Bainbridge, Ohio: Where to Go to See Beautiful Fall Leaves

My parents, my husband and I visited Bainbridge Ohio last weekend, October 20-22, for a fall foliage festival and driving tour.

Bainbridge is a rural town located just southwest of Chillicothe (Ohio's original capital). It's about an hour and a half south of Columbus which is where we drove from. The area is known as Paint Valley and for good reason. The hills that rise up on either side seem to be painted by an artist during the fall season. The hills alone were quite a site to these natives of the flat landscape of central Ohio.

During the weekend, there was a fall festival with hundreds in attendance. There was a car show consisting of at least 30 painstakingly restored classic cars and two trucks airbrushed with amazingly detailed and realistic portraits. There were several tents packed full of arts, crafts and food items. A decent sized midway had a varied selection of rides and games. Entertainment included a tap line dancing crew of older women, a country music band and a mechanical bull.

The "main" street was lined with many old (some deteriorating) buildings with vendors perched in front selling their wares from card tables. Here we purchased one pound containers of honey for a mere two dollars and 50 cents from a husband and wife who were local farmers.

However, the view stole the show. In the distance were the amazing colored hills. The festival office provided tour maps of the area which included four different loops to drive. Maps can also be printed off the internet. There is a description of the sites you'll see while driving each loop.

We drove two tour loops. The Pike Lake Loop included spectacular park and lake views. We passed our turn and got slightly lost halfway through. Luckily there aren't too many streets and none are bustling. Also, there was a gas station at our point of confusion and a friendly resident steered us in the right direction. The park had marked hiking trails and campgrounds. As soon as we entered the park area, another sign showed us how to get onto the loop. About three quarters of the way through, the road turned to gravel which made the ride a bit uncomfortable.

The Buckskin Loop featured historic landmarks such as a cemetery where Queen Victoria's half sister is buried and prehistoric Native American burial mound and earthworks. From a gazebo lined with informative signs, we learned that the mounds had been excavated in the 1920s. This and hundreds of years of cultivation have wiped out most of the earthworks. The burial mound however is still quite a sight at 30 feet tall and a very steep walk to the top. It affords an incredible view of the area.

Both tours included views of farms with grazing cows, curious horses, and acres of different crops. We took countless pictures and were able to enjoy beautiful sights from the comfort of our car. We couldn't help but constantly remark at how incredible nature is and how awe inspiring the sights.j

Who knew?

I always thought you had to travel to New England to watch the amazing autumn leaf transformation. However, my family and I were in awe of the endless views and colors less than two hours from our home. I highly recommend visiting Paint Valley to see the fall colors firsthand. Pictures just don't do it justice. If you live in an area without the change of seasons and have never witnessed this transformation, you will not believe your eyes.