Labor Day quick trips: 6 holiday weekend getaways within two hours of Greater Columbus

Micah Walker, The Columbus Dispatch
·5 min read
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Visitors explore Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park.
Visitors explore Rock House in Hocking Hills State Park.

With kids back in school and Labor Day quickly approaching, the summer season is coming to a close.

But there's still time to squeeze in one last summer trip!

Even if you don't have much time to go out of state, there are many unique places to discover in your own backyard. Ohio has plenty of gems within just a couple of hours of Greater Columbus, including a national park, Native American earthworks and underground caverns.

For those looking to spend Labor Day relatively close to home — but not too close! — here are six day trips to take that are perfect for the whole family.

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Hocking Hills region

Ash Cave is a popular destination in Hocking Hills State Park.
Ash Cave is a popular destination in Hocking Hills State Park.

With the trip taking just under an hour, the Hocking Hills region offers picturesque views of multiple caves, cliffs and waterfalls.

Visitors can choose between seven main hiking trails on which to embark: Ash Cave, Old Man's Cave, Rock House, Conkle's Hollow, Cedar Falls, Cantwell Cliffs and Whispering Cave Trail. For views of the water, check out Ash Cave, Cedar Falls and Conkle's Hollow, which has a 20-foot waterfall.

For the more adventurous, Hocking Hills also offers activities such as zip lining, rock climbing and kayaking. 

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Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Ledges Overlook at Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The Ledges Overlook at Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Ohio's only national park, located in northeast Ohio, is a little more than two hours from Downtown Columbus.

Located between Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley offers forests, rolling hills and open farmlands to explore. There are more than 125 miles of hiking trails, with paths more suitable for beginners to those for experienced hikers.

Popular trails include the Ledges Trail, which is surrounded by a plateau of striking rock formations, and the Brandywine Gorge Loop, a 1.5-mile hike that circles Brandywine Creek and provides views of Brandywine Falls. There's also the Towpath Trail for those who have children or physical disabilities.

Other activities available at the park include canoeing, kayaking, biking, fishing, bird watching and horseback riding. Or visitors can explore Cuyahoga Valley by train with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

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Newark Earthworks

The architectural designs for the Newark Earthworks were created by the indigenous people of the Hopewell culture between the years 1 and 400, according to the Ohio History Connection.
The architectural designs for the Newark Earthworks were created by the indigenous people of the Hopewell culture between the years 1 and 400, according to the Ohio History Connection.

Known as the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures in the world, the Newark Earthworks are only a 40-minute drive from Columbus. The architectural designs were created by the indigenous people of the Hopewell culture between the years 1 and 400, according to the Ohio History Connection.

The entire Newark Earthworks system originally encompassed more than 4 square miles running from Newark to Heath, but growth and development around Newark destroyed many of the earthworks over time. However, three major segments survived: the Great Circle, the Wright Earthworks and the Octagon Earthworks.

The Great Circle spans 1,200 feet in diameter — approximately the length of four football fields — and its embankments are about 20 feet tall. The Octagon Earthworks consists of eight earthen walls measuring about 550 feet long and about 6 feet tall.

Meanwhile, the Wright Earthworks originally ranged from about 940 to 950 feet in length, and they enclosed a total area of about 20 acres, according to the Ohio History Connection. However, farming and development destroyed a majority of the square enclosure and its associated mounds.

Guided tours of the Great Circle are offered the first Friday of the month at 12:30 p.m.

Seneca Caverns

Located in Bellevue, Ohio, Seneca Caverns is nearly two hours from Downtown Columbus. The national landmark is one of Ohio's largest underground caverns and is preserved close to its original state.

Seneca Caverns was discovered in June 1872 by Peter Rutan and Henry Komer while they were hunting rabbits with their dog, according to the website. The boys thought they found a sinkhole when they fell through an opening, but they landed in the first level of the cave.

Visitors can take a one-hour guided tour of the cave, where they can check out Ole Mist'ry River at 100 feet below the surface. Above ground, visitors can try gem mining with the Seneca Mining Co. People can catch gemstones, minerals, crystal, arrowhead and fossils in a sluice with flowing water.

Historic Clifton Mill

Historic Clifton Mill was originally built in 1802 by Owen Davis. It has a popular lights display during the holidays.
Historic Clifton Mill was originally built in 1802 by Owen Davis. It has a popular lights display during the holidays.

One of the largest water-powered grist mills still in existence, Historic Clifton Mill offers views of a waterfall flowing into the Little Miami River. Located in Clifton, the mill is less than an hour away from Columbus.

According to its website, the first mill was built in 1802 by Owen Davis, a Revolutionary War soldier and frontiersman miller, who took advantage of the natural power of the concentrated water funneled into the gorge. The Little Miami River eventually housed five other mills in the area, but Historic Clifton Mill is the only one still standing.

Visitors can take a tour of the mill, get a bite to eat at the Clifton Mill restaurant and buy some souvenirs at the gift shop. Next door to the mill is the 1940s Gas Station Museum, which is filled with original products from the era.

And if you go to the Clifton Mill during the holidays, you can check out its light display!

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum

Located in Hamilton near Cincinnati, Pyramid Hill offers a permanent collection of more than 80 outdoor sculptures from local, regional and national artists. Visitors can walk, drive or ride a golf cart (also known as Art Carts) to view the art works sprawled out over more than 300 acres of land. The sculpture park is an hour and 50 minutes from Columbus.

The park also features a sculpture museum that displays Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Syrian and Egyptian art.

Harry Wilks purchased the land in 1987 to build his home, the Pyramid House, and began acquiring adjacent parcels of land, according to the nonprofit's website. He eventually built roads, hiking trails and small lakes on the property.

Wilks wanted to preserve the land for future generations, which prompted him to create a sculpture park. The art space opened in 1997.

Pyramid Hill offers family-friendly events throughout the year.

Micah Walker is the Dispatch trending reporter. Reach her at mwalker@dispatch.com or 740-251-7199. Follow her on Twitter @micah_walker701. 

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here are 6 day trips to take within two hours of Greater Columbus