Day tripping at Charleston Falls

The Miami County Parks in western Ohio are a local treasure. Besides being so well maintained, they offer a wide variety of educational programs and activities for the entire family. My favorite park is the Charleston Falls Preserve.

This gem of a park is located between Tipp City and Huber Heights, Ohio. It covers 216 acres and offers almost 4 miles of hiking and jogging trails. The main reason to visit this particular park, though, is the waterfall. At 37 feet in height, it can be called a “Miniature Niagara” due to the rock strata of the same nature as the real Niagara Falls. These falls are fed from underground springs several miles away, but they are most spectacular after heavy rainfall. During periods of intense cold in the winter, the falls will actually freeze, and it’s worth the chilly walk to see this amazing sight.

The trek to the falls is an easy gravel pathway from the parking lot, less than half a mile. There are two vantage points for seeing the falls. The upper view allows visitors to see the top of the falls as the water tumbles over the cliff. Informational signage is posted as well as warning signs for safety. The lower vantage point is from a staircase which leads visitors down to the observation boardwalk. Visitors can see the falls as they splash down into the pool at the bottom. A bit of spray can sometimes be felt depending on the amount of water and the wind.

Most kids love the cave! Bring a flashlight and watch
out for standing water. 

From the lower observation boardwalk, it’s a short walk to the limestone cave. This is a popular spot with kids as they love to climb inside. The opening isn’t huge, so crawling is required (parents beware!). A flashlight or headlamp is handy since it becomes dark quickly. If the weather has been rainy, cave crawlers can expect standing water on the bottom.

From the cave, continue to follow the trail which rises to the junctions of the Redbud Valley and the Thorny Badlands. Either trail takes visitors to the outer reaches of the park. The trails loop through the woods, sometimes winding alongside the stream, the same one created by the waterfall which eventually empties into the Great Miami River. The lookout tower can be accessed from the Thorny Badlands trail, and it allows travelers to climb a bit higher for a birds’ eye view.

Visitors can also inspect the Cedar Pond, where glimpses of fish, snakes, or frogs may be seen. The pond is one section of the park not covered by trees, so sunny days are even more pleasant there. No fishing or swimming is allowed, just careful observation.

Charleston Falls Preserve also has picnic tables and full service restrooms adjacent to the parking lot. As with all the Miami County Parks, the preserve is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Helpful signs at the park entrance alert visitors to the official closing times each day. Other handy signs are also posted throughout the park to remind visitors about safety and to also give directions.

Plan a visit to Charleston Falls or any of the Miami County Parks by visiting the website at http://www.miamicountyparks.com/ .

The stream running away from the falls is quite picturesque.

Wintertime visitors might get lucky enough to see this!

The Thorny Badlands is neither thorny, not bad! It's a lovely tree lined
walk through the woods.

Summertime Adventures at Marengo Cave

You WILL get muddy and wet on the "Waterfall Crawl!"

If you’re in the market for a summertime adventure, beat the heat at southern Indiana’s Marengo Cave, a U.S. National Landmark. Registering a cool 52 degrees year-round, this cave system covers approximately 122 forested acres. With a total length of 5 miles, the cave features dry upper level passages and two parallel underground rivers. The upper level show cave is Indiana’s most visited show cave, and the lower level is the largest of Indiana’s 3,000 known caves.

Adventurous visitors will want to hit at least one of the five cave exploring tours. Warning – you will get wet! Wear old clothes because explorers walk, crawl, crouch, and squirm through the mud. But it’s all worth it to see the waterfall at the end of the “Waterfall Crawl.” This two-hour tour leaves the spelunkers covered from head to toe in mud, as recently experienced by my teenage daughter. Once reaching the waterfall, the tour can be extended even further with the “Beyond the Falls Adventure.” This takes spelunkers to the most remote section of the cave. The “Underground Adventure” gives explorers the chance to wade in an underground river and crawl through narrow passages. All of these tours are offered year-round. Helmets and headlamps are provided.

Down into the depths -- the five cave exploring tours are
definitely for the adventurous!

The two “iCave” experiences are summer-only Saturday tours. Like the year-round tours, visitors walk, crawl, and crouch through the lower passages to the Old Town Spring Cave and the New Discovery Cave. Lucky visitors may see some cave dwelling animals, such as salamanders, crayfish, sculpin, or (gulp) the bat.

Folks who prefer a gentler cave experience can take walking tours, either the Crystal Palace or the Dripstone Trail. Both of these tours are ideal for families with small children, senior citizens, or folks who just don’t want to get wet. The Crystal Palace tour is a 40-minute walk past stalactites and stalagmites, huge flowstone deposits, and formation filled rooms. Visitors learn about the history of the cave and how it felt to explore the cave by candlelight, as the first visitors did.

The Dripstone Trail covers one mile of cave. This 60-minute tour allows visitors to see totem pole stalagmites, delicate soda straw formations, and the unique penny ceiling. Visitors experience total darkness when the lights are turned off. Unique parts of the cave, such as the Looking Glass Lake, Sherwood Forest, and Cave Hill Cemetery, delight visitors of all ages.  Note that the walking tours are not wheelchair or stroller accessible

In addition to the cave, try canoeing on the Blue River, Indiana’s first state scenic river. Trips for all experience levels are available from April through October.

Camping and cabins are available on-site for folks who want to spend several days. Air conditioned cabins feature electricity, bunk beds, fire pits, grills, and picnic tables. Restrooms and showers are a short walk. Electric and primitive campsites also have fire pits, grills, and picnic tables. Free wi-fi is available at the gift shop, and a playground is nearby for the little ones. All camping and cabins are open year-round.

A world of adventure awaits the entire family at Indiana’s Marengo Cave. Plan your trip today by visiting their website at http://www.marengocave.com.

Off the Beaten Path in Ohio....The Ohio State Reformatory

I love to visit places that are unique and not necessarily on everyone’s “must-see” list. That’s exactly what my girls and I found when we visited the Ohio State Reformatory Historic Site in Mansfield, Ohio. Ever since we visited Alcatraz in California, we’ve had a fascination with old prisons, so this trip was right up our alley.

It's an easy interstate drive to Mansfield from most major cities in Ohio. The Reformatory sits very close to the road, and as soon as we turned from the main drag, we could see it. “Oh wow! Look at that! It’s like a castle,” were just a few of the comments that drifted from the back seat. The Reformatory is one of the most castle-like structures in Ohio, and it is indeed an impressive structure.

Our self-guided tour of the Reformatory began in the front section of the building that used to house the prison offices as well as the warden’s living quarters. The rooms are now empty except for the occasional chair or random fixture that’s been left behind. It’s all peeling paint and dark corners for the most part. Still, it was easy enough for us to imagine what life could’ve been like during the prison’s glory days. The audio wand that we rented helped us understand how these rooms would’ve been used by the warden and his family.

From the living quarters and offices, we made our way into the main prison building, which consists of two cell blocks, east and west. The east cell block, where we spent the most time exploring, stands silent and empty with just its steel cellblock as a reminder of the past. This cellblock is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest freestanding steel cellblock in the world. It is not supported by any of the outside prison walls. It’s 6 tiers high, and at one point in time it held 2,000 prisoners. As we strolled the area, we saw remnants of beds and washbasins, toilets and bookshelves. It was hard to imagine how two grown men would have shared such a small space.

Looking down the walkway on the upper
part of the east cell block.

The west cell block is the older part of the prison, and its cells were constructed from concrete cinder block. These cells are bigger than the ones in the east side of the prison, and prisoners felt lucky if they got transferred to a cell in the west. From this part of the prison we also saw the solitary confinement cells which were windowless and lonely. At that exact moment, we happened to be the lone tourists exploring that part of the prison, and it was creepy enough to send us scurrying back to the main area.

The Reformatory claims paranormal activity is a regular occurrence, and many of the audio wand recordings shared the various supernatural happenings. Visitors interested in that side of the Reformatory can sign up for the regular ghost walks and ghost hunts that are offered.

A small museum at the front of the Reformatory also features artifacts from the prison days past. A museum highlight is “Old Sparky,” the original electric chair on permanent loan from the Columbus Penitentiary. Scratches and the impression of a handprint adorn that chair, and it’s a bit unnerving to see it in person.

Don't miss "Old Sparky" on loan from the
Columbus Penitentiary. 

Surprisingly, the facility is air conditioned, but beyond that, it feels like people walked away from the site once it closed in 1990 and never returned. Visitors are warned that they will encounter stairs, uneven walkways, and lead-based paint. This is an old building, not a modern structure with all the latest conveniences. Note that the Reformatory is not handicapped accessible, nor is it recommended for pregnant women or children under 7.

It takes around two hours to explore the Reformatory. The aforementioned audio wands are available for an extra $5 each, and I recommend them as the informational signage throughout the prison is minimal. Most tours are self-guided except for the guided tours that are available on Sundays. Special events are also scheduled throughout the season which require specific tickets purchased in advance.

Those who’ve seen the movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” will find special significance here since the majority of the movie was filmed at the Reformatory and around the town of Mansfield. In fact, there’s a “Shawshank Trail” that visitors can follow to see many of the movie filming sites, both at the Reformatory and around town.

It’s worth the drive to Mansfield to see this unique prison and little slice of Ohio’s history. Plan your visit today at http://www.mrps.org .

The famous bedroom scene from "The Shawshank Redemption" was actually
filmed here.

This windowless room had a single chair in it. For some reason, this space
was super-creepy. We didn't spend much time in here!

The former Warden's quarters have been
abandoned and sit empty except for a stray
piece of furniture here and there.

The former prison chapel

The west cell block is the older of the two and
was built from concrete block, not steel.

The east cell block is the largest free-standing steel
structure in the world.

These doors opened into the turrets that adorn the outside
walls of the prison. They were dark. We finally ventured
into one using our flashlights, but it was too scary
to stay.

This circular staircase is on the outside of the steel cell block
of the east side of the prison.

This is the "alley." It ran down the middle of the east cell
block. Guards could access the pipes for each cell from
here and could also eavesdrop on the prisoners.

Two men would share these small cells.

Looking at the upper portion of the east cell block

Keep Kids Active in the Winter

Winter has reared its ugly head with cold temperatures and plenty of snow. After just a few days of being stuck inside, you may be looking for ways to get your kids moving. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 60 minutes of exercise every day, and that can be a tall order to fill when winter weather keeps recreational activities at bay. Think outside the box to keep your kids active during the long days of winter.

1. Turn your house into an indoor gym. Create an obstacle course with chairs, pillows, sofa cushions, tables, and anything else that you can use to make a maze for your kids to crawl and jump through. Utilize the space in your basement or garage for kicking a soccer ball, having a “sword fight” with pool noodles, jumping rope, or creating the aforementioned obstacle course. Set up a fitness routine with a series of jumping jacks, push-ups, sit ups, and jogging in place. Time your kids and set goals for personal “bests.”

2. Bring technology into the mix with your video game system. Wii Fit games are a lot of fun, and kids love working out with other “Mii”s. Games like “Just Dance” provide a fun way to work out while dancing. Find workout DVDs that everyone can use. Kids enjoy using adult exercise DVDs because it makes them feel more grown up. Zumba DVDs incorporate dancing into the workout.

3. If you need to get out of the house, take advantage of your YMCA membership. Teens can visit the fitness room or shoot hoops in the gym. Get kids of all ages moving by walking on the track. Let kids use their MP3 players and headphones to motivate them while walking or running. Take the entire family for a dip in the pool and conduct family relay races across the pool.

Visit an indoor entertainment venue with jumping
inflatables, laser tag, and more!

4. Visit a local establishment with jumping inflatables. Older kids will enjoy laser tag, and you could even stage a family competition. Search out the indoor entertainment venues in your area to find other fun activities, such as sand volleyball, go karts, laser tag, mini-golf, and bowling. Many large cities now feature the SkyZone Trampoline Park. Jumping packages start at just $9 a person. Google search to find indoor entertainment establishments for admission rates, directions, and hours of operation for wherever you live.

5. Go outside! When those rare winter days with higher temperatures arrive, send your kids outside. Keep a few balls or other outdoor toys handy through the winter so that the kids can shoot a few hoops, take a spin on a skateboard or scooter, or swing on the swingset.

6. Don’t shy away from the snowy days, too. Buy your kids winter weather clothes so that they can go outside to play. If the price of snow pants and boots feels oppressive, check second-hand stores or consignment shops to pick up those clothing items for a lower price. At the end of the season, shop sale racks for next year’s winter gear.  Being prepared for the weather means kids can get exercise outside more often than not, year-round.

Don’t let cold weather keep your kids stuck on the couch all season. Get creative and keep ‘em moving.

Day Trippin' in West Central Ohio

Kids love to explore the subterranean world at Ohio Caverns.

5 Trips in the "Heart of it All!"

Take a fun day trip or a short stopover in west central Ohio and see some of what the Buckeye State has to offer.

Ohio Caverns. It’s an easy country drive to West Liberty, Ohio, where you can tour magnificent caverns, billed as the world’s most beautiful and Ohio’s largest caverns. Open year-round, the caverns maintain a comfortable 54-degree temperature no matter what the season. You’ll see some of the most colorful crystals in the world, including the Crystal King, a pure white formation that’s nearly 5 feet long. Visitors can take the Natural Wonder tour, a 50-minute walking tour that winds through a mile’s worth of subterranean splendor. The path is paved, although stairs and narrow passages are part of the tour, so it is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Other tours are also available, including one that does accommodate wheelchairs. All tours require an admission fee. Ohio Caverns also features 35 acres of grounds that include picnic pavilions, restrooms, a gift shop, and gem and fossil mining. Visit www.ohiocaverns.com for more information and to plan your visit.

Piatt Castles.  After you go to Ohio Caverns, make a short jaunt over to the Piatt Castles, also in West Liberty, Ohio. Built by the Piatt Family, the two castles, Mac-a-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, showcase the history of the family and the splendor of the western Ohio countryside in which they reside. The castles are open daily during the summer, and summertime camps are available for kids.  Visitors may choose from a combo ticket for both castles or a single-castle ticket. Discounts are offered for kids, seniors, and AAA members. The first floors of each castle are wheelchair accessible. Visit the website at www.piattcastles.org for more information and to plan your visit.

Airstream Factory Tours. Ever wondered about those sleek silver bullet trailers seen in campgrounds and cruising along the interstate? Well, they’re made in Ohio! Each trailer is made by hand in accordance with the company’s belief of quality, innovation, and design. To watch this process in action, take a trip to Jackson Center for the Airstream Factory Tour. This free tour is given every Monday through Friday at 2:00 p.m. You’ll tour the production facility in an easy ¾ mile walk. Group tours for 10 or more people can be arranged in advance. Visit http://www.airstream.com/company/tours/ for more information.

Bicycle Museum of America. Do you have a bicycle buff in your family? If so, consider a trip to New Bremen, Ohio, and the Bicycle Museum of America. This museum features over 300 bikes on permanent display and another 1,000 bikes displayed on a rotating basis. The collection includes bikes from the 1800s through current times. An on-site theatre provides the history of bicycles, and a gift shop is also available. The museum’s interactive website is worth a visit for bicycle fans and students conducting research. The museum is open Monday through Saturday in the summer. A small admission fee is charged for entry with discounts for kids and seniors.  See more at www.bicyclemuseum.com .

At Ohio Caverns, see the Crystal King, a
5-foot formation. Amazing!

 

Armstrong Air and Space Museum. It’s an easy interstate drive to Wapakoneta, Ohio, where you can visit the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. Visitors will view exhibits related to Neil Armstrong and space travel, including an Apollo 11 moon rock, Neil Armstrong’s Gemini and Apollo spacesuits, and the Gemini VIII spacecraft. In addition to the memorabilia on display, visitors can try their hand at three different simulators where they can try to land the lunar module and space shuttle or dock the Gemini capsule. A 25-minute film showcases the Apollo 11’s lunar landing. Open daily during the summer, admission is charged for entry. Discounts are available for children, seniors, and active military personnel. Group visits may be arranged for 10 or more people. Find more information at www.armstrongmuseum.org .

A trip through Ohio can be a fun vacation with some easy research and a day’s worth of travel. After all, Ohio is the heart of it all!