Hike length: 2 1/4 miles
Hike difficulty: moderately difficult, uphill

Join a park ranger for a spring hike at Spruce Hill! May 10 marks International Migratory Bird day! Situated in the scenic Paint Valley, a hike up Spruce Hill will offer visitors many great opportunities to bird watch as well as learn about this mysterious earthwork. Spruce Hill is one of only three hilltops surrounded by a mound of stone. Though little remains of the stone walls, hikers will get a sense of scale for the prehistoric project when standing in the middle of the mesa. Spruce Hill is owned cooperatively by the Ross County Park District and the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System, which operate cooperatively with the National Park Service.

Meet the National Park Ranger at Spruce Hill’s parking lot on Spruce Hill Road, approximately 8 miles west of Chillicothe. From Chillicothe, follow US 50 west and turn left on Blain Highway. Turn right onto Black Run Road and continue straight onto Spruce Hill Road. The parking for Spruce Hill is on Spruce Hill Road. If you need further assistance with directions call the park at 740-774-1126, stop by the Mound City Group Visitor Center or download the Spruce Hill driving map from our website at http://www.nps.gov/hocu/planyourvisit/special-events.htm