suggest heading to the park early in the day for smaller crowds around the waterfall.

Restrooms?  I did not notice a restroom or even a portable potty--but, there could have been one near the parking area.

Make it a picnic.  There isn't a picnic area--but, you could certainly pack a small lunch to eat on the rocks near the river. 

Dining in the Area.  We had lunch at the Bad Apple Pub in Howard. It was a pretty casual, family friendly place with good sandwiches and appetizers.    The park is about 20 minutes from Mount Vernon, Ohio--which has several small restaurants and chain spots.

Other Activities in the Area.  After the waterfall, we decided to walk through Kenyon College and take a look at the historic Quarry Chapel in Gambier.  We would like to visit the Ariel Foundation Park in Mount Vernon some time too!

 

Details about the Site Featured Here:

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