In addition to the traditional camping and hiking, John Bryan State Park offers many other recreational opportunities!
Birding and Wildlife Watching
Female cardinal looking at a neighbor! Red-tailed hawk at Orton Picnic Area
Nature lovers will be in paradise at John Bryan. The diverse flora and fauna include over 100 different species of trees and shrubs and over 340 species of wild flowers. More than 90 different varieties of birds call John Bryan State Park home and share the area with white-tail deer, beaver, coyotes, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, and even an occasional white squirrel! Hike any of the ten different trails found in the park, or just lounge in any of the four picnic areas at John Bryan to get a peek of the abundant wildlife.
Mountain Biking is now a popular activity with over 7.5 miles of mountain bike trails. These trails range from challenging to "family friendly."
Rock Climbing is also popular at John Bryan. It is the only public rock climbing area in southwest Ohio. (You must provide your own equipment!)
Winter Recreational Activities
John Bryan State Park is open year-around and winter enthusiasts enjoy this scenic state park. Cross country skiing and sledding are popular pass-times. Families bring their sleds to take advantage of the large hill that leads to the Lower Picnic Area as well as the hill in the family campground. Cross country skiers utilize the large open expanses of the picnic areas as well as the berms of the park roads and hiking trails.
The campground is also open year-around. It is not unusual to find die-hard campers enjoying the facilities in the winter. Campers self-register for their campsite, paying a reduced winter rate.
Other Activities
Stargaze
On alternate Saturday nights, members of the Miami Valley Astronomical Society present a slide show at the campground amphitheater. On clear evenings, visitors are given the opportunity to look through telescopes at the night sky. Click on the MVAS link below to see the scheduled nights.
John Bryan has an 8K cross country running course
that was developed and used by Cedarville University. Several area High
School cross country teams use the course as well. There are several meets
that are held in the park during the cross country season.
John Bryan State Park - 8K Course Layout
(Link to Cedarville University Page)
Ohio Volkssport Association (O.V.A.)
10km Walk (YRO121) Jan 3 - Dec 21
Credit Only Event
Sponsoring Club: AVA - 0002, Ohio Wander Freunde
Point of Contact: Thelma Goris / Email: : thelmajg@infocom.com or OVA_Mccombs@msn.com
Start Point: John Bryan State Park's Office. The information will be on the side of the park office under the porch.
Event Information: Daily, dawn to dusk. The trail is rated 2 and is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. Dogs are not allowed on the second half of the walk. The trail follows the scenic river gorge, you will meander through the majestic woodlands. The trail mostly consists of dirt trails, climbing on rocks & stairs, and some pavement.
John Bryan State Park's Day Use Areas Close 1/2 Hour After Sunset.
This page last updated on: Tuesday, May 08, 2007