Joan Jones Portman Trail & Rieveschl Overlook

Joan Jones Portman Trail

An expansive view of the Ohio Brush Creek Valley rewards visitors who complete the 1.6-mile, round-trip Joan Jones Portman Trail that extends through prairie and up into a forested landscape.

Those passing through the prairie should keep their eyes peeled for shooting star, stiff gentian, rough white lettuce, Indian grass and other plants common to the prairies of the region. Late summer or early fall is perhaps the most rewarding time of year to hike the trail, as the prairie grasses and wildflowers are at their peak.

Also found in the prairie are post oaks—a tree rarely found growing north of Adams County. These trees (which have cross-shaped leaves and a hard, durable wood that made them popular for railroad ties and fence posts) grow in the open on sites with poor, shallow soils.

In early summer evenings, listen for the call of the Chuck-will’s-widow, a nocturnal, ground-nesting bird that is uncommon in Ohio. True to their name, prairie warblers also can be found here, along with the eastern box turtle. Lucky visitors may even catch a glimpse of a fox.

Once through the prairie, visitors enter the woods, where small cliffs of Peebles dolomite (a rock formation) support the red-flowered wild columbine. Chinquapin oak and blue ash are scattered throughout.

The trail ends at Floods Point, a rocky promontory overlooking the beautiful Ohio Brush Creek Valley. Adventuresome hikers eventually will be able to continue on from this promontory and head east on the North Country National Scenic Trail / Buckeye Trail. When complete, this section will allow hiking on a 14-mile trail that will link The Edge of Appalachia Preserve System with the Shawnee State Forest.

Prairie Garden Trail

The brief Prairie Garden Trail showcases a selection of some of the plants that would have greeted early settlers pushing westward through what was once dense Ohio forestland. Islands in a sea of trees, these prairie openings were fairly numerous and scattered throughout the forested hill country of western Adams County. Tall grasses and a host of colorful flowering plants can be seen in the garden.

Dr. George Rieveschl Jr. Creek’s Bend Overlook 

Enjoy a picnic at one of the tables under the pavilion and take some time to enjoy the beautiful setting. From the overlook, visitors can view a portion of the 57-mile-long Ohio Brush Creek. Here, warm waters sustain more than 62 species of fish, 30 species of living mussels and 11 reptiles and amphibians. The aquatic diversity of Ohio Brush Creek has been measured by scientists to be some of the best in Ohio.

For those interested in a closer look at the waters of Ohio Brush Creek, there is an access point just south of the overlook to drop in, or take out, a canoe or kayak.