Knox County: Trails, Nature and Culture

In Knox County, you can plan your outings around different interests: hit the trails, observe nature, or discover distinctive architecture and cultural attractions. The trails make it easy to compare route lengths and surfaces. There are also special nature destinations, river landscapes and events to explore.

Trails and Nature Destinations

The Heart of Ohio Trail offers almost 20 miles of smooth, high-quality asphalt surface. It can be used for hiking, inline skating, geocaching and cycling. Along the trail, 19 bridges cross Dry Creek, which continues winding its way to the Kokosing State Scenic River. The Kokosing Gap Trail is 14 miles long, paved, and runs from Mount Vernon through Gambier and Howard to Danville. In terms of length alone, the Heart of Ohio Trail’s almost 20 miles compare with the Kokosing Gap Trail’s 14 miles.

Visitors along the Kokosing Gap Trail may spot deer, wild turkeys and great blue herons. Wildflowers can also be seen there in spring and summer. If you prefer to spend your time at individual nature spots, Honey Run Waterfall is 25 feet high, and the park is open to the public 365 days a year. Across the road, Honey Run Highlands is a 348-acre property with hiking trails and picnic facilities. The waterfall site is home to a rare plant community considered a disjunct boreal habitat, more commonly found in Canada.

The nature experience around Honey Run also includes the Butterfly Transect Trail, which volunteers use for butterfly monitoring during the summer months. Wolf Run Regional Park has almost ten miles of hiking trails, wooded areas and a pond. The 30-acre Knox Woods State Nature Preserve is located within the park boundaries. The park also has an almost two-acre fenced dog run where dogs can roam off leash. Along the Storybook Trail, visitors can read the pages of a children’s book one after another as they follow the path.

Wildlife Viewing and River Landscapes

The Brown Family Environmental Center is a 700-acre nature preserve in the Kokosing River Valley in central Ohio. Its public programs and events include stargazing, full-moon hikes and prairie tours; it also hosts an annual nature photography contest.

The Kokosing Scenic River is known for its aquatic diversity; its fish community is considered exceptional and is described as one of the most diverse and healthiest in Ohio. On November 4, 1997, 41 miles of the main stem, starting at its southern end and extending upstream, were designated scenic. The designation for the North Fork of the Kokosing covered 6.5 miles upstream from its confluence with the Kokosing. Farther downstream, the Kokosing River flows through a sandstone gorge before joining the Mohican River.

Architecture and Culture

Ariel-Foundation Park contains three large lakes that were once gravel pits. From the Rastin Observation Tower, visitors can look out over Mount Vernon, Ohio. The Bridge of Dreams near Brinkhaven is 370 feet long and the second-longest covered bridge in Ohio. Originally built as a railroad bridge in the 1920s, it was covered in 1998.

Railroad history is also part of the Kokosing Gap Trail: Chesapeake & Ohio caboose No. 90776 is permanently displayed at the trail’s Gambier station. The Standard Steel Car Company built it in Baltimore, Maryland, in November 1924; it remained in service until 1979. The CA&C Visitor Center is housed in a passenger station built in 1905 and serves as a welcome center for the city and county Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Knox Memorial Theater hosts a variety of productions and concerts throughout the year.

Plan Your Stay

When searching for a hotel in Knox County, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your stay: longer trails, wildlife viewing, river landscapes, or culture and history. Base your plans on the places you want to visit and choose a convenient starting point for your itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Mount Vernon, Gambier, Howard, Hamilton, Williams, Ross County, Trumbull County, Ashland County

Return to the main travel overview: Ohio.