An Urban Adventure in South Fairmount

Get ready for an immersive and informative urban hiking adventure in South Fairmount! Explore the Lick Run Greenway, traverse the South Fairmount Avenue Steps, and enjoy the view from St. Clair Heights Park. Throughout the hike, learn about the history of and vision for the neighborhood. 

Join Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance for the Meet A Greenspace Hike with Tri-State Trails and Mill Creek Alliance on Wednesday, May 6, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Lick Run Greenway

If you passed Lick Run Greenway, you might note the basketball courts, a trail system, and expansive grassy fields. You might admire the meandering creek speckled with ducks and turtles. There is even more to this greenway than meets the eye: this urban park is also a stormwater management project that helps control sewer overflows into the Mill Creek.

Started in 2013, the Lick Run Project in South Fairmount is a “green” wet weather project focusing on reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Mill Creek, a tributary of the Ohio River. CSOs are the result of a sewer system that collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial waste into one pipe. Typically, this system can transport all of the wastewater to a treatment plant, but sometimes, especially during rainy seasons, the amount of runoff exceeds the capacity of the system. When this happens, both untreated wastewater and stormwater flow into nearby waterbodies – in this case, the Mill Creek and Ohio River. The hilly, steep landscape of the South Fairmount neighborhood created runoff issues for decades.

Since its construction was completed in 2021, the Lick Run Greenway has significantly improved water quality in the Mill Creek. So far, it has eliminated 800 million gallons of combined sewer overflows annually from the creek; increased fish populations; progressed recreational safety in the creek for activities like kayaking, canoeing, and fishing; and contributed to economic investments in the neighborhood, including improvements in drinking water, gas, electric, fiber optic, and transportation infrastructure.

Fairmount Avenue Steps and St. Clair Heights Park 

At the height of their use in the 19th century, Cincinnati’s hillsides sported over 30 miles of steps that connected the many neighborhoods of the area to one another. Today, there are nearly 400 sets of these stairways throughout the City, with roughly 320 of those still available for public use. On this hike, as we meander through South Fairmount, we will visit the historic Fairmount Avenue Steps, currently closed for repair. With over 300 individual stairs, this is one of the longest sets of steps in the City. Once they’re repaired, you’ll want to make that climb because the view is worth the effort – St. Clair Heights Park and its expansive view of Cincinnati’s West Side is at the top. 

Tri-State Trails is partnering with local organizations like Groundwork Ohio River Valley, Spring In Our Steps, and the City of Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering to reinstate the Fairmount Avenue Steps to their former glory. Come learn about all the recent work on this South Fairmount corridor, and how it will create a future neighborhood connection from St. Clair Heights Park down to the Mill Creek Greenway Trail.

The Future of Trails

Cincinnati has an expansive regional trail network, with organizations like Tri-State Trails, working to increase the distance and connectivity of trails. This Meet A Greenspace Hike is near the future CROWN (Cincinnati Riding or Walking Network) on the Mill Creek Greenway Trail. 

The CROWN is a vision for Cincinnati’s first-ever urban trail loop: a walkable and bikeable loop completely separate from roadway traffic. The loop will feature a 34-mile, multi-use paved trail, connecting over 350,000 people in 54 communities to major destinations throughout the area including parks, schools, businesses, retail shops, restaurants, recreation, and entertainment. 

Once complete, the CROWN will form a network with other trail systems, including Wasson Way, Ohio River Trail, Little Miami Scenic Trail, and the Mill Creek Greenway Trail. This integrated trail system will transform Cincinnati – making it a leading destination to live, work, and play by linking our regional trails and reconnecting neighborhoods.

Come Explore!

We hope you’ll join us at our upcoming Meet A Greenspace Hike with Tri-State Trails and Mill Creek Alliance on Wednesday, May 6, from 5:30-7:00 PM. We will meet at the main parking lot of the Lick Run Greenway located at 1661 Queen City Avenue. If the main lot is full, additional parking can be found along the Lick Run Greenway.  

Please note that this hike will be a moderate to strenuous out-and-back hike of approximately 2 miles. We will be traversing some steep and difficult sections. The most arduous part of the hike will be in the first half; less enthusiastic participants can leave before we embark on this portion of the event.

This hike is part of our monthly Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager Claire Carlson at claire@greenumbrella.org.