Explore Native American History at 4 Ohio Parks
Walk trails that provide beautiful scenery as well as insight into the lives of those who lived here long before we did.
Indian Mound Reserve
A combination of three Greene County parks in one (Williamson Mound, Cedar Cliff Falls and Peterson Park), Cedarville’s Indian Mound Reserve provides more than 8 miles of hiking trails across 169 acres. Begin at the Williamson Mound lot and wind your way through the interconnecting trails to access Mound Trail. This route leads hikers to the prehistoric Williamson Mound, believed to be a burial mound built by people of the Adena culture between 500 B.C. and 100 A.D. gcparkstrails.com
Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve
Walk along four trails at this 533-acre preserve where flint was quarried by people of multiple Indigenous cultures. The trails at this historic spot in Glenford, just southeast of Newark, total 2.5 miles. An on-site museum includes an excavated quarry pit and a look at an ancient flint workshop. See handcrafted tools such as arrowheads and knives and a map that shows exact flint quarry locations. flintridgeohio.org
Fort Hill Earthworks & Nature Preserve
Five hiking trails totaling 11 miles across various elevations wait to be discovered at this 1,300-acre site near Hillsboro, located about 75 miles east of Cincinnati. The Fort Trail leads hikers to one of the country’s best-preserved ancient hilltop enclosures, where travelers can view the earthwork created by people of the Hopewell culture, likely as a ceremonial gathering place. To see a second site, take the Buckeye Trail to view the Circle Earthwork. ohiohistory.org
Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve
A National Historic Landmark, Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve spans more than 100 acres in Oregonia. It is the site of the country’s largest prehistoric hilltop enclosure, built 2,000 years ago by people of the Hopewell culture. View circles of stone, mounds and ceremonial earthworks, and visit the on-site museum. Five picturesque trails totaling 3 miles cross the preserve. Head to the North Overlook for views of the Little Miami River valley. fortancient.org
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