What is your great outdoor escape within 50 miles of Cincinnati?

M&M asked readers to answer this question and send us a photo to illustrate.

The Riverfront

I truly love the history and heritage, commerce, vitality and views – and the rewards of a good meal somewhere there and back in my trek across the Roebling Bridge. – Lora Helou

The accessibility of Friendship Park allows every generation of my family to enjoy the beauty and serenity of a city park easily. The paths allow you to see, touch and smell the greenery, and the view of the Ohio River is calming. – Crystal Kendrick 

I love escaping to play pickleball outside at Sawyer Point. Mornings, daytime, evenings, weekends – these courts are the place to be! – Sandy Greenwald

City Parks

I appreciate Ault Park’s history, views, tree groves, etc., and we all know that our seasons like to blend, so it’s particularly interesting when I need to wear a winter coat to enjoy the blooms! – Maria Dehne

Eden Park is absolutely gorgeous, with winding walking paths that take you from Mirror Lake, past Krohn Conservatory, to the Twin Lakes – it brings a sense of relaxation and reflection to me that is so needed with a busy schedule! – Tara Osborne

Hanging with happy people, delicious food, movie classics, live theater and the joy of listening to great jazz at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park leaves me feeling good! – Alice Frazier

The blooms in Ault Park – from the tulips to the cherry blossoms – aren’t just beautiful to enjoy, they’re a real-life metaphor for the beauty that coincides with change.  – Bridget Jancarz (with her mini goldendoodle, Violet)

River & Trails

I enjoy the seemingly endless hiking trails of Hueston Woods and relish the chance to take in the views overlooking Acton Lake, especially a sunset on a crisp spring evening after a challenging round of disc golf. – Brian Hiles

I love exploring the quiet coves at East Fork State Park with my kayak, gliding along to view the lake’s resident bald eagles, kingfishers and other wildlife. – Kelly Watso​​n

In the 1990s, dad and I would log miles in the Miami Whitewater Forest — me on rollerblades and him in running shoes — on the quiet “outer loop,” and these days I’m more inclined to kayak or hike there. – Sara Cullin 

There is much to see and do on the Little Miami Scenic Bikeway Trail – now with the Beechmont Bridge Connector completed, and other construction later this year, it will be an unencumbered ride from downtown Cincinnati to Xenia.
– Scott Bowers

The Forest: Cincinnati Nature Center

Every season delights your senses as you follow meandering trails through a variety of habitats, including grasslands, marshlands and old growth forest. – Kate Albert 

I hear the water running through the creeks and the wind blowing through the trees; I see all types of wildlife and beautiful foliage. – Paul Eckard

The winter might be my favorite season to run the trails at Cincinnati Nature Center; it’s a season of stillness and quiet, as the sleeping trees tower over my solo runs. – Abby Tuke

Whether it’s hammock or campfire sessions, a mindfulness hike, or so much more, being in this space takes my therapy practice from the couch, to making magic happen. – Christy Brock

I’ve hiked or run my favorite trail in every condition: rain, snow, gray or sunny. The woods reveal differences each day. – Jane Gerhardt

I never tire of enjoying each season’s changes on the many trails within their borders. – Beverly Prentice