A trail with beautiful overlooks; not to be confused with the Sharon Woods near Columbus, OH!

Hilariously, it took two different occasions before making the realization I was at the “wrong” Sharon Woods. After first failing to meet up with a group of dog walkers… the second time (yes I made the mistake twice!) I actually dragged my whole family along for a mythical Father’s Day paddle boat ride. My dear husband made the connection for me! Whoops!

Regardless, each time I ended up enjoying the park and wasn’t disappointed. I’m now convinced it’s a nicely kept Cincy secret.

Location:

Northern Cincinnati in Sharonville. Park at the parking lot close to the Gorge Trail.

Map Directions:

Click here for a link to the Maps app. This location takes you straight to the base of the Gorge Trail.

Distance:

Four miles total.

Start at the Gorge Trail (0.7 miles), connect to the Shared Use lake trail (2.6 miles), then head back down the Gorge Trail to the parking lot (0.7 miles).

Park Details:

Dogs are allowed.

$3 to enter, or pay $10 for an annual Great Parks pass that’s good for a plethora of Cincy parks.

The gorge trail is a long slight incline from the recommended parking lot, so it’s all downhill on the way back.

The park itself is made of a 90 foot gorge, hence the trail name. There’s beautiful overlooks throughout cliff trails of stratigraphic rock layers made of limestone and shale. Fossils of ancient sea creatures can be found from the Ordovician Period (over 400 million years ago!).

Here’s a Great Parks guide for identifying any fossils you might find and a link to the Great Parks main website for general info.

Starting in 2024 the man made lake will be dredged to improve the water quality, so check out this Great Parks project website for possible construction updates that may impact trail use.

After The Run Recommendations:

For food, check out The Park Pour for brunch, Servatii for opera cream, or Alreddy Coffee in Blue Ash.

Didn’t find any fossils on your hike? Head to Trammel Fossil Park, located at 12026 Tramway Park Drive, Sharonville, OH 45241 where you’re permitted to search for fossils and guaranteed to take a small sample home.

Trail Maps:

Additional Images:

Sadly, I didn’t manage to shoot images of the overlooks. At the time, I was traveling with a toddler who I was more focused on keeping far away from the edge of the cliff! You’ll have to take my word for it and visit the views yourself!

Interested in other Cincinnati trail runs or hikes? Check out my list of trails here.

New to trail running? Jump to my post on handy gear if you decide you’re ready to invest in your personal fitness.