Highlands Nature Sanctuary
Highlands Nature Sanctuary offers a scenic nature experience featuring several hiking trails including steep and moderate to hard difficulty routes. The park is great for kids and families, with unique attractions like caves that visitors can explore by checking out a key from the museum. It features well-maintained paths, a nature museum with helpful staff, and facilities such as public restrooms. The park is accessible with wheelchair-friendly entrances and parking, making it suitable for a range of visitors. Parking gates close at 4:30 PM, so plan accordingly.
Reviews
So many great trails in this place! Loved McKimmie’s Cave, Valley of the Ancients, Three Sisters and many more. Nice little museum, very friendly and helpful people.
The cave is a tight fit and you have to check out a key from the museum to access the trail to it. I had to take my pack off to squeeze in and it goes pretty far back. Totally worth it.
Great place for a few different hikes. There is a cave you can go into. Live the nature center there. Parking lots are locked up at 430 PM. Very helpful staff at the nature center. Worth the trip.
Love this place lot of hiking. Not good for people that haven’t hiked in sometime. Not good for little kids. There are drop-off.
This is a review of the Barrier Ridge Trail that is located across the street from the Appalachian Forest Museum. The trailhead is located in the lower parking area. There is a sign indicating this and is easy to see. The trail is a 3 mile loop and is moderate to hard in difficulty. It is steep at times, and there is a lot of uphill hiking.The trails are well maintained, and parts of it are narrow and on the side of hills. There are switchbacks and steps along the trail that help with the steeper inclines. The gates to the parking area are closed at 4:30 pm. Allow yourself enough time for the hike so you’re not locked in.
If you haven’t been, you need to go! Used to be 7 caves! It’s great for kids and anyone wanting to get out and see the history of Southern Ohio. Paths are perfect, and the scenery is 1 of a kind. The caves are really cool to go through. The people inside are awesome and answer any questions you may have! You can make a day trip or weekend trip out of this. Paint Creek campgrounds aren’t far away.