Join me as I visit the sites in the Ohio History Connection network! This month’s trip took me to Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve in Glenford.

Flint Ridge is an intersection of natural history and human history. The site is a nearly eight-mile-long vein of Vanport flint, a unique rainbow-colored flint that was prized by ancient American Indians for its beauty and usefulness in making trade items, tools and weapons. Today it is Ohio’s official gemstone.

Throughout the 533-acre preserve, visitors can see ancient pits left by American Indians who came from the surrounding area to quarry flint. Flint Ridge seems to have been well known in the ancient world—small amounts of its flint have been found at American Indian sites across present-day eastern United States.

The site includes a museum and four trails. When you drive into the site, take the first right and park in the lot. You’ll see a sign for the museum. I would recommend making the museum your first stop. You can explore the exhibits to learn more about the site and the flint—what you learn will inform your hike. The museum also has restrooms and a gift shop. You’ll see the main trail head just outside the museum. Be sure to snap a picture of the trail map before you start your hike. Then keep an eye out for the quarry pits—they’re hard to miss!

Address: Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve is located at 15300 Flint Ridge Road in Glenford, not far from Newark.

How much time: I would budget about two hours for your visit. You’ll want to make time to investigate the museum and all the hands-on activities there. I would suggest you plan your visit to coincide with the guided tours of the Quarry Trail lead by staff members on Fridays and Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and learned so much that we wouldn’t have had we done the trail on our own.

Truda’s Tips: Be sure to talk to the museum staff. They are passionate about the site and can really enhance your experience. Not only can they fill you in on the history of the site, they can also help with hands-on activities, recommend trails that fit your needs and give you some pointers if you’re looking for local restaurants.

Kid Friendly? YES!: Flint Ridge is perfect for a family outing. The museum is chock full of hands-on activities that will delight kids. They can practice their flint knapping skills, use a pump drill, make a necklace, look at rocks under magnifying glasses, push buttons on the displays and pick up coloring pages to take home. The staff absolutely loves having kids visit and they are happy to show them how to knap, drill and explore the exhibits. The trails are not long and there are lots of things to see along the way. Some of the paths have roots and flint outcroppings that you’ll need to be aware of. However, there’s also a paved path with signage about the history of the site that would be perfect for strollers or visitors with mobility challenges.

Lunch: Lunch is a very important part of any road trip! Flint Ridge has outdoor tables and a picnic shelter available if you want to bring your lunch with you. There is also a lot of grassy space where you could spread out a picnic blanket.

We opted to drive to nearby downtown Newark for lunch and coffee at local establishments recommended by the Flint Ridge site manager, Sarah. Lunch at Elliot’s Wood Fired Kitchen & Tap was AMAZING. It’s located in the heart of downtown and has plenty of parking nearby. The menu features wood fired pizzas, salads, sandwiches and tacos. Our group sampled the pizzas and the Reuben sandwich. Everyone was very happy with their choices. We would all highly recommend.

After lunch, we took a short walk through lovely Newark to River Road Coffeehouse. We found lots of fun options, baked goods and snacks. Sarah said the breakfast sandwiches are wonderful. I had an iced latte, which hit the spot after a day of hiking. My coworker Heather had a frozen crème, which was coffee-free. She said it was delightful. Others in our party had mochas and were very happy. River Road Coffeehouse has a lot of seating and would be a great place to cool off after a day at Flint Ridge.

For more information: To learn more about Flint Ridge, you can visit our website. Be sure to note the days and hours of operation. The park and trails are open all daylight hours year-round, but the museum is open seasonally and only on certain days. If in doubt, call 740.344.0498 for up-to-date information.

Want to make a day of it? The Newark Earthworks, which are also Ohio History Connection sites, are just 20 minutes away from Flint Ridge. You can get more information here.

Flint Ridge is located in Perry County and is very close to Licking County. Discover everything both counties have to offer by visiting Discover Perry County and Explore Licking County.

Ohio History Connection members enjoy free general admission to the Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve, as well as our 50+ other historic sites and museums. Visit ohiohistory.org/get-involved/join-membership to become a member!