The Kingfisher Trail is a popular hiking trail in Winton Woods, a 2,555 acre park located in Springfield Township, Ohio. Once known as West Fork Lake, the park was renamed Winton Woods in 1939. The name change paid homage to the historical Winton Road, constructed in 1798 as part of a military road, this route was once a pathway for American Indians. The Kingfisher Trail is a 1.1 mile loop that follows the east bank of Kingfisher Wetland before climbing to the northeast where it passes through a portion of the Greenbelt area, a state dedicated nature preserve.
The trail begins in the parking lot of the Kingfisher Shelter, a wide gravel path leads the way to the loop. At the .10 mile mark the trail splits marking the beginning and end of the loop. The loop is divided into two sections; the lower wetland section and the upper woodland section. We turned left heading down into the Kingfisher wetland.
The Kingfisher wetlands is fed by a branch of the West Fort of the Mill Creek. The trail is relatively flat and follows the banks of the creek. The area is home to many species including: ducks, herons, turtles and snakes. At the .50 mile mark the trail turns right heading up a set of rugged stairs, towards the upper woodlands section.
At the top of the stairs the trail crosses a boardwalk and then ascends over the next two tenths of a mile. The woodland section of the trail passes through a mixed forested habitat. A variety of trees and shrubs provide habitat for a wide variety of animals. At the .90 mile the trail passes a sinkhole, this was created when limestone rock under the surface dissolved due to acidic water resulting in a cave-in. We continue descending down the trail for another tenth of a mile before coming to the end of the loop.
We enjoy this trail because it offers hilly, rugged terrain that is difficult to find close to our house. I would rate this as an easy hike that would be great for kids or anyone new to hiking. We use this trail for training purposes and usually do the loop multiple times carrying our 30# packs.
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