Step onto the LEDGES…

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all. As it is Thanksgiving weekend, my laziness factor is running high. Of course, I have eaten too much. Furthermore, I have drank to much. Finally, my exercise has also been lacking. So, what is the solution? Go to my gym, exercise and get the Covid? Nay, I say. Rather than actually exercising, I will post about exercising. Perhaps some vigorous, rocky hiking deep into the darken, wet canopy. HUH? I live in Ohio…how is this possible? True, we have no mountains, but we do have ledges. So, if you want as much fun hiking as you can in Ohio…step onto the LEDGES…

So, perhaps I should have already understood what it meant when a trail hike is deemed “ledges.” But, I will admit my past ignorance when it comes to “ledges” hikes. In the last year, I have now gone on several trails that call themselves “ledges.” Most of these pictures are from my favorite of these places. I am referring to Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park, which is an hour east of Cleveland. N-K Ledges is the best that I have found of the ledges variety.

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So, what is a “ledges” trail. Well, as the name would imply, there are a lot of rock ledges…nothing is flat. The formations consist of lots of sandstone that has eroded away over the millennia while the other stone has remained. This differential erosion has created all sorts of ledges, fractures, caves, drop offs, and all sorts of terrain that you would not associate with Ohio. There are usually very good tree canopies, so its dark and moist. This is good in the summer heat…but it can get buggy. In my recent hike at N-K Ledges State Park, I walked, climbed, squeezed, crawled, forded streams, and enjoyed some good spelunking.

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The best thing about these hikes is that they made me UNCOMFORTABLE on several occasions. It did not rise to the level of fear…nor is this worthy of adrenaline junkies…but, I was definitely uncomfortable at several points in the hike. There was concern that we were not staying on trail. I was nervous several times that I could not fit in the gap that was the trail. I was very nervous my wife was going to fall in a stream…which would have immediately ruined both our days. As I said, the trail made me UNCOMFORTABLE…and I liked it.

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All the above photos are from Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park because it was my favorite. But, there are many more options. You can hike the Ledges Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio’s only national park. In nearby Hinckley, Ohio, you can find a couple ledges trails around the Hinckley Lake. In fact, I should specially mention Wordens Ledges in Hinckley. Hiram Worden was the original land owner back in the early 1900s. His son-in-law, Noble Stuart, was a bit of a stone carver. So, as you walk through Worden’s Ledges, it becomes a bit of a “where’s Waldo” as you search for the faces in the rocks carved by Mr. Stuart in the 1940s.

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I have by no means covered every “ledges” trail in my state. But, I hope I have peeked your interest in these ledges trails. So, if you like to do a bit more on a hike than just walk, then…step onto the LEDGES. PT

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If you wish to plan a hike here: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/nelsonkennedy-ledges-state-park