Guided Hikes and Walks

Bird Walks (Year-Round)

Grab your binoculars and join your leader for bird watching along the trails.  Beginner and veteran "birders" are welcome.  Meet in the Rowe Woods parking lot and dress for the weather.  Bird walks begin at 8 a.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month in all seasons. Members free; nonmembers pay daily admission.

Full Moon Walks (Year-Round)

Hit the trails at night and enjoy the full moon and natural history readings.  Full moon walks are led by Executive Director Bill Hopple.  Recommended for ages 8 and up. Preregistration is required. Members free; nonmembers $5.

*Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010	7:30 p.m. at RW
*For the Sept. 23 Full Moon Walk, come at 7:30 p.m. to roast a hot dog, eat popcorn and drink lemonade around a fire at Abner Hollow Cabin. Enjoy twilight and get to know fellow moon walkers before the hike begins. Members $3, nonmembers $8.
Friday, Oct. 22, 2010	7:30 p.m. at LBFT
Beginning in October, Full Moon Walks at LBFT will start from the trailhead near the Creekside Barn. Enter main driveway off of Gaynor Road to cross O’Bannon Creek and park above in the Creekside Parking Lot.
Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010	7:30 p.m. at RW

CNC's Rare Treasure - Our Old-Growth Forest (September)

CNC Executive Director Bill Hopple will give a lecture then guide you on a walk through Rowe Woods’ old-growth forest. This hike is part of Great Outdoor Weekend, an event designed to provide a diverse sampling of the best nature activities in Greater Cincinnati. All programs and admission to Rowe Woods are FREE and open to the public on Sept. 26 and 27. Preregistration is NOT required.

Visit www.cincygreatoutdoorweekend.com for more information.

Great Outdoor Weekend Bird Walk (September)

Receive a checklist of all the birds that live in and travel through Cincinnati as you prepare for a one-hour bird walk. Beginners welcome. Bring your binoculars! This hike is part of Great Outdoor Weekend, an event designed to provide a diverse sampling of the best nature activities in Greater Cincinnati. All programs and admission to Rowe Woods are FREE and open to the public on Sept. 26 and 27. Preregistration is NOT required.

Visit www.cincygreatoutdoorweekend.com for more information.

Perimeter Hike at LBFT (November)

Come for a hike on the “Perimeter Trail” at Long Branch Farm & Trails with Executive Director Bill Hopple. We will start and end at the Creekside Barn, staying on the outer. Terrain is moderate. Distance is approximately five miles. Pack a lunch and water bottle, we will stop for lunch midway through the hike. Ages 12 and up. No dogs please. Park in the Creekside Parking Lot and meet at the Creekside Barn. Preregistration is required. Members free; nonmembers $5.

Woodcock Walks (February, March)

Woodcocks are game birds that arrive here just as the mud starts to thaw. They are nocturnal and require field habitat for their incredible mating ritual at dusk. If you would like to be notified to join a naturalist-led hike at the peak of woodcock activity - sometime in late February to early March - please email Amy Johnson at and write WOODCOCK in the subject line. *Children are invited to attend with an adult if the child is able to stand still and quiet for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Maple Syrup Making (February, March)

The sap is rising!  Savor the first taste of spring and drop by the Sugar House near Krippendorf Lodge anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Experience the whole process of producing "liquid gold" maple syrup from sap and bask in the warmth of the evaporator and its maple-scented steam. Join an interactive sap-collecting maple hike at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. Hikes start at the Sugar House. A self-guided maple trail is also available.

Salamander Celebration (March)

On cold March nights, Jefferson salamanders emerge from underground tunnels and congregate at breeding ponds. Learn about these interesting amphibians and hike to the ponds to look for them. This program is for adult and children age 5 and older. Please bring your flashlights. Preregistration is required.

Frog Foray (March)

Spring peepers sing at the ponds to welcome spring. Learn about their lives and those of other frogs in the area, then hike to the pond to listen to them. This program is for adults and children age 5 and older. Please bring your flashlights. Preregistration is required.

Fireside Maple Sweet Potato Bake and Maple Moon Walk (March)

In March, gather 'round the hearth in Abner Hollow Cabin and celebrate maple season with Dutch oven-baked sweet potatoes.  Top your potato off with homemade butter, fresh maple syrup, and pecans.  Then, join Executive Director Bill Hopple for a hike through the sugarbush.

Wildflower Walks (March, April)

In March and April, wildflowers bloom all along the trails at CNC.  Join leaders from the Cincinnati Wildflower Preservation Society to learn wildflower identification along the trails at Rowe Woods.  Expect to walk down steps and through various habitats.  Walks last approximately two hours. The Apr. 3 walk is an easy one-hour walk.

Family Wildflower Hikes (April)

In April, bring the whole family to Rowe Woods and join Chief Naturalist Bill Creasey to learn interesting facts about wildflowers during a fun-filled, easy walk suitable for families of all ages. Learn the parts of a flower, look for "landing strips" inside flowers, discover purple pollen, and find some unusually shaped flowers.

CNC's Rare Treasure: Our Old-Growth Forest (April)

Celebrate Earth Day with Executive Director Bill Hopple. Take a walk through the old-growth forest to learn about identifying old-growth, why this parcel was saved, what makes it unique, and what threatens it. Please bring a lunch to enjoy after the hike. Adults and high school-aged children welcome.

Perimeter Hike (May)

Join Executive Director Bill Hopple for a new and unique guided hike! Take a 7.5-mile hike on the "Perimeter Trail," CNC's outermost trail loop (with an additional 1.5-mile option). This hike starts at the Rowe Visitor Center and terrain is moderate. Please pack a lunch and water bottle - we will stop along the trail midway through the hike. Ages 12 and up. No dogs please. Members free; nonmembers pay daily admission.

Firefly Hikes (June, July)

Sometime around the end of June, the fields and treetops sparkle with light as firefly breeding season reaches its peak.  If you would like to be notified to join a naturalist-led hike when this peak occurs, please email Amy Johnson at    with "Fireflies" in the subject line.

Creek Romp and Canoe Exploration (August, September)

Discover the marvels of the stream at Long Branch Farm & Trails.  Take a guided, in-the-stream hyrbrid hike and canoe exploration to search for water creatures and blend wading and canoeing to reveal fossils, animal tracks, signs of beaver and a variety of other aquatic wonders. Meet in the special groups parking lot at LBFT on Gaynor Rd. Bring old closed-toe sneakers, towels, and expect water that is 24 inches deep or less.  Life jackets will be used while canoeing. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Preregistration is required. Members free; nonmember adult $6, child $3.

Registration and calendar listings of current season's hikes and walks will be listed as they become available.