Date: 11/08/2020 – Distance: 3.5 mi – Elapsed Time: 2.0 hr – Ascent: 525 ft – Descent: 492 ft – Difficulty: Easy
Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve near Peebles, Ohio, is a deep ravine cut through multiple layers of dolomite. Some cliffs are aound 50 feet tall and display both older more solid Peebles layers as well as younger more layered Greenfield layers. There is also a fault line which cuts through and a vertical displacement of 30 feet can be seen where the younger layers are now below the older ones. There are numerous species of wildflowers, some very rare, and some even threatened. I need to return here next spring.
There are only a few miles of trails, one of which is the statewide Buckeye Trail. There are two parking areas along Davis Road. I began at the better of the two, on the north side.
Map on the north parking kiosk.
Memorial plaque.
Trails are well marked with signs at most intersections.
Bamboo near the trailhead.
Eastern section of the Sultivanna Loop Trail.
Turn left here as the loop just wraps back to the parking. Make sure to catch it on the way back though.
Eastern Red Cedar. There is also White Cedar here.
Some cliffs start to appear.
Gentian.
The cliffs get more evident.
Hepatica ready for early spring blooms. One of my favorites.
Light blue blazes marking the Buckeye Trail.
I took the right fork and the other on the way back.
Educational sign at the fault line.
The fault is straight ahead. It’s impressive if you imagine the right side used to be 30 feet higher.
The right side is younger Greenfield dolomite. It’s more layered and blocky.
The left side od older Peebles dolomite. Much more solid and smooth.
Columbine.
Walking Fern.
Peebles dolomite.
Apparently this is also part of the American Discovery Trail, a coast to coast trail across the US.
I could not see the bottom of this sinkhole, and I didn’t want to get close. I’m sure there are dead bodies down there.
The Buckeye Trail climbs a fence here, and you should check it out just on the other side.
Before the ladder, if you look behind you through the trees, there is a big cliff on the other side of the creek. It’s hard to see.
This feature convinced me to cross the fence.
Oh my. It’s a small ledge over 50 feet above the valley below.
Burning Bush.
This is the south parking lot.
The Hemlock trees never cease to amaze me. They seem to prefer growing on the rocks where no other tree can takehold.
Ground Cedar. The flower spores are very flammable and used to be used for flashes in photography.
I am now on the other half of the Sultivanna Trail. This section enters the gorge. As I was here I heard something up on this rim and saw a huge buck running along the top.
The buck descended at this bridge and splashed through the creek here, heading in my direction. Then a doe jumped up right in front of me and he started chasing her. The rut season…
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