Two and a half inches of rain over the preceding thirty hours necessitated finding a paved or gravel path for our planned hike. The Governor Bebb Park website suggested that the Sycamore trail had a 1 mile out and back gravel section, which we thought would meet our needs.
The trail begins at a large metal bridge that crosses Dry Fork Creek.
But before we accessed the bridge, it was a meadow of wildflowers on the bank of the creek that came to our attention:
Common Milkweed, Tickseed with small pollinator, Bergamot (Bee Balm), Purple Coneflower, Aster
Additionally the small meadow was filled with pollinators:
Great Spangled Fritillary on Bergamot.
Clouded Sulphur on Coneflower.
Silver-spotted Skipper on Carolina Thistle.
But the stars of the glade were the Monarch caterpillars, who were busily eating the leaves of the milkweed.
The green pellets on the leaf below this Monarch caterpillar is its feces, referred to as frass.
After taking in the meadow we started to cross the bridge and head out on the trail. Dry Fork Creek was anything but dry following the previous day’s rain.
Crossing the bridge invited us into a grove of large Sycamores on the far bank. The title photo was obtained looking up into the Sycamores as we stepped off the bridge.
Here the gravel path begins, passing through a tree grove with an understory of Stinging Nettle. Among the tree species, were a surprising number of spruce trees, which are not native to the Ohio River Valley. They are the large trees with reddish bark in the second photo below. This had us pondering what the history of the land may have been.
The spines of the Stinging Nettle are small but punishing. They are hollow and glass like, When contacted, they break off, embed in the skin, and release an irritating chemical. The plant was a non-issue here due to the wide path.
While the trail was gravel, it was not really an all-persons trails, with many areas of puddling and uneven footing.
Sooner than expected the gravel ended, the trail narrowed, and climbed up a steep bare dirt path. Despite the recent rain the trail on the high ground was passable.
A spur arose off the loop trail directing us to a “cascades overlook”. The overlook was a bit underwhelming but interesting that this water was much clearer than we had seen in Dry Fork Creek.
After backtracking on the spur we returned to the loop trail which eventually delivered us back to the gravel path that we were on earlier. Noted on this section of trail, but not easily captured on photography, were a collection of large Chestnut Oaks, as well a vista down into creek valley.
Odds and Ends:
On our hikes this year, as well as in our garden, we have noted a surprising number of fireflies. Experts suggest that our mild winter temperatures and the wet late-spring allowed an increased number of the firefly larvae, which overwinter in the soil, to survive to adulthood. Resources note that the Ohio River Valley is home to twenty-five species of firefly.
Interestingly, gravel paths attract a number of butterflies, who stop to sun themselves as well as to collect salts from the damp gravel, which is referred to as puddling. This includes the Hackberry Emperor. These photos show the coloration of both sides of its wings. Hackberry trees are the host plant for its larvae.
In the small meadow area we noted Cup Plant, which has large, opposite leaves that envelop the stem of the plant, forming a cup, which captures rainwater. Often seen in the water are the small bodies of drowned insects. But the plant does not capture the nutrients in these carcasses, as many carnivorous plants do. Rather, it is felt that the cups act as a water source to other wildlife, attracting birds who may eat harmful insects, and pollinators who will improve pollination.
And of course there were fungi. Many species of mushrooms sprout quickly after a significant rain.
Parachute Fungi – the caps of these mushrooms are small, about the size of a fingernail.
Wood Ear Mushroom is a member of the Jelly Fungus group and has a rubbery texture when touch. They are used in Asian Hot and Sour soup recipes, but must be handled correctly as mishandling may result in bacteria contamination that can cause food poisoning.
These Lumpy Bracket fungi had crisper lines of demarcation between their colors than most specimens.
The Fragile Dapperling is named such because its thin cap and narrow stalk are easily damaged. This specimen was about two inches in height.
While Dead Man’s Fingers fungi are reportedly common, this was the first time that I recall seeing them. They arise from decaying wood that is underground, like tree roots. We caught these in a transient white stage, before they turn a gray or black, which would make them harder to appreciate.
Lastly, we encountered a couple of forest friends along our route. First was this Garter Snake, which was perhaps 2.5 feet long.
We also saw this American Toad. While toads spend there adulthood on dry land, they are considered amphibians because they require standing water for their eggs and tadpole stages.
In summary, our visit to Governor Bebb Park was a success – allowing us to get out on the trail despite heavy recent rains. While the gravel path was shorter than I anticipated, our transition to high ground made the outing possible. The wet weather probably added to the fungal display that we enjoyed. Of note, I think that this trail would be a good winter hike when the large Chestnut Oaks and the valley view from the overlook would be better visualized. That said, it would not be a good snow hike due to the slope of the bare dirt segment of trail. The take home message – don’t let recent rain deter you from enjoying a romp with nature. Take advantage of paved and gravel paths that guarantee sure footing for your breath of fresh air.
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Photo credits to Caroline Burns Grizzle.
Overview:
Location – 1979 Bebb Park Ln, Okeana, OH, 33 miles from downtown Cincinnati.
Facilities – At a nearby campground.
Trail Conditions – gravel for the first quarter of a mile, then bare dirt and grass. I believe that in total we did about 1.25 miles on this trail when including the Cascade Overlook spur.
Print Trail Map Link – https://www.yourmetroparks.net/docs/default-source/park-map/park-maps-2025/governor-bebb-trail-map.pdf?sfvrsn=4cff40ea_5
Benches – None.
Picnic Tables – None on the trail but numerous throughout the park.
Kids – Kids six and over should do well. The slope through the woods may be too much for shorter legs.
Dogs – Welcomed on a leash.
Paired Hiking Trails – there are 5 other trails at Governor Bebb Park, ranging from 0.3 to 0.9 miles, so doing a collection of them is realistic.
Links:
https://www.yourmetroparks.net/parks/governor-bebb-metropark