Kingfisher Trail at Winton Woods- 2 Trail Mix Rating

This was our third trail of the season. We actually passed Winton Woods on the way to Miami Whitewater Forest and ended up stopping in on our trip home (same day as the Oakleaf Trail).

Trail Distance = 1.1 miles

I should mention that the heat was at 90 degrees at this point and the girls were already tired from the Oakleaf Trail, but that didn't stop us:) The sign said that the Kingsfisher Trail was the most popular trail in Winton Woods; however, we were not overly impressed. This park is actually in the middle of a residential neighborhood and no surprise that hearing lawn mowers while on the trail was a bit distracting. The largest distraction was gunfire...no kidding! We assume there was a a shooting range somewhere close. Again, not peaceful. The plus here was the wetlands on the first .4 miles of the trail.

Rankings by trail mix are as follows: 1 trail mix is the worst and 5 trail mixes are GREAT!

Dad: 2 Trail Mixes. No comment.

Mom: 2 Trail Mixes. Remember very little about this one except for the city noise and Mia not wanting to carry her backpack!

Eight yr old: 2 Trail Mixes. "I was interested in the paw prints and wanted to know what it was."

Five yr old: 2 Trail Mixes. Not enough shade to protect us from the sun. I lost it at the end because I was SOOO tired.

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Oakleaf Trail at Miami Whitewater Forest - 4.25 Trail Mix Rating

Second trail of the season. This was a good 30 minutes from the east side of Cincinnati, BUT well worth the trip!

Trail Distance = .8 miles

Thank goodness we found a trail that was circular. It made it much more interesting. This trail started with a decline into a wetland. Neat bridge around the path. Some of us were out of breath getting to the top, but the views were great. This trail was much more secluded than the first one. A short jaunt off the main trail allowed us to sit next to the lake and included a nice bench to relax on. We heard many frogs and saw a number of wildlife. This trail was one of the family's favorite by far!!!

Rankings by trail mix are as follows: 1 trail mix is the worst and 5 trail mixes are GREAT!

Dad: 4 Trail Mixes. Enjoyed the secluded feeling and had fun skipping rocks on the lake towards the end of the trail.

Mom: 4 Trail Mixes. No sounds of the city here. Very peaceful and really enjoyed taking a few minutes by lake before heading up the hill on the way out.

Eight yr old: 5 Trail Mixes. "Loved it because there were so many sparkly rocks!"

Five yr old: 4 Trail Mixes. She liked trying to skip rocks with Dad. Great length for her although her legs got tired of the climbing.

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Gorge Trail at Sharon Woods - 3.25 Trail Mix Rating

This was our first trail of the season. It was an easy drive from the east side of Cincinnati, and proved to be a good start.

Trail Distance = 1.4 miles (roundtrip).

Unlike most of the trails, this one was not a circle and first half of the trail was the same as the second half. It was unique, because it had beautiful waterfalls and lookout stations for picture taking.

Rankings by trail mix are as follows: 1 trail mix is the worst and 5 trail mixes are GREAT!

Dad: 3 Trail Mixes. The waterfalls were this trail's best attribute. "When one goes trail blazing, one likes to escape the city, but the disappointment was met when the trail ran alongside a golf course."

Mom: 4 Trail Mixes. Again, liked the waterfalls. "Moments of true beauty here, but the sound of a foursome teeing off left room for improvement."

Eight yr old: 3 Trail Mixes. "Loved the waterfall! Awesome rocks."

Five yr old: 3 Trail Mixes. Fun hike and found many rocks to collect. The steep hill at the end left me whining.

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