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Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 23, 2025
We hiked several trails on this day, but the new one-mile trail was the Vista Loop Trail. We ascended lots of steps up a steep hill and across the rim before dropping down to another trail. We passed an old stone chimney-looking structure and passed lots of wildflowers. A few people were kayaking on the Little Miami River.
Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 24, 2025
This trail on the southeast side of the park next to the Siebenthaler Natural Area loop trail, is a 7.5-mile trail that connects with Twin Creek Metropark. Today, we hiked 1.5 miles out and then back. We plan to return and hike the entire trail. The trail was hilly with lots of switchbacks and a couple of stream crossings. We saw lots of squirrels, and the forest was loud with woodpeckers and chirping birds. At times, the trail took us close to Twin Creek. We did pass the State of Ohio wildflower, the large-flowered Trillium (Photo#3).
Hiking Team: dave Miller
Date: April 14, 2025
This Butler County Metropark was a fun 2.4-mile loop trail. It began with a 75-yard floating dock across water about one foot deep. The dock was made of plastic squares. If I kept moving, I was fine but once I stopped to take a photo of the Cattail Marsh wetlands and the water quickly engulfed my hiking boots. I could see small fish and a blue heron before quickly walking onward. Once off the floating dock, the trail continued for .7 miles on grass with a creek on the left and Kingfisher Pond with one bird blind on the right. This was a popular birding area. I saw dozens of turtles and finally reached a paved bike path for my final 1.6 miles. The first quarter mile ran parallel to the old Miami & Erie Canal, still full of water. Along this route were two pond overlooks and a spur trail – the .7-mile Highlands Trace Loop. Near the end of the hike, a foot off of the trail I spotted a three-foot-long green snake standing at full attention ready to strike.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 15, 2025
This two-story tavern was built in 1827 by Elisha and son William (known as the father of Yellow Springs) Mills. Back then it was called Elisha’s Tavern. The hand-hewn logs are clearly seen in the back of the building. It was the only Yellow Springs structure on Route 68 at the time.
Our waiter Duane told us of two recent paranormal experiences. We were seated at a corner table, very tight and next to a brick wall and fireplace. Duane told us that recently a lady sat there looking at a menu. Her drink suddenly flew from the table and smashed against the brick just to her right. Rosie reenacted the scene by sitting in the same place (Photo#2). If the woman had accidentally knocked the drink off it would have fallen down to the floor and broke. Instead, the glass flew horizontally and into the brick wall.
Duane also said that the owner Don Beard has video of three glasses moving on their own and falling off of the bar shelf (photo#4).
His wife Christine, stated that when she cleaned the then-upstairs bathroom, that often she would see the form of a woman in a late 1800’s blue dress walking down the hallway. It appears the ghost wears its hair down and seems sad.
A former owner Francis Haffner who died in 1895 (Photo?) only wanted food sold and no spirits is believed to be one of the ghosts that haunt the bar. Haffner’s teenage niece is suspected to be a blond woman wearing a white nightgown seen on the lower floor multiple times over the past ten years by the bartender. The witnesses say that the downstairs ghost appears happy.
I managed to go upstairs (now used mainly for storage) and took many photos around the restaurant. I liked the “Caution Mind Your Head” sign due to the low wood ceiling above an inner door. I could not perform an EVP this trip but would like to investigate this pub further on another occasion.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 15, 2025
A new Roadside Attraction for me was Ohio’s oldest bar called Ye Olde Trail Tavern built in 1827 by Elisha and son William Mills. Back then it was called Elisha’s Tavern. The hand-hewn logs are clearly seen in the back of the building. It was the only Yellow Springs structure on Route 68 at the time.
We stopped in after my cancer checkup at the OSU James Hospital in Columbus before we hiked at the nearby Glen Helen Nature Preserve. I enjoyed sauerkraut balls as an appetizer with cod fish, fries and cole slaw as my lunch entrée. Rosie enjoyed a black bean burger and homemade warm potato salad.
Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 15, 2025
We hiked four miles on this refreshing spring day. At first, we walked down the long path next to the large beaver dam (Photo#1) and headed east along Birch Creek to the big cascading waterfall (Photo#2) and several small waterfalls. We crossed over and began this loop trail consisting of Lower & Upper Birch Creek Trails and then eventually Talus Trail. The Upper Birch Creek trail briefly crossed Grinnell Road and Yellow Springs Creek. Along the road was a tree with a monkey looking face (Photo#4) grown into it. On Talus Trail three large deer came out of the woods and crossed just in front of Rosie. Near the end of the ascending trail, it became a tougher hike as we passed an old quarry and the beginning growth of spring wildflowers.
Hiking Team: Dave Miller
Date: April 22, 2025
This one mile out and back trail was 99% boardwalk over six inches of fen/bog/marsh land fed by mineral rich springs. A dozen times I would step on the boardwalk and water would come through the slats catching me off guard and scaring me because I was not expecting the sound or the lapping of the water under the boardwalk. At the beginning was a wet forest – dogwood, cottonwood and sycamore trees. The trees gave way to open areas after that. Beaver Creek ran parallel to the right of the boardwalk (Photo#3). There were several turnouts with benches to look for birds and wildlife in the fen or in the creek. The sounds of the wetlands drowned out urban noise. The entire hike a could here dozens of birds and frogs and smell the springtime fragrances of flowers and plants.
Signs indicated that over 470 species of plants and wildflowers grew along the boardwalk including lots of skunk cabbage and marsh marigolds (Photo#4). In the creek I saw geese and turtles (Photo#5) but no beavers. It was an enjoyable hike.
Hiking Team: Dave Miller
Date: April 22, 2025
I hiked the Prairie Loop Trail, Russ Loop Trail and part of the Forest Loop Trail hiking just under two miles total. The trails were part forest, prairie and meadow with a slight elevation gain and drop. Of interest, the former Russ House was built around a large tree. The 2019 tornado severely damaged the house which had to be demolished but the tree remains (Photo#1). A display along the trail showed a White Ash tree damaged by the Emerald Ash Borer (Photo#2). One spur took me to the apiary, home to a dozen boxes of bees. Near the end of Russ Trail was a bird blind where I saw a squirrel, many colorful birds and a colorful woodpecker (Photo#4). It was a short but delightful hike.
Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 22, 2025
We have passed this roadside attraction a hundred times on I-75. Two friendly robots made of aluminum and HVAC ductwork stand on the top of the Gaines Mechanical building. The robots survived the 2019 tornadoes that damaged the area all around them.
Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 11 & April 24, 2025
Located next to the swollen Twin Creek (due to the weeklong flooding) below the dam, I hiked this recommended fossil hunting area and came away with several finds – notably, bryozoans, brachiopods and shells. The short .5-mile loop trail ascended into the woods before circling back down where it connected with the yellow trail that headed many miles southeast.
