This was the first time we had chosen a hiking location based solely on the quality of snow removal from a parking lot.

The Ohio River Valley experienced over eleven inches of snow accumulation and I saw an opportunity for a great outing. Snow dresses up the winter landscape and frequently interacts with nature to create fleeting art. It is the promise of this new canvas that gets me on the trail in the dead of winter.

The plan was to revisit Kelley Nature Preserve, a venue that we had hiked this past September. At that time, with its frontage on the Little Miami River, flat trails, and old growth trees, I felt it would be an ideal location for a hike in the snow. The problem was that when we arrived its driveway had not been plowed and a snowbound car blocked the entry. Knowing that there was a descent down into the trail parking area I was realistic and had to change plans.

We opted to head to Little Miami Brewery for lunch and a reassessment – what other greenspaces were in the region that we could anticipate having access to?

Along the route we passed Camp Dennison Memorial Park and its remarkably cleared parking lot, that was level with the main thoroughfare. Throughout our day of travel we had not seen another lot like it.

The photographer had other family obligations so our eldest daughter Caroline, an educator off work due to a snow day, was the stand in.

From the beginning we were in for a workout due to the depth of the snow.

We started on the paved “Nature Trail”, or at least I think we did. I believe that I was sensing some pavement beneath the snow with my walking stick. After a couple hundred yards we saw a small sign for “The River Trail”, and followed a single set of boot prints toward the bank of the Little Miami River. The river was slate gray and contrasted beautifully with the blanket of snow.

We turned left, heading northeast and upriver. The trail wove through the forested floodplain consisting of American Elm, Sycamore, and Silver Maple.

Some of the Sycamores were particularly stately.

As the trail ran parallel to the river we had opportunities to walk down to the stone covered shore and enjoy views upon the river, including this section with a small run of rapids.

As we patiently stood there we were able to observe some interesting things:

A group of Canada Geese and a lone male Mallard feeding along the opposite bank.

A Carolina Wren that would jump down into the snow and completely disappear for a period of time, then jump back up to its perch on a small branch just above the snow. This happened repeatedly and is a behavior that I have never witnessed before.

On a sloping bank just above the river we noted a collection of wood chips atop the snow. The snowfall had ended about 24 hours before the hike and therefore this appeared to be the debris from a woodpecker creating a new nesting cavity up in the canopy.

This little ice formation intrigued us. What caused it to coalesce on a twig extending above the water – perhaps a slight drop in the water level? We saw quite a few of these along the way.

Another observation atop the new snow were sycamore seeds. There were thousands of them that had accumulated in the 24 hours since the snow ended. The seeds have a collection of thin appendages that function like a parachute, allowing them to travel on the wind away from its parent. The germination rate is low, requiring the almost ideal conditions of bare moist soil in open sun. Once germinated however, the tree grows rapidly, up to 8 feet in its first year.

We repeatedly found our way to the river’s edge for additional views on the scenic waterway.

While hiking through the woods we would occasionally be treated to some waterfowl flying overhead. First, an unidentified species of duck,

and later a noisy, asymmetric V of Canada Geese.

It was a good birding day, but challenging for photography, with low light levels and thick understory.

Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers

Female Northern Cardinal and Hairy Woodpecker.

And lastly, this Red-breasted Nuthatch which showed off its gymnastic bent, feeding upside down. Nuthatches are easy to identify as they are the only native bird that will go upside down. The White-breasted Nuthatch is also found in our region.

Winter hikes often exhibit the off season beauty of the wildflowers and grasses. My research suggests that this is the winter flower head of Ironweed, after its seeds have been dispersed by the wind or eaten by birds. I was not convinced at first, but as I studied the flower skeletons further I saw a few with seeds remaining, that do indeed have the structure of Ironweed. The tan like “petals” are actually the sepals that encased the flowers before it bloomed.

Northern Sea Oats goes by many names including Woodland Oats, River Oats, and perhaps most creatively, Fish-on-a-fishing-pole. It can be identified by it prominent seed heads in the winter.

The lone bit of color on this winter hike was from a grouping of American Bittersweet.

On a historical note, Camp Dennison was a military recruitment, training, and medical post for the Union army during the Civil War. At the time it consisted of 700 acres and was located on both sides of the Little Miami Railroad. The site was chosen to provide protection for Cincinnati which was only 17 miles away. Over the course of the war 50,000 soldiers were mustered in or out of service at the camp. The railroad provided ease of transportation, and the railroad bed is now the multi-use Little Miami Scenic Trail. The camp also functioned as a temporary POW camp for captured confederate soldiers, before they were transferred to other camps further from the border states. There are still a couple of structures remaining from the camp period.

In summary, while somewhat physically demanding due to the depth of the snow, this was a good outing. The snowy views onto the Little Miami River were as beautiful as I anticipated, and the collection of birds, especially woodpeckers, was fun. We still failed to see the increasingly rare Red-headed Woodpecker so that remains a goal for this winter. Today there is more snow in the forecast, and cold temps for the foreseeable future, so I anticipate another snowy hike in an old growth wood, which should allow us to continue the search.

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Photo credits to Caroline Burns Grizzle.

Overview:

Location – 7650 Glendale Milford Rd, Camp Dennison, OH, 17 miles northeast of downtown Cincinnati.

Parking – large asphalt lot.

Facilities – seasonal bathrooms at the parking area. Portolets for winter use.

Trail Conditions – the Nature Trail is asphalt. The River Trail is bare dirt. Our hike on this date was approximately a mile, but slow going.

Print Trail Map Link – none.

Benches – on the Nature Trail loop but none noted along the river.

Picnic Tables – in the park proper.

Kids – Kids 4 and over will do well on the trail in the right weather.

Dogs – welcomed on a leash.

Paired Hiking Trails – just a few miles away is Kelley Nature Preserve which also borders on the Little Miami River.

Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Dennison