Directions

Other than Cave Canyon visitors during normal open hours, access to the Sanctuary must be pre-arranged by appointment, workshop registration, or wilderness hiking permits. Sorry, with our small staff, we can not accommodate visitors without pre-arrangement.

General Directions
to the Highlands Nature Sanctuary region

The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is located in the southwest quadrant of Ohio approximately 25 miles west of Chillicothe, and 17 miles east of Hillsboro. It is located just south of Interstate 50 which runs east-west across southern Ohio. We recommend our directions over mapquest or other online programs, because we give helpful landmarks and sometimes on-line systems are flawed. However, if you wish to get alternative directions on-line, our headquarters' address is 7660 Cave Road, Bainbridge, OH 45612.

For a highway map of area road map of sanctuary region

From the North or East with a shortcut around Chillicothe:
Your final destination of Cave Canyon Preserve on Cave Road is approximately 70 miles from the southern Outerbelt 270 that circles Columbus, or a one hour and thirty minute drive. Be sure to add on how long it takes you to get to that exit from your starting point to estimate your total driving time. To Begin: Take the 270 outerbelt around Columbus and head south toward the SR 23 Exit. Exit on SR 23 and go south. (If 270 were a clock, the exit is at 6:00). Follow 23 south until you get to Circleville. Exit off 23 onto SR 22 at Circleville, and turn right, or west. Follow 22 west three or so miles until you reach Route 104. Turn left, or south. Follow 104 approximately fourteen miles. At one point you will be making a 90 turn to your right to stay on 104--just follow the signs. Chillicothe ByPass. As you approach Chillicothe you will see the Veteran's Hospital on your right, and Hopewell Culture National Historic Park on your left. You will then see prison buildings on both sides of the road, and shortly thereafter you will see a large electrical substation on your right on the far side of an intersection. Turn right here. Follow this road a short distance through the penitentiary lands to a three way intersection at a stop sign. There will be public schools on both sides of you. Turn right on Pleasant Valley Road. Follow Pleasant Valley for several miles. It will turn into Veteran's Highway. Continue on until it dead-ends on Route 50 at a light. Turn right on Route 50 and follow it into Bainbridge. If you set your odometer, Cave Rd is exactly 4.3 miles from the first traffic light in Bainbridge (by the Dairy Queen). Watch for our signs. Cave Rd is the first left turn after you pass Rapid Forge RD on your right . (If you cross over the Rocky Fork Creek or pass Cole’s Bait and Tackle on your right, or reach the village of Rainsboro, you have gone too far). Turn left on Cave Rd. Set your odometer to zero. Skip down now to the Directions below From Cave Road to final destinations

From the West through Cincinnati:
Your final destination of the Cave Canyon on Cave Road is approximately 70 miles from Outerbelt 275. We estimate it is a one hour and fifteen minute drive from the HWY 50 exit on the outerbelt. Be sure to add on how long it takes you to get to that exit to estimate your total driving time. To Begin: Get on the 275 outerbelt around Cincinnati and go to to Milford area (southeast corner of the metropolis on 275, if 275 were a clock the exit would be at 3:30). Exit on Route 50 east. Follow 50 east approximately 40 miles to the town of Hillsboro. (Alternatively, if you are driving eastward around the south side of Cincinnati, you can exit off of 275 on SR 32, continue east, at Batavia take SR 132 north to Owensville, and turn right or east on 50 towards Hillsboro). Cave Rd is approximately 15 miles east of downtown Hillsboro on Rt. 50. As you begin to enter the Highlands region, you will drive through the small village of Rainsboro, marked by a reflective green sign. Exactly 1.8 miles past Rainsboro note Browning Rd. as a landmark on your right. Set your odometer but don't turn here. Further down Route 50 you will see Paint Creek State Park’s main office on the left, surrounded by a white pine plantation. Next you will see Cole’s Bait and Tackle, also on the left. Continue on Rt. 50. Two and one half miles past Browning Road you will see a sign saying Rest Area – 1 mile sign and a small sign identifying Rocky Fork Creek just before you cross the bridge. Cave Rd is immediately on the right after crossing the bridge. (If you pass Rapid Forge Rd or the Rest Area, you have gone too far). Skip down now to the Directions below From Cave Road to final destinations.

From the South through Peebles on Route 41:
Go north on State Route 41 through Peebles, Locust Grove, and Sinking Springs. At Cynthiana, turn left at the center of town on Barrett's Mill Road. Follow Barrett's Mill Road north for a few miles. You will pass Cynthiana Road on your left, then McNary on your right, then Brier Hill on your right. The very next road just a tenth of a mile on your right (the sign is not overtly noticeable but it is there) is Cave Road. Turn here and set your odometer to zero. If you cross over the Rocky Fork on Barrett's Mill Road you went too far. Continue following Cave Road. You will arrive at the below destinations in the opposite order listed. Please refer to the second set of mileage markers, and don't forget to set your odometer at the intersection of Cave Road and Barrett's Mill Road. From Peebles to Cave Road is approximately 35 minutes.

After turning on Cave Road Specific Directions to:
Beechcliff, Cave Canyon & the Appalachian Forest Museum , Wrenhouse, Hermitage, and Taloden Woods Trailhead
Please scroll further down for Directions to Ravenwood

Turn your odometer to zero as you turn south on Cave Road. The first set of milepost numbers not in parentheses will be the distance the following destinations are from the turn. If you come from the south on Cave Road, off of Barrett's Mill Road, refer to the second set of numbers.

Mile .6 (2.9) Beechcliff. At the end of Bungalow Row you will see a wooden sign to your right with an engraved Beechcliff and a sharply inclining gravel lane leading to the parking lot that services Beechcliff. If you are a Beechcliff guest, park at the top of the knob and follow the graded sidewalk down to the facility. This is a loop drive. If you have a low-carriage car, you can avoid the dip in the incline by entering on the far end of the loop driveway. Otherwise, continue on Cave Road

Mile 1.0 (2.5) Cave Canyon. The Appalachian Forest Museum will be on your right, ,just behind the old historic gatehouse. Guests with hiking permits or program registrations, or visitors coming during open hours may use the parking lot on the left, up the sharp incline. For information on open hours, please click here. Out of respect to the protection of the preserve, and the small numbers of staff and volunteers -- please --- do not visit at other times.

Mile1.1 (2.4) Wrenhouse. Private residence, home of one of the Sanctuary's directors. You will see a Wrenhouse sign at the end of the driveway. Please stop by appointment only. The driveway is a few dozen feet before the mailbox, 7629 Cave Road.

Mile 1.2 (2.3) Hermitage. Hermitage is only a short distance further. After passing the Wrenhouse, you will drive over a bridge and the next drive on the right will have a wooden sign that says Hermitage. The Hermitage has a rental suite known as the Eyrie. If you are a registered guest of the Eyrie, follow the drive down the hill all the way to the facility. The Eyrie is on the left side of the structure. A private residence is on the right.

Mile 2.4 (1.1) Browning Road, and access to Elders' Landing Trailhead. If you have a permit and you wish to hike the Cedar Run Trail, turn right on Browning Road and follow the directions on your trail map. Otherwise continue on.

Mile 2.7 (0.8) Taloden Woods Trailhead, Access to Barrett's Rim trails. If you have a hiking permit for your car, you can park at the Taloden Woods trailhead to access Barrett's Rim trails and Roundtop trails. Turn left in the driveway -- which you will recognize by the brown metal building and the dark wooden fencing. Follow the driveway past the brown home (private home), back toward the Sanctuary's dumpster. You can park in the mowed grassy strip on your left. Consult the trail map that comes with your permit for details.

Milepost 3.4 (0.1) Kellogg Community House, Barrett's Farm. After passing Taloden Woods you will enter a region with scattered houses and open fields. Just before Cave Road makes a sharp 90 degree turn you will see a large two-story white house on your left. This building is currently being remodeled to become our intern and volunteer lodging center.

Mile 3.5 (0.0) Cave Road terminates at Barrett Mill Road.

From the West: (See above for directions through Cincinnati) Rt. 753 is approximately 10 miles east of downtown Hillsboro on Rt. 50. Watch for a sign that says “Fort Hill, Rocky Fork” (reflective brown sign) and soon after that a flashing yellow light at the junction of Rt. 50 and Rt. 753. Turn right onto Rt. 753 (south). If you get to the village of Rainsboro you’ve gone too far. When you make the turn, set your odometer to zero. After turning onto Rt. 753, go exactly 3.0 miles south to get to Ravenwood. In the first few miles you will pass three roads going off to your right: the first is North Shore Drive (to Rocky Fork Lake State Park), next, McCoppin Mill, and lastly Sam's Road. After Sam's Road you will enter an area with houses on 5-10 acre lots on your left. You may then notice an older white farmhouse sitting below the level of the road on your left. You are getting very close now, so begin to slow down. The next home on your left is a manufactured home tucked behind some red cedars. And the next house further on your left will be Ravenwood, also framed with a long row of cedars on each side of the road. Ravenwood has a U shaped driveway that circles in front of the cream colored country house with a Victorian wrap around porch that sits above the Rocky Fork Gorge. There are signs on both ends of the driveway. If you cross the bridge over Rocky Fork Creek, you'll know you just missed the driveway. If you like internet directions, the address is 6050 Rt. 753, Hillsboro, OH 45133.

From the East: (See above for directions from Columbus) Take Route 50 West out of Chillicothe. After approximately 20 miles outside of Chillicothe you will pass through the town of Bainbridge. Set your odometer at the first traffic light in Bainbridge (the Dairy Queen). SR 753 is 9.6 miles after this light. Before you reach 753 you will pass through the village of Rainsboro. (Ignore the 753 North sign in the middle of town--you want 753 SOUTH.) Watch for a sign that says “Rocky Fork Area” (reflective brown sign) and then a flashing yellow light at the junction of Rt. 50 and Rt. 753 (south). Turn left onto Rt. 753 South at the Rocky Fork Truckstop. If you get to the village of Boston you’ve gone to far. When you make the turn, set your odometer to zero again. After turning onto Rt. 753, go exactly 3.0 miles south to get to Ravenwood. In the first few miles you will pass three roads going off to your right: the first is North Shore Drive (to Rocky Fork Lake State Park), next, McCoppin Mill, and lastly Sam's Road. After Sam's Road you will enter an area with houses on 5-10 acre lots on your left. You may then notice an older white farmhouse sitting below the level of the road on your left. You are getting very close now, so begin to slow down. The next home on your left is a manufactured home tucked behind some red cedars. And the next house further on your left will be Ravenwood, also framed with a long row of cedars on each side of the road. Ravenwood has a U shaped driveway that circles in front of the cream colored country house with a Victorian wrap around porch that sits above the Rocky Fork Gorge. There are signs on both ends of the driveway. If you cross the bridge over Rocky Fork Creek, you'll know you just missed the driveway. If you like internet directions, the address is 6050 Rt. 753, Hillsboro, OH 45133.

From Ravenwood to Cave Canyon: The fastest way to Cave Canyon is as follows: Turn right on 753 out of Ravenwood and take it back up to Highway 50. Turn right. Drive through Rainsboro. Four miles later you will cross the bridge over the Rocky Fork Creek. Immediately afterward turn right on Cave Road. Cave Canyon will be one mile down the road. You'll see the gatehouse and museum on your right. Be sure to go during open hours unless you have made other arrangements.