Local areas provide acres of land to explore

Southwest Ohio has numerous outdoor areas that students can explore in their free time, a well-known example being Hueston Woods State Park. Outside of Hueston Woods, students can venture off the beaten path and explore other unique areas, all under 30 minutes from campus.

One such area is Rush Run Wildlife Area. Rush Run is a 20-minute drive from Miami University’s campus, just outside of Somerville, Ohio.

Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor Bryan Dorsey said out of the areas he overlooks, Rush Run has the most variety.

Dorsey said people can visit Rush Run for hiking, hunting, fishing and even dog training. Rush Run has a dog training area where people can let their dogs go off leash, depending on the time of year.

He said when the grass is taller, people usually bring their hunting dogs for training, but when the grass is shorter they see people just walking their dogs around. The only time people can’t bring their dogs is during nesting season, so wildlife aren’t disturbed.

Dorsey said Rush Run is a public hunting and fishing property, so visitors with hunting and fishing licenses can utilize the space. With a 47-acre lake and numerous trails, Rush Run provides a unique hunting opportunity.

“The lake is always really popular,” Dorsey said, “but we also release pheasants in the fall for hunting, so that brings a lot of people here.”

Rush Run falls under the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, but MetroParks also has numerous areas for the community to enjoy.

MetroParks Communications Manager Katie Ely-Wood said MetroParks operates independently and is funded by a Butler County tax levy, meaning visitors don’t have to pay to enter the parks.

Three parks near campus are Indian Creek, Sycamore Bluffs and Mill Race.

Indian Creek is the oldest MetroPark in the system, and it is under 15 minutes from campus. Ely-Wood said MetroParks got the property in the 1950s, and that it is one of her personal favorites.

“If students are looking to really escape into nature, it gives you a really traditional park feel,” Ely-Wood said.

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Indian Creek has two sides, the Springfield Road entrance and the Oxford Reily Road entrance. Ely-Wood said the Springfield entrance has good access to the picnic shelter and hiking trails, and Oxford Reily has access to the creek itself.

“If you’re looking for a water experience, I would head to Oxford Reily,” she said. “If you’re looking for a more forested hiking experience, go to Springfield.”

Sycamore Bluffs is in Milford Township, near Four Mile Creek. Ely-Wood said Sycamore Bluffs has kayak and canoe launches into Four Mile Creek, along with scenic trails that run alongside the creek. Sycamore Bluffs has a longer trail that takes hikers to the bluffs part of the park.

“You have to hike up a pretty good trail to get there, but there’s a nice opening at the top that lets you see over farmland and forest,” Ely-Wood said. “It’s really gorgeous.”

The Mill Race Preserve MetroPark offers a historical aspect unique to MetroParks. Mill Race has the historic Black Covered Bridge, one of the few remaining covered bridges in southwestern Ohio.

Visitors have to cross the Black Covered Bridge to enter Mill Race. Ely-Wood said the unusual method of entry attracts many people. She also said the MetroParks natural resources team has worked to restore the native prairie.

Mill Race has relatively flat terrain, so there are less challenging hills than at Sycamore Bluffs or Indian Creek. Mill Race also has access to the paved City of Oxford trail system.

“There’s some really easy access at Mill Race,” she said. “You can just leave your car in our parking lot and enjoy the paved trail if you want to do that.”

Mill Race is around five minutes from campus.

Another close-to-campus area is the Ruder Preserve, near Yager Stadium. Ruder Preserve is managed by the Three Valley Conservation Trust.

Three Valley Conservation Trust Executive Director Randy Evans said they are a nonprofit land trust that manages over 25,000 acres of green space.

Ruder Preserve was donated to the organization by the Ruder Family and formerly maintained by Miami University. The preserve has a jogging trail that connects with Miami’s Natural Areas.

Along with the jogging trail, Evans said there is an accessible boardwalk along water. The boardwalk was built using donations and grants to increase accessibility for people with wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.

The boardwalk was built by Steve Nimis, Ed Teets, Mark Boardman and Tom Farmer.

Evans said Ruder Preserve is a great place for walking around, fishing and nature watching, especially with the rest areas included in the boardwalk.

Evans said one of his favorite things about Ruder Preserve is the wildlife spotting visitors can catch. He’s specifically a fan of the spiny softshell turtles in the area.

“If you get out in the morning and you’re quiet, a new fawn will walk right by,” Evans said. “With all the butterflies and the wildflowers, it’s just a great place to be, especially for birding.”

All of these areas offer volunteer opportunities for students. Evans said student groups come down to Ruder Preserve every Thursday and on weekends to help with restoration and storm debris cleanup. He said Donna McCollum, another Three Valley Conservation Trust board member, leads these groups in their efforts. To join these groups, students can fill out the Three Valley Trust volunteer interest form.

Dorsey said Rush Run has worked with Miami groups many times for student projects and volunteering. He said students can reach out to him at Bryan.Dorsey@DNR.Ohio.gov, with their interest and availability if they’d like to join.

“[Volunteers] may be high school students or college students, so [volunteering] varies,” Dorsey said, “but I’m absolutely open to it.”

Ely-Wood said MetroParks volunteers typically help with invasive species removal and special events staffing. She said MetroParks is about to enter a busy season, so any volunteers are greatly appreciated. Students can volunteer by reaching out to volunteering@yourmetropark.net.

feeta@miamioh.edu