My Wednesday golf outing caused a sense of urgency. We played in the cold with quite a bit of wind, but what really struck me were the intense orange and yellows of the Sugar Maples that lined a beautiful creek that ran along some fairways. The weather and the leaf color announced that fall was here. I told the photographer that someone had placed fall on fast forward and we needed to pursue a fall colors hike. The next day we headed north, hoping to migrate into even more fall color. I selected Timberman Ridge MetroPark because of the descriptions of “valley views” on their website, hoping to see a tapestry of fall colors from an overlook.
The plan was to take the Grand Circle Trail, in yellow on the map below, as it offered rolling terrain through meadows and would get us to the overlook.
From the start the hike was animated. First we noted numerous Eastern Bluebirds.
Soon we were able to observe a small deer for 10 minutes or more.
At times we would find ourselves on pavement as short segments of the Grand Circle Trail overlapped with the paved all-persons Timberman Ridge Trail.
From a distance we were seeing our first falls color. The gold of the Sycamore leaves were outstanding against the white of the bark.
Like the other Butler County Metroparks, Timberman Ridge had outstanding trail signage. After a few hundred yards the Grand Circle Trail left the asphalt for a mowed path that ran the perimeter of a meadow.
Though we were 40 miles north of where I played golf the previous day, the color change was not as far along. I believe that was due to the tree species in this park as there were not many Sugar Maples. Early in the hike the main color noted was the bright yellow of Bitternut Hickory along the old fence rows of this former farm.
In the same area of the property we noted the outstanding architecture of these two trees: The central trunk with large, irregular lateral branches of the Sycamore contrasting with the vase shaped, symmetrical, spreading branches of the American Elm. Both trees are easily recognizable at a distance due to these forms.
We climbed from the valley up a slow steady grade to the ridge where the overlook was. While it is not on the paved all-persons trail, it is only 50 feet away, providing good access for those with limited mobility.
The views were outstanding but the colors were less than peak and somewhat muted, which I suspect is due to the drought that the Ohio River Valley has experienced this summer and fall. In another week or two the colors should be better as the Red Oaks begin to change.
After crossing the Timberman Ridge all-persons trail we found ourselves atop a wooded ridge where a Sugar Maple offered a burst of orange.
To our left we had the woods, to the right a honey colored grassed meadow. Perhaps nature was making the argument that trees are not the only source of swathes of fall color.
Turning a corner we saw perhaps our best color specimen of the day – a Sassafras that provided the uniquely shaped leaf seen in the title photo. It was a delightful mix of red, yellow, and orange.
As the trail was returning us to our vehicle we took a diversion to Locust Grove Pond which offered this peaceful setting. Note the trees’ reflections on the water.
Other colors and textures of fall were noted along our route:
Rose Hips, Goldenrod, Brown-eyed Susans, Queen Anne’s Lace, Frostweed Aster, a grass seedhead, and Snakeroot.
As I wrote this article and pondered this week’s trip to find fall color, I compiled my “Top Ten List” of trees native to the Lower Midwest and Upper South, our hiking home, that bring color to the autumn landscape. Leaf color change within a species is not absolute but generalizations can be made.
10. Tulip-poplar – typically a uniform medium yellow throughout its crown.
9. Tupelo – generally turns a scarlet red in the fall, but may also have orange, yellow and even purple.
8. Oak – the degree of color change can vary quite a bit among specimens – some trees turn a deep red while others mainly turn brown, depending on genetics and local conditions. We have a Shumard Oak in our yard that briefly tuns yellow – a rarity in my opinion. The oaks change later in the fall which extends the color season.
7. Persimmon – a medium size tree that turns red and is most often seen on the edge of woods. Their rust orange fruits add additional color once the leaves fall.
6. Sweetgum – perhaps the most diverse and bright grouping of colors that you will see on one tree with red, purple, orange, and yellow often present on the same tree at the same time.
5. Sourwood – This tree is most common in the Appalachian region and found on forested hills. It turns a uniform red and is a major contributor to the fall colors of Red River Gorge.
4. Red Maple – better known as a landscape tree of the suburbs, it is a common tree of wetlands throughout the Eastern U.S., from Maine to Florida. As the name implies, its primary fall color is perhaps the most intense red of leaf change.
3. Sumac – yes Sumac. All the Sumac species add outstanding red or reddish-purple to the fall palette. Because they are small, occur in large groupings, and found on the edge of woods, they provide a base of color to contrast with the larger trees of the forest. They look particularly nice paired with the yellows of Sugar Maple, Tulip-poplar, and Hickory. Sumacs are some of the red trees you see on the edge of the highway right-of-way also.
2. Sassafras – often underappreciated, it tends to offer a blend of colors throughout the tree including red, orange, and yellow.
1. Sugar Maple – is the gold standard to which all others trees are compared. Luckily they are common in the eastern deciduous forest. While typically turning yellow in the fall, they can also feature elements of red and orange. Sugar Maples also seem to hold onto their colored leaves longer than many other species. Because they have superficial rooting and do not transplant well they generally are not available for purchase at nurseries.
That is one man’s opinion. To avoid conflict with other tree enthusiasts I will give honorable mentions to American Beech, Bald Cypress, the Hickory Family, and Flowering Dogwood for their contributions to the fall landscape. What trees would make your Top Ten List?
In summary, while the fall colors were less than radiant, our outing to Timberman Ridge MetroPark was a good day in the outdoors. The rolling terrain provided a cardio workout and the meadows had a lot to offer. Now a week later, the colors could be more promising. For Footpaths, we will continue our quest for leaf color and might soon head south to try to capture the Sugar Maples, Sourwood, and Sassafras of Bernheim Forest at their peak.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview:
Location – 1976 Timberman Road, Hamilton, Ohio, 23 miles from downtown Cincinnati.
Parking – large asphalt lot for 50 plus cars.
Trail Conditions – generally mowed grass with bare dirt on the woodland stretches, and short segments of asphalt where the two trails overlapped.
Print Map Link – https://www.yourmetroparks.net/docs/default-source/park-map/park-maps-2025/timberman-ridge-metropark-map.pdf?sfvrsn=ee9340ea_3
Facilities – nice restrooms in parking area.
Benches – several noted along the route and at the overlook.
Picnic Tables – many at the parking area.
Kids – I would suggest 4 and over. There is an outstanding playground at the parking area.
Dogs – welcomed on a leash.
Suggested Paired Hikes – Salamander Run MetroPark is nearby.
Craft Beer – Fretboard Brewing is in a rehabbed storefront in downtown Hamilton, just a few miles away.
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