The North Central Ohio Land Conservancy has announced on Facebook that it opened a new extension of the Clear Fork Valley Scenic Trail (CFVST) on October 27, giving hikers more trail to explore.
The CFVST is a natural corridor of hiking trails located in southern Richland County. The trail winds through over 600 acres of nature preserves between Malabar Farm and the Richland B&O Trail. The new extension, which is called the Prairie Vista Trail, is a 1.2-mile side arc in the CFVST’s northern section.
Part of the new path takes hikers through young-to-maturing woods, but the majority is through open prairie and features scenic landscape views including that of Pleasant Hill at 1,353 feet,
Pleasant Hill is the CFVST’s highest elevation between Butler and Malabar Farm (nearly 50 feet higher than Malabar’s Mt. Jeez). Hikers must stay on the marked trail. The CFVST utilizes brown trail markers with arrows and instructional decals at each trail head, departure point (for trail extensions/loops), and also periodically along the trail. Hikers must heed the “No Trespassing” signs marking lanes and side trails that are off limits.
For more information on hikes on the CFVST, and photos of the Prairie Vista Trail, visit the North Central Ohio Land Conservancy’s Facebook page.