American Byways

It had been about two years since I last trekked to Yellow Springs, Ohio to visit Clifton Gorge, but in my time in the hippie-filled and liberal-infested region home to Antioch College that I have grown to love and appreciate, I have only been through the narrow river gorge three times, one for spring, fall and winter photography. I remarked then that it was one of my favorite scenic and recreational destinations, partially because of its ruggedness and also because of its unique flora and topography amidst rolling farmland and small towns.

Clifton Gorge is a loose definition that includes three parks lining the Little Miami River: Glen Helen to the south, John Bryan State Park in the center and Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve to the north. Glen Helen is comprised of a wider valley with the Little Miami River snaking through, featuring the remains of a dam that once held back water used for skating and boating for a resort, the Yellow Spring that the town is named for, and 400 year-old trees. John Bryan includes more rugged topography, with a narrowing valley and a diverse collection of spring wildflowers that is not found in any other part of southwest Ohio due to the towering trees, overhanging limestone cliffs and different soil conditions. And Clifton Gorge is in stark contrast to both Glen Helen and John Bryan, with a canyon that is both deep in height and narrow, featuring numerous small waterfalls, pools and sheer limestone cliffs, in addition to the remains of two mills. It is the diverse nature of these parks that helped mark the Little Miami River as a State and National Scenic River.

But this trip focused on photographing Yellow Springs and Glen Helen in the late fall. Most of the leaves by this point had dropped but it was still scenic none the less. A festival celebrating Halloween was ongoing in Yellow Springs – called Yelloween, and mild weather made for a perfect trip north. Find more photographs of Glen Helen after the jump »

A waterfall crashes down between steep limestone cliffs at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve.

The travertine mound and grotto at Glen Helen.

A view of the old dam at Yellow Springs, which was used when Glen Helen was a resort. The lake was used for boating and skating in the early 1900s.

The Yellow Spring at Glen Helen flows year round and has a strong iron consistency.