A Solo Winter Morning at Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve
In the morning on January 22nd, I left around 10am to hike Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve in Licking County, Ohio. I returned home after 4pm after a full day of cliffs, ledges, history, and unexpected ice underfoot. This preserve is a roughly 957-acre park in Ohio dedicated to protecting the Black Hand sandstone gorge carved by the Licking River. The gorge is rich in geological narrative and human history.
Blackhand Trail and Quarry Rim Loop: Ice, Ledges, and Views
I began on the Blackhand Trail, the main paved corridor in the preserve. This trail follows old rail grades and river views. Beloved for its more than 4 miles of paved path through narrow gorge walls and rock outcrops that showcase Black Hand sandstone.
The morning winter air was crisp, but the issue came in the form of an unsalted blacktop. The paved trail was covered in black ice, invisible in patches and treacherous underfoot. I moved slowly, croc junipers skidding, awareness high. The river whispering beside me as cliffs loomed straight up from the trail. Visibility was bright, but traction was minimal, a reminder that winter hikes require respect even on flat, paved miles.
The Quarry Rim Loop connected to this route, passing overlooks above old sandstone quarry sites. Here stone was once mined for local industry and left behind as scattered cliffside pockets. These ledges and cliff views are part of what Ohio brags about in natural aspects at least. These dramatic rock faces that make winter light and shadow feel cinematic as the sun sits low in January.
Together the Blackhand Trail and Quarry Rim Loop carved a narrative of stone and river that felt good under winter skies. Even if each step on the paved trail required calculation and care.
Historical Echoes on Canal Lock Trail
After the main loop, I finished the day on the Canal Lock Trail. A short off-shoot that brings you to Lock No. 16 from the Ohio & Erie Canal era. This remnant of 19th-century engineering stands as a block of weathered sandstone surrounded by leafless woods. A quiet monument to the time when canal boats and towpaths linked Ohio’s growing towns.
Beyond the lock, the trail skirts through an old train tunnel. A rock-blasted passage used in the early 1900s by interurban railcars and linked to Newark and Granville rail service. The tunnel sits still and cool. Its stone walls shaped by industry, reminding you that this preserve holds as much human history as natural history.
These features, canal lock remains and an abandoned tunnel, give the trail a multi-layered story. Pulling you between river, rock, and the passage of time.
Winter’s Challenges and Worthwhile Views
Walking solo in winter has its hazards and its rewards. The Blackhand Trail’s paved corridor was closed in parts for construction through 2025.
The Black Hand sandstone cliffs named for a prehistoric petroglyph lost to canal blasting in the 1800s, rise steep and unyielding above the Licking River. Today you can still read the layers of stone and river action in every ledge and bend. In winter, without leaves, the gorge’s angles and depths stand out in sharp relief.
Canal history, interurban tunnel remnants, old quarry outcrops, and riverside views all layer together into a preserve that feels alive with stories. These stories can be heard when the trail is quiet and the light is cold.
Why Blackhand Gorge Deserves Winter Days Like This
Blackhand Gorge is both geological wonder and historical capsule. Its narrow east-west gorge, carved over millennia by the Licking River. It was a Native American corridor, named for a hand-shaped rock carving noticed by early settlers. Later transformed by canal and railroad builders.
Today, amid mixed hardwoods and spring wildflowers in warmer months, the gorge attracts hikers, bikers, and history lovers alike. In winter, it becomes a quiet classroom of stone and cold air.
Trail Tips for Winter Explorers
Prepare for black ice on paved paths in winter. Winter boots or traction devices can save your otherwise ruined day trip. Stay aware of trail closures or construction updates before heading out. Bring layers. Gorges can hold cold air long after the low sun rises. Plan time, winter light fades early, and even short sections take longer on icy ground.
Blackhand Gorge was a solo day, a morning out that turned into a full afternoon return. I met the ice, river, stone, and the whispers of history in old canal locks and tunnels. There’s a rawness in winter hiking that feels honest. A preserve like this, carved by time and human hands both, deserves days spent learning its angles.
Share this with someone you want to explore Black Hand Gorge with. Tell me in the comments your favorite Black Hand Gorge trail or the feature you enjoy the most when visiting.
