Gold, Fishing and Cedar Strip Canoes- Wrapping up the Williamsburg Section

There are days when I am driving the Buckeye Trail and I wish, if even for a moment, that this was a walking journey.  Many of the roads pass through areas that deserve more time to savor the setting, the views and sounds than can be afforded by car travel. I want to kick and crunch fallen leaves under sturdy walking boots, stop and take countless photos and breathe in the fresh air and listen to the sound of the quiet country. This day however was not one of those days. Leaving Valley View the trail takes us to Round Bottom Road. It’s an okay road to drive; nothing to get excited about and certainly nothing to feel like the venture has taken a turn for the worse- unless you were hiking. The road is narrow, busy and winding- a triple whammy for hikers.  Passing under I-275 immediately puts this little leg of this journey into perspective. I will take an average side road any day over the busy interstate.

Heading onto Round Bottom Road

It is not long before I am guided to Binning Road, I narrow road that feels as if it is hunching its shoulders against the hills and railroad that press up against its sides. Binning Road more than makes up for my time on Round Bottom.  As it happens quite often on this journey I have to leave the trail to take a path that is car accessible. For just a few moments I head east on the Appalachian Highway. This four lane road redeems itself with our first look at the Appalachian Mountains, or at this point large hills. An exit later I am off the highway and happily back on side roads.

Back once again on the quieter side roads.

Many of the towns along the Buckeye Trails are a lot like the roads, they are simply just fine. Never one to speak ill of a town, it is someone’s home, I will say that many areas seem to live on the cusp of greatness.  For many places great events in history happened nearby. Some towns showed great promise until … a fire caused damage from which it could never recover, a train that was to come never did, the soil was almost perfect for farming or an industry that was once the life blood of the community became no more. Many of the towns along these back roads were established at the point at which a farmer could travel in a day’s time.  These stops along the roads became small towns and centers of trade. With modern transportation these short distances became obsolete and inefficient. It would be nice if all older towns could continue to thrive and take on new life perhaps as an artists’ village or historic center.  But they cannot. 

Some are ghost towns, some are small bedroom communities, others seemed to have kept pace with change without missing a beat and others have reinvented themselves.  We will see them all on this trip.

For a moment I skirt the around Batavians’ downtown just long enough to stop for a snack and top off the tank. Crossing over the East Fork of the Little Miami River I follow Ohio 222 towards East Fork State Park and William H. Harsha Lake. It’s time to get out and explore. 

A There’s a Bit of Gold in These Hills

East Fork State Park is located within the Little Miami River basin. As with any area with access to water transportation, this land attracted peoples for thousands of years.  Nearly 3,000 years ago the Adena and Hopewell Indians occupied this land and then much later the Erie Indians. By 1655 the Erie nation was completely destroyed by the powerful Iroquois and the land was left unmolested by humans for the remainder of the 17th century.

As settlers pushed west, the waters of the Little Miami River began powering grist mills, sawmills, blacksmith shops and tanneries. As with many new settlements, the nearby villages of Batavia was settled on land surveyed for a soldier of the Revolutionary War; in this case, a seven-year captain of the Revolutionary War, Francic Minnis.  But then this familiar story line takes an unexpected twist- gold was discovered. It was far from a gold rush and from what I have read far more losses were recorded than windfalls.

In 1869, two gold mines operated in the vicinity. One mine was located near Elklick and used a flume for washing gravel containing flakes of gold. The Twin Bridges mine tunneled underground to reach gold deposits encased in bedrock. Gold originates in veins. When weather and geological events expose theses veins the gold is released. The gold found in Ohio is secondary or placer gold, meaning it originated elsewhere and was deposited in new locations. According to GeoFacts, Ohio Department of Natural Resources the placer gold of Ohio originated in Canada and was transported to the areas during one or more episodes of Pleistocene glaciations. As a result gold can be found in two-thirds of the state, the glaciated regions. The gold is tiny, small, thin flakes to at best, and quite rare, the size of a pea. Those who hoped to make their fortune with Ohio gold deposits were up against immense challenges, horrible odds and back breaking work. Even company mines were short lived. The Batavia Mining Company closed after only a year. 

I saw a few reports on the internet that the old gold mines can still be found. Perhaps when the leaves fall I will search out these old mining sites and try my hand at panning for gold. But for now the area offers riches that are far more abundant; outdoor activities in one of southwestern Ohio’s largest recreational areas- East Fork State Park.  

Driving along the dam and looking down at the spillway.

East Fork Reservoir was created in 1978 as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control program.  You may hear two names used for the lake- East Fork Lake and William H. Harsha Lake. In 1981 the lake was renamed to honor the retired congressman who was instrumental in getting the funding needed for the construction project which created the lake.  The lake has a 1,200-foot swimming beach with changing booths, showers, restrooms and a vending area. The 2,160-acre lake allows unlimited horsepower boating accessible via six launch ramps.  There are ample hiking and horseback riding trails and 40 miles of shoreline to explore.

High waters and low fog.

When I was younger, I would explore the flooded creeks created by the dammed lake in a single person cedar strip canoe that my dad made. It was a beautiful canoe. Light enough for me to carry on my shoulder and easily deposited on the roof of my car. This little canoe was my escape, my mode of exploration and being close to the water. Sitting cross legged I propelled the craft with a kayak paddle and headed into the tiny coves and flooded streams beyond where other fishermen would venture for fear of snagging their tackle in the fallen trees and submerged stumps. When the water became too shallow to navigate I would stash the canoe safely ashore and hide my paddle in a different spot (thinking this would thwart any would-be thieves). With the canoe safe I hiked up the creeks searching under rocks for fossils and crayfish, enjoying the solitude of the valleys and on occasion losing track of time. 

Paddling my canoe with our Springer riding along

I remember one late afternoon, paddling back to the boat ramp to find my dad watching and waiting. With a wave and smile he greeted me and said I looked good in the canoe and was paddling it quite well. He was so cool and relaxed that I never for a moment thought he was wondering if is daughter was missing, drowned or so far out she would not make it to shore before dark. I just saw my dad, who made the wonderful canoe and taught me how to paddle. 

We also fished here when I was young, below the spillway. I cannot recall what we caught, most likely carp, maybe bass and catfish. I just know it was fun to leave before anyone else in the house was awake. It was stolen hours that started before dawn punctuated with flowing water, fish, the company of other fishermen and simply being outside and topped off with chocolate cupcakes and cans of Pepsi on the drive home. Sometimes we used rods and reels other times, fly rods. If you have never tried fly-fishing, I highly recommend it. It is poetic and graceful and you are in motion; far better than sitting and waiting for something to happen. The spillway at East Fork is a great place to fish, whichever method you prefer. Obstacles are few for tangling fishing line as you back cast, the steep hill of the dam and the opposite bank create an intimate setting and in the morning the fog coming of the water is magical. 

We were quite skilled at fishing
so I am certain I am showing off our
smallest catch of the day.

Hiking, canoeing, fishing, boating, swimming; I am ready for a rest and drive.  As you would expect, the Buckeye Trail takes full advantage of the hiking trails within the park, we however are setting forth on paved roads. Just south of Williamsburg, due north of the park, we join the Buckeye Trail on Ohio 133 and almost immediately drop off to smaller roads- Todds Run Foster Road, Todds Run New Harmony Road, Maple Grove Road and New Harmony Shiloh Road. In all honesty, I find the names of the roads a bit more appealing than the roads themselves. They are peaceful and scenic enough to keep the momentum going.  

The section ends at Grant Lake just south of Mount Orab. This reservoir lake is 181 square acres and 14 feet deep.  You may want to stock up on snacks and gas before venturing onto the next leg of our journey, the West Union Section.

Grant Lake