Best for:
Beginner geology geeks, local Ohio explorers, Ohio history lovers, and hikers looking for technical water crossings and rugged Ohio terrain.
Trail Notes:
- Trail Name & Location: Spring Valley Nature Preserve Proposal Trail, Roberts Ridge Trail, & Proposal Tree Trail in Granville, OH.
- Duration & Distance: 1 hour and 35 minutes; 2.8 miles total.
- Time & Temp: April 23rd, 2026, starting at 11:04 am approximately 70°F and finishing at 1:09 pm 82°F.
- Route Taken: Take the same path as I did via the trailhead behind the picnic pavilion that connects the Valley Trail, Roberts Ridge, the Proposal Tree trail, and many others.
- Key Conditions: Multiple creek crossings, some areas reaching knee-deep levels following recent rain.
The Hidden Hollows of Spring Valley Nature Preserve in Granville, Ohio:
Spring Valley Nature Preserve in Granville, Ohio is one of my local favorites that feels like a secret. You pull into the parking lot past a cabin and a row of about four mailboxes. The first few times I visited I felt like I’d taken a wrong turn until the parking lot opened up, directly down the road.
Usually, around this time I am greeted by a field of wildflowers right in front of the parking lot. I guess nature has its own schedule, and today there was no field. This trip was all about the rugged interior of the preserve. My nature journal on today’s trip to Spring Valley Nature Preserve breaks down my 2.8-mile trek through the Valley Trail and Roberts Ridge.
April 23rd Trail Log- Roots, Ridges, and Rocks at Granville’s Spring Valley Nature Preserve:
Our trek this morning began at 11:04 am, Kelsey had a manicure & pedicure planned, so Luna and I took advantage of the few hours we had at our disposal. Once I had parked the car we decided to head toward the picnic pavilion. There is a trailhead over behind this pavilion and next to a small wooden armchair; This is the way we typically end our normal loop here, but today we are trying a different section of the preserve.
The Spring Valley Preserve looked fresh and joyous when compared to our last visit over last winter; the trails were buried in snow and someone had hilariously etched a giant penis into the fresh snow near where we decided to enter the trail today. The early April heat had already climbed toward 82°F. I noticed the storms from earlier in the week had left more fallen trees than usually present which honestly is just part of the natural selection and the cycle of life.
Navigating the Valley Trail, at Spring Valley Nature Preserve, we hit many creek crossings. While most were small and shallow still, the rain on Tuesday and Wednesday had turned the deeper sections into almost knee-deep obstacles. My rubber Croc Junipers were a lifesaver, as always they provided the grip of a hiking shoe while they handled the water with way more ease than a canvas shoe.
Along the way, I spotted more of the tiny “waterfalls” I love to call transgender men waterfalls. As well the unique stream that was flowing directly through multiple tree’s root systems. There were also many sets of natural root-steps that created staircases throughout the Fern Gully Trail section of Spring Valley Nature Preserve. This added a unique feature for our late April visit. We also ran into our second switchback on Ohio trails this week.
Between the switchbacks and the technical crossings, the trail kept the pace high and the energy intense.
The Squirrel Gauntlet: Teasing, Chirping, & Sprinting
One constant trail buddy we had during this hike that were cute at first but, also almost led to my early demise, came by way of the relentless presence that a group of squirrels brought with them. They were with us almost every moment of our hike, safely causing chaos from the tree-tops high above the trail.
These little assholes and attempted murderers darted from tree-top to tree-top while they made loud, chirping noises that sounded quite like an attempt from a mother to scold the entire Spring Valley Nature Preserve.
After further research, I figured out that this behavior isn’t just random; squirrels use these calls as alarms and group them with tail-flicks to alert others to ground predators or in our case, to tease a high-energy dog. They seemed to intentionally wait until the last possible second to bolt up a trunk, or to purposefully jump tree-top to tree-top remaining out of her reach. This teasing of Luna continued to pique her interest in them as we moved through their territory.
This game of tag nearly ended in disaster when Luna finally decided that she couldn’t ignore these squirrels anymore. Her best plan of action was to take off in a sprint, directly down the steepest hill on this loop. Of course pulling me right along for the adventure.
It was one of those moments where your brain just forces your body into action. With my head and shoulders leaned back as I sprinted at top speed to keep from face-planting, I managed to stay on my feet. An adrenaline packed reminder of how fast a situation can change when wildlife decides to get involved.
The Industrial & Social History of Spring Valley Nature Preserve:
This land in this preserve carries layers of Ohio’s history that predate the hiking trails. In the 1800s, Spring Valley Nature Preserve was a hub for salt production. The salt was boiled down and hauled to Lake Erie by Conestoga wagons.
By 1933, the Roberts family created the Spring Valley Pool, a massive spring-fed pool that was a family friendly destination. For over 70 years, locals swam in the green water. During World War 2 they even built a tower in the pool so soldiers could practice before being sent to war.
Though the pool closed in 2004 due to financial issues, the legend of the Snog Monster from the deep end still exists. Today, though the pool is gone, the Licking Land Trust preserves landmarks like the Proposal Tree, which has seen over a century of local engagements.
Geology & Rockhounding: Shale & Prehistoric Fossils:
For a beginner or advanced rockhound looking to photograph and identify different geology specific to Ohio the creek beds here are a goldmine. Lined with small shale cliffs, heavy quartz, and iron-rich cherry to orange hued stones. One thing to mention is many of the rocks here showed those beautiful distinct water-line markings from decades of shifting water levels.
I was also able to document several pieces of stream-tumbled quartz and prehistoric marine fossils right on the shoreline. These remnants are typical for Ohio, deriving from ancient marine life, when Ohio was still a prehistoric tropical sea.
This preserve is a place that allows you to enjoy a little caterpillar chilling on a leaf. While simultaneously realizing his only job (so to speak) is to choose the next leaf to hang out on. This is a vibe we should all strive for.
Ohio Leash Laws & Trail Conflict:
The serenity of the hike was cut short by a couple with a large XL Bully as well as a mixed-breed dog off-leash. These two very smart individuals went sliding down what had to be a 75% angle hillside on their butts, on purpose. These smart individuals were also laughing and carrying on, taking their good old time coming down the hill. Completely oblivious to my reactive dog and I who had just crested the hill on the trail; while their dogs ran around the bottom out of their control leashes still attached to them.
Letting their dogs go like that was unsafe to begin with, not to mention what could have happened to one of them had their loose leashes gotten snagged. which brings me to the leash law in Ohio, Ohio Revised Code § 955.22 is clear: owners must keep dogs under reasonable control. Which clearly isn’t how they were with their dogs running freely.
After over ten minutes of making Luna sit patiently on my shoes I loudly asked “When do you plan on regaining control of your dogs so others can use the trail?” One person gathered the dogs and went down trail, while the other went to sit on the side of the stream; I gave them just shy of another ten minutes to get where they were going to go so we didn’t run into them again, or so I thought. All the while these people continued to act like no other dogs, people, or people scared of dogs existed but themselves.
Upon approaching the next bend in the trail we ran into this man and his two off leash dogs again. Audibly upset and rightfully so, I asked myself “Are you KIDDING ME?” I just happened to accidentally say it out loud. He responded by asking me if I had seen his girlfriend and pointed out her hair color, so I replied, “Near the bend in the creek.” I was also pointing my finger toward the area.
I again gave him some time to collect his dogs and get going. Yet, Luna was going insane by this point, and I was confused as to why, until I turned around. About 5 feet away from us stood this man’s off-leash dog, and I was fit to be tied.
Despite the smooching noises this man made from the creek, he had no control over his dogs multiple times, and they were not responding to the smooches. I never lost control of my dog, she was on a 6 foot lead I am able to wrap in short, sat between my legs, and my hand remained on her collar multiple times. If you can’t follow the leash law and respect other hikers as well as their dogs, you shouldn’t be on the trail.
As I dragged Luna down trail I yelled “Ohio Has a fucking leash-law for a reason!”
I’m sorry but, people have got to stop acting like they are the only individuals to exist in the world, the entitlement and audacity of some people still shocks me.
The Plop-Plop Reality of Wet Shoes, Roots, & My Route:
We ended up finishing the trek with a 2.8-mile loop at 1:09 pm. By the end of our mid-afternoon hike the cool 70°F starting temperature had hit a humid 82°F. Hiking the loop we took on April 23rd, at Spring Valley Nature Preserve was an exercise that tests your endurance while it also allowed me to regain appreciation for the more technical side of Ohio’s geography.
From the roots that crossed our paths on Fern Gully Trail to the history of the old pool that may have contained a Snog Monster, this preserve offered me a real chance at connecting with Licking County’s landscape. Even with soaked shoes that plop-plop, knee-deep creek crossings, and the frustration of off-leash encounters, the interior remains one of the most unique and rewarding treks in the Granville, Ohio area.
TLDR
A 1-hour and 35-minute technical look at our trek covering 2.8 miles through Spring Valley Nature Preserve, which was once a historic salt-production in the 1800s and eventually became a pool from the 1930’s until 2004 before becoming a nature preserve. Expect at least one knee-deep water crossing, prehistoric aquatic fossils, and root staircases.
This hike demands your undivided attention, or you may miss the key details it offers those who pay-up. Keep your dog on a leash these trails like many others in Ohio enforce Ohio’s leash laws and respect for them amidst the backcountry in Granville, Ohio.
Plan Your Trip:
Spring Valley Nature Preserve– AllTrails
Explore Licking County- Spring Valley
Spring Valley Nature Preserve– Explore Granville
Our Winter Trip- Spring Valley
Let Me Know:
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