Clear Creek Metro Park near Hocking Hills, Ohio

Filled with wildflower-dotted meadows, forests, and ancient sandstone, Clear Creek Metro Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Ohio. It’s just to the north of Hocking Hills and often gets overlooked—making it an excellent spot if you’re looking for some less-frequented (but still gorgeous) trails in the area.

Here’s what you need to know about Clear Creek Metro Park:

It’s big, with plenty of things to do. The park is 5,300 acres, making it roughly double the size of Hocking Hills State Park. You’ll find more than 12 miles of hiking trails within, and plenty of access points to Clear Creek for anglers in search of trout.

The scenery is wonderfully diverse. You can get a taste of just about everything at Clear Creek Metro Park. Take a peaceful walk through meadows along the creek, or hike up ridges to lake views. There are plenty of options in the park—take some time to explore.

It’s a great spot to avoid the crowds. Because of its proximity to the more popular Hocking Hills area, Clear Creek Metro Park can be a great option if you’re seeking Hocking Hills scenery without Hocking Hills crowds.

What is Clear Creek Metro Park?

It’s a large nature park off of Highway 33, about 10 miles south of Lancaster. If it were anywhere else in Ohio, Clear Creek Metro Park would be slammed with people—it’s got valleys, meadows, forests, sandstone cliffs, and everything else that’s green and good.

But because Clear Creek Metro Park is so close to Hocking Hills, it gets overlooked. This makes it a breathtaking choice for some additional, off-the-beaten-path hikes if you’re visiting Hocking Hills.

The centerpiece of the area is Clear Creek, a large stream that runs the length of the park before it collides with the Hocking River to the east. The creek itself is a great spot to go fishing.

Where is Clear Creek Metro Park located?

Clear Creek Metro Park is about 10 minutes south of Lancaster, and 25 minutes north of Hocking Hills State Park. Here’s how long it’ll take you to get there if you’re driving from the major cities nearby:

40 minutes from Columbus.
2 hours from Cincinnati.
Just under 3 hours from Cleveland.

And if you’re coming from Columbus or Cleveland, Clear Creek Metro Park is an easy stop on the way to Hocking Hills.

Things to do at Clear Creek Metro Park

There’s plenty to keep you busy at Clear Creek Metro Park. Here are some of the best things to do.

Sightseeing and picnics

You don’t need to go hiking to see the sights at Clear Creek Metro Park. The Clear Creek Road follows the creek through the entire park, passing many viewpoints and picnic areas along the way. The Valley View picnic area and Fern picnic area are both excellent options. Pack some food, hit the road, and enjoy lunch in the middle of the forest.

Fishing

Ohio doesn’t have many trout streams, so it’s no surprise that anglers flock to Clear Creek in hopes of hooking a trout (or three). It’s best fished in the spring and fall, after hatchery trout have been stocked in the creek.

Avoid fishing Clear Creek in the summer. The creek is too small to sustain trout year-round, so warm water temperatures in July and August end up killing most of the fish. For this reason, most of the trout in the creek are small. But when you’re fishing among hemlock groves and ancient cliffs, catching fish of any size is just an added bonus.

Hiking and trail running

You could spend weeks simply exploring the trails in the park. There are more than 12 miles of trails in total, and they each offer something very different. If you’re a trail runner, you can find some great options here. Many of the trails aren’t very busy, and some of them offer challenging switchbacks and elevation gain.

Here’s a breakdown of each trail in detail…

Clear Creek Metro Park hiking trails

Clear Creek Metro Park is sprawling and packed with trails. There are plenty of them, and they’re mostly short—so you can hit four or five in the same day, if you want.

Let’s break them down:

Cemetery Ridge Loop: This is one of the more difficult trails in the park. It clocks in at nearly 5 miles, weaving back and forth through the woods until you end up in meadows and forests at the top.

Chestnut Trail: Roughly 4 miles round-trip, this trail takes you through ravines and over ridges. It’s a great one to take if you want to look at some of the Black Hand sandstone in the area.

Creekside Meadows Trail: The name of this one says it all. You’ll hike 1.7 miles along the banks of Cedar Creek, through open fields filled with some of the park’s diverse plant species. But, as shown on the map below, you can extend this hike to more than 10 miles by continuing on other trails throughout the park.

Fern Trail: This, like Cemetery Ridge, is one of the park’s more difficult trails. The Fern Trail loop is about 1.9 miles, and you’ll walk along a nice ridge for much of the hike. It’s also one of the most naturally diverse trails in the park. You’ll start in the woods, hike into a meadow, then head back into the forest to finish your loop. A portion of the trail gives nice views of Clear Creek in the valley below.

Good Prairie Trail: This is more of a short walk than a hike – it’s a 0.3-mile loop around a small prairie, a great place to take little ones.

Hemlock Trail: This is a steep, 1.5-mile trail that ascends through a quiet grove of hemlocks up towards a meadow. You’ll be able to see the region’s famous Black Hand sandstone at a few points along the trail.

Lake Trail: If you’re gunning for lake views, this is a good one. It’s a 1-mile loop that’ll bring you through the woods to an overlook of nearby Lake Ramona.

Prairie Warbler Trail: Like the Good Prairie trail, this hike is short and sweet. It’s a 0.6-mile loop that crosses a hilltop, traverses through a meadow, then wraps up back in the woods.

Tulip Tree Trail: If you’re looking for a serene hike through hemlocks and tulip poplar trees, this is a great choice. It’s just 0.6 miles, so you can hike the whole thing in about a half-hour.

The history of Clear Creek Metro Park

How the park was created

Like most public parks, Clear Creek Metro Park didn’t happen all at once. The majority of the land was first purchased by former Columbus businessman, Allen F. Beck, who started buying the land in the 1920s to preserve it. The Emily Benua family also accrued lots of adjacent land during this time period.

Then, in the 1960s, some people wanted to dam Clear Creek to form a reservoir. The initiative didn’t go through, but it spurred both the Beck and Benua families to donate their land to the state of Ohio. And today, thanks to the foresight and generosity of a couple of families, you’re able to visit one of the most beautiful areas in Ohio; wild and free.

The sandstone that makes Hocking Hills special

There’s a type of sandstone—called Black Hand sandstone—that’s unique to Ohio, and you’ll see plenty of it in both the Hocking Hills and Clear Creek areas. This stone was formed hundreds of millions of years ago, after leftover sediments from an ancient sea condensed.

The sandstone got its name from the Black Hand Gorge, east of Newark, Ohio, where massive cliffs of sandstone jut out of the valley. And though you won’t be seeing enormous cliffs of sandstone in the Clear Creek area – those are in Hocking Hills—the rock is visible all around the park if you look closely.

FAQs about Clear Creek Metro Park

Can you fish in Clear Creek?

Yes, you can! Just make sure you have a fishing license and are following all state & local regulations. The best fishing seasons are spring and fall. The creek doesn’t fish well in the summer, when water temperatures get too warm for most trout.

What is there to do near Clear Creek Metro Park?

Clear Creek Metro Park is about 25 minutes from Hocking Hills, which means you are just a short drive from popular destinations like Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, and Cedar Falls.

There are plenty of options nearby, too. You can head up to Lancaster for a great dinner, or just over 5 minutes down to the Rockbridge State Nature Preserve for some more sightseeing.

Are dogs allowed at Clear Creek Metro Park?

Yes, dogs are allowed in many areas of the park. But make sure the trail you want to take is open for leashed dogs—there should be signage at the trailhead.

What is the best time of year to visit Clear Creek Metro Park?

Each season offers a different experience at the park. In the winter, you’ll get peace and quiet amongst the snowy hemlocks. In the spring, a roaring Clear Creek and everything turning green. During the summer, you can enjoy shaded hikes in the woods. And in the fall, take in the season’s fiery colors along with the disappearing crowds.

Places to stay near Clear Creek Metro Park

Clear Creek Metro Park is in Hocking County, Ohio and is just 25 minutes away from Hocking Hills State Park. There are many beautiful cabins in Hocking Hills. Here are some of the best accommodations if you’re looking to stay in the area.

Browse cabins by style:

Browse cabins by size:

The Bottom Line

Clear Creek Metro Park, while not as popular as some of the other parks in Hocking County, is one of the most beautiful parks in Ohio. It’s got geographical diversity and trails for just about anyone. Plus, it’s one of the only productive trout streams in the area—so if you enjoy fishing, it’s definitely worth a visit.