Update 3/16: Trails are NOW OPEN at Rowe Woods and Long Branch Farm & Trails. Please stay alert during your hike for fallen branches and continue to tune in for potential wind advisories throughout the day.

Facilities Temporarily Without Water 3/16: Rowe Visitor Center is open until 5 pm however, due to unforeseen issues, our facility is without water to restrooms and drinking fountains for the remaining part of the day due to a water main break. Porta Potties are currently on site for visitor use.

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How do high winds affect trail conditions?

Spring may be blooming with beauty, but the weather can be a bit unpredictable. And as undeterred as we may be to hit the trail running, the safety of our guests and staff is paramount. March in particular experiences a range of weather conditions from severe storms to snowfall to high-sustaining winds. For instance, the decision to close trails due to high winds is based on the mph of wind gusts. If gusts occur in 15 minutes or less and are 25 mph or higher, all trails at that location will close until conditions are safe enough to reopen.

Nature changes so often, and many times, we can’t see what is taking place beneath the soil or high in the canopy. The trees, vulnerable tree limbs, and even the foundational soil below all play an important role in the decision-making process. If the ground is well saturated from heavy rain and wind gusts are 25 mph or higher, the area around one of our many old-growth trees could unexpectedly, and quickly, become a danger zone!

When it comes to extreme weather or potentially destructive winds that put our visitors at risk, you can count on us to put safety first! All trail closure announcements can be found on our website homepage and on all of our social media pages.

‍Lesser Celandine Management: Cincinnati Nature Center is working tirelessly to remove an extensive population of Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) found at Rowe Woods. If you visit us during the months of March and April, you may encounter the following:

• conservation technicians on the trail

• loud equipment

• brief trail closures and turf/recreational areas temporarily closed to the public

Please help us by adhering to signage warnings and respecting our working crews.

Click here to learn more about this invasive species and how our management plans.

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Bridge Replacement on Wildflower Trail: Our staff and volunteers have completed the bridge replacement on the Wildflower Trail. This access to this trail from Edge Trail is now open!

Fernwood Trail is back open, and with a newly designed bridge. Thank you to the facilities crew, volunteers, and the generous donation of lumber from Kibler Lumberyard!

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Bridge Replacement on Geology Trail: Our staff and volunteers have completed the new build of the pedestrian bridge on the Limestone Steps of the Geology Trail. This trail is now open!

New Bridge on Edge Trail: Edge Trail is back open, and with a newly constructed replacement to the previous single-lane bridge. The new bridge is now wide enough for trail vehicles to utilize, improving response times and making it easier to go in multiple directions on the trail.

We are happy to announce that our bridge at Long Branch Farm & Trails is now complete and safe for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic! There will be a few minor additions, such as traffic markings, that will come when weather permits.

The main entrance on Gaynor Road will be open regular operating daily hours.

Many among our staff were involved in getting this project completed, and we are grateful for their hard work and perseverance. A special thanks to the design firm, Palmer Engineering, for working with us to design a bridge to meet our specific needs and sensitivities to both human safety and environmental impacts. And, a special thanks to the construction firm, Great Lakes Construction Company, for bringing this design into reality.

Financial support was provided by grants from: Luther Foundation, Louise Taft Semple Foundation, and Dornette Foundation. Additional funding was provided by allocations from several generous bequests from long-time supporters who made Cincinnati Nature Center part of their planned giving legacy to be used for enhancement projects such as this beautiful bridge.

Our heartfelt thanks to all those who supported this critical project!

New gazebo on Lookout Trail: Our volunteers and staff recently completed an update of the gazebo roof and supports on Lookout Trail. Stop by to check it out on your next hike!

Thanks, to the amazing volunteers for completing another great project! Fernwood Trail is back open, and with a newly designed bridge. This design has gaps to allow debris to go through the bridge instead of getting caught, ultimately extending the lifetime of the bridge.

Thank you to the facilities crew of Dan, Aaron, and Jeff for assisting in this project and our board president David Bohl, and the donation of lumber from Kibler Lumberyard!

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New Bridge on Whitetail Trace: Our volunteers have once again done a wonderful job! We are pleased to say that the bridge is now completed and Whitetail Trace is open.

New Boardwalk on Redwing Trail: Our volunteers rock! They just completed a third and final boardwalk on the Redwing Trail at Rowe Woods. We are so lucky to have such an awesome and dedicated crew helping us keep our trails in tip-top shape.