A walk through an Ohio state park can mean a lot of things. It might be a quiet morning on the trail, a weekend camping trip, or an afternoon by the water. Now, at several parks across the state, it can also be a powerful history lesson.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources launched the Heritage of Freedom Project back in 2024, an initiative that brings the history of the Underground Railroad into Ohio’s public lands through interpretive trails and community partnerships. The goal is simple and meaningful: to connect the landscapes we enjoy today with the stories of courage and resilience that unfolded there generations ago.
Walking In The Footsteps Of Freedom Seekers
The first Heritage of Freedom Trail opened in November 2024 at Alum Creek State Park near the Galena Boat Ramp. The natural surface loop stretches just under three-quarters of a mile and is designed for visitors of all ages. Along the route, interpretive signs invite walkers to look closely at their surroundings while learning how freedom seekers navigated Ohio’s wilderness.
Visitors learn about the 19th-century free Black community in Africa, Ohio, and about how enslaved people used the natural world to survive and move north. The stars in the night sky, dense forests, and remote waterways were not just scenery. They were tools, guides, and sometimes safe havens.
In October 2025, a second trail opened at East Fork State Park in Clermont County. This half-mile interpretive path explores both Ohio’s statewide role in the Underground Railroad and stories rooted in the local landscape. Signage highlights how natural markers helped with navigation and how isolated areas provided cover for those seeking freedom and for the conductors who assisted them.
A third trail is now open at Portage Lakes State Park near Akron, with additional locations and programming planned.
More Than Recreation
Ohio’s 76 state parks are often described as places for outdoor fun, but ODNR leaders have emphasized that they are also living classrooms. By weaving Underground Railroad history into these spaces, the Heritage of Freedom Project adds a deeper layer to the experience of being outdoors.
The timing is notable. In 2025, Ohio’s state park system received the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, recognizing it as the top state park system in the country. The Heritage of Freedom Trails reflect that broader mission of balancing conservation, recreation, and education.
Built With Community
The project has been shaped by collaboration. Partners include the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Westerville Historical Society, WeRISE for Greater Westerville, the Ohio Poetry Association, B the Keeper, and local leaders and historians. Community members and educators have worked alongside ODNR to ensure the stories shared on the trails are accurate, respectful, and grounded in place.
That connection to place is central to the project. The Heritage of Freedom Project reminds visitors that the land itself holds memory. The forests, fields, and waterways that draw people out for fresh air today once offered refuge, direction, and hope.
A Different Kind Of Trail Experience
You can still go to Alum Creek to boat or fish. You can still camp at East Fork or paddle through Portage Lakes. But now, as you walk those trails, you may find yourself pausing a little longer at a sign, looking up at the night sky differently, or imagining what it meant to move through these same landscapes under entirely different circumstances.
The Heritage of Freedom Project does not replace the recreational side of Ohio’s parks. It expands it. It invites reflection alongside exploration and encourages visitors to see familiar spaces through a wider lens.
More sites and stories are on the way. For now, three parks offer a chance to experience Ohio history not inside a museum, but under open sky.
