Many people chose Ohio University for the social aspect, the education or the tuition cost. Some Bobcats pick OU for nature, enjoying the view and wildlife, while visiting or taking photos. Several parks and locations are available for students and locals to hike and explore, and people can take advantage of the area’s trails.
Strouds Run State Park is located at 11661 State Park Rdand is a popular location for hiking and nature viewing for many. It’s about a 10-minute drive from Baker University Center, according to Google Maps, and about an hour with Athens Public Transit, a free public service for locals and students.
Several trails are available for nature and hiking enthusiasts at Strouds Run, such as the Beaver Pond Trail, which is one mile long according to Strouds Run’s website. Chestnut Trail Lakeview Trail is seven miles, and is labeled as having a “moderate difficulty.”
Cameron Gillum, a senior studying aviation flight, said he visits Strouds Run at least twice a month during the spring and summer. He especially enjoys hiking when the weather is nice, and also fishes as well. He said Strouds might be a little far for some students, but it may be accessible by bike.
“If you have the ability to get the transportation to Strouds Run or Old Man's Cave, which is a little bit farther, but it's a really nice spot,” Gillum said.
Gillum comes from Northern Ohio and often hikes on flat land near bodies of water. In Athens, he said he’s able to see a more “interesting” scene full of forests, hills and greenery.
“It's pretty, and it's just different,” Gillum said. “Especially if you're from Ohio and you're not from around here, it's completely different than everything that's around the rest of the state.”
The Ridges, which opened as the Athens Lunatic Asylum in 1874, is located at 118 Ridges Circle and is a popular spot for students to hike due to the building’s history and natural surroundings. The Ridges now operate as a space for many OU departments, community facilities and administrative offices.
The Ridges is about a 20-minute walk from Baker, and the Dairy Barn Arts Center is about a 30-minute walk, which is where the first trail marker for The Ridges Cemeteries Nature Walk is located.
Elijah Beard graduated from OU this May with a degree in computer science, and sometimes visits Dow Lake, located in Strouds Run, and hikes Radar Hill at least once a month.
“I just like Radar Hill, and I like its history,” Beard said. “I was there on Tuesday with my friend, and we were seeing stars.”
In 1963, Radar Hill Laboratory opened to monitor and study the surface of the moon for NASA’s Apollo mission. OU’s department of electrical engineering used moon and satellite technology with 30-foot dish antennas and a 70-foot antenna test tower, according to OHIOToday.
The “tranquility” of Radar Hill stands out to Beard. Beard said students can take the red line from Athens Public Transit to The Ridges and walk to the observatory located on 174 Water Tower Drive to get to the trailhead.
“It's easy to romanticize because I came from Columbus, so it's a nice experience to come here, and it's like a new, fresh sort of quiet zone,” Beard said.
For those who enjoy walking throughout nature and soaking in the sunshine on a hike, check out the trails and attractions near OU and Athens.
