Hiking in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Virginia

You will find prime hikes in the Virginia mountains near the Inn at Gristmill Square in the one-million-acre George Washington National Forest in the Allegheny Mountains.The forest offers an assortment of recreational experiences in one of the East's largest expanses of pristine land. Available activities include hiking, fishing, backpacking, biking, camping, wildlife viewing and scenic driving. In all, the forest can claim some 40 species of trees and 2,000 species of shrubs and herbaceous plants.

More than 900 miles of hiking trails — including 60 miles of the legendary Appalachian Trail — and 2,000 miles of roads crisscross the forest. Large swaths of the forest parallel the idyllic Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park. Leave yourself plenty of time to explore the forest and its surroundings.

Near the Inn at Gristmill Square is Hidden Valley with 20 miles of hiking trails for enjoying scenic views, fishing and hunting access, and for mountain biking. From the parking area, you can take a fairly easy loop hike of 5.5 miles that takes you along the Jackson River on one side and cross a suspension bridge to return on the other.

Ohio Hiking

Adjacent to the Inn at Cedar Falls, Hocking Hills provides a variety of recreational opportunities in a splendid natural setting. Towering cliffs, waterfalls and deep hemlock-shaded gorges lure the hiker and naturalist. Hocking Hills has nine hiking Trails. The most popular of all the Hocking areas is Old Man's Cave, located on State Route 664. Here at the Upper Falls, the Grandma Gatewood Trail begins its six-mile course connecting three of the park's areas: Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls to Ash Cave. This same trail has been designated as part of Ohio's Buckeye Trail as well as part of two national systems - the North Country Scenic Trail and America's Discovery Trail. Nearby, the Zipline Canopy Tour is fast, fun, and exhilarating. This 3 hour spectacular adventure offers thrill seekers of all ages the unique opportunity to zip through the treetops on a network of cables and adventure skybridges suspended high above the forest floor. Also nearby is Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve with more hiking trails.

Near the Inn at Murphin Ridge is Serpent Mound, the largest and finest serpent effigy in the United States. Nearly a quarter of a mile long, Serpent Mound apparently represents an uncoiling serpent. The head of the serpent is aligned to the summer solstice sunset and the coils also may point to the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise. Visitors walk along a footpath surrounding the serpent and experience the mystery and power of this monumental effigy. A public park for more than a century, Serpent Mound attracts visitors from all over the world. The museum contains exhibits on the effigy mound and the geology of the surrounding area.

Hiking in Ohio's Bluegrass region includes one of the state's most scenic and biologically interesting areas, Adams Lake State Park has much to offer the nature enthusiast. Remnant prairies and a quiet lake can be enjoyed in this small unique park. Additional hiking is in adjacent Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve. Davis Memorial is an 88-acre nature preserve with rugged dolomite cliffs, rich forests, and prairie openings. Edge of Appalachia Preserve nature preserve is owned and managed by the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Science and the Nature Conservancy. Lynx Prairie Preserve contains over 250 species of plants, many typical of prairies and grasslands west of the Mississippi.

Kentucky Hiking

From Beaumont Inn in Kentucky, you can take three popular walking tours around Historic Harrodsburg. The three blocks of South Main Street between Lexington Street to the merger of Beaumont and Mooreland Avenues, along with the three blocks of North Main and Beaumont Avenue, comprise the historic tours of Harrodsbusrg. The tours highlight the history of many of the buildings throughout Harrodsburg, as well as their architectural design.

To take a nature hike, nearby Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill has numerous hiking trails meandering around their vast acreage, complete with old mill sites, waterfalls, scenic overlooks, and common critter sightings. Spend a day on the village’s trail system and discover a secret Shaker worship site and remnants of mills and bridges. Happen upon gushing spring waterfalls and showy wildflowers as local wildlife hurriedly scamper away. The trails give hikers, mountain bikers, runners and walkers an opportunity to explore over 40 miles of peaceful Kentucky countryside. The more than 20 trails consist of paved roads and gravel and grass paths fitted for many recreational uses. Pass through lush forests near babbling creeks and spot incredible vistas from overlooks along the trails. The trails offer hikes with a broad range of distances and skill requirements. Mountain Bikers of all activity levels are welcome to explore the Shaker Village countryside. Venture into wooded hills on your mountain bike and explore hard-to-reach places or take a leisurely ride on paved trails that ramble through meadows and gently sloping hills.

Michigan Hiking

From the National House Inn in Marshall, Michigan, you can walk several miles through one of the most beautiful cities in Michigan to enjoy a storehouse of 19th century architecture that has given it status as a National Historic Landmark District that includes 850 structures. Also, the nearby 1.6 mile Marshall Riverwalk has many spectacular views along the beautiful Kalamazoo River. Ketchum Park is the Marshall's major, outdoor park. It is bisected by Rice Creek and the Mill Race and is a lovely setting for both active and passive leisure activities. This 25-acre park has a variety of areas to meet park user’s needs, including a beautiful waterfall. Falling Waters Trail is a 10.5 mile linear park based on the old Michigan Central railroad bed. It runs between Weatherwax Drive and the Village of Concord, Michigan. A linear park is a long, narrow park with limited access that is ideal for activities such as bicycling, hiking, nature study, jogging, inline skating and cross-country skiing.

Castle in the Country has hiking trails on their 65-acre sanctuary that includes a lake!