Best of the Hills

Can’t beat ’em, so we might as well love ’em
By John Fox

You can see forever (almost) from Pavilion and Carney streets in Mount Adams. Photo by Cameron Knight

Cities these days are always trying to outdo each other to attract visitors, residents and corporate headquarters. It’s a form of beauty contest in which cities build new skyscrapers, stadiums, convention centers and other amenities to catch the judges’ eyes.

As with beauty queens, though, some cities are made and some are born.

Think of great American cities, and you instantly picture urban areas perched on grand geography: San Francisco and the bay, New York and the Hudson River emptying into the harbor, Chicago and Lake Michigan. Born with incredible geographic advantages, they were destined to become great cities.

Perhaps the same can be said of Cincinnati’s geography.

The Ohio River, of course, brought waves of settlers and later served as the lifeline for trade and transit. The steep hills kept the growing city compacted on the river basin, and later when the hills were conquered they became the first suburbs.

Today, it’s impossible to navigate daily life without dealing with our hills: driving the hills, looking up at hills, seeing down from hills, playing in parks on hills, living in a house or apartment with a view from the hills or of the hills. We’re completely surrounded by hills. MTV’s The Hills show should be set in Cincinnati.

Almost as good as an MTV show set in Cincinnati — which would never happen, of course — is a Best of Cincinnati® review of the Best of the Hills. I recruited several experts to help: Hillside Trust Executive Director Eric Russo, Clare and Roland Johnson of The Land Conservancy and Leesa Miller of the Western Wildlife Corridor.

These three organizations form a network with likeminded non-profits to help protect Greater Cincinnati’s natural resources, including the hills, for future generations. Russo says they’re the region’s third line of defense behind local governments and local park boards and districts; the three organizations have purchased or received hundreds of acres of land in the Tristate in an effort to rein in overdevelopment and encroachment.

The five of us sat down for a few hours to discuss hills throughout Greater Cincinnati. It was the best meeting I’d had in a long time.

BEST MYTH ABOUT OUR HILLS THAT’S FALSE: Greater Cincinnati wasn’t built on seven hills, as many locals believe. Some connected the city’s namesake, Roman farmer-turned-general-turned-back-tofarmer Cincinnatus, to the mythical founding of Rome on seven hills; others blended that legend with the city’s historic nickname of Queen City, claiming the name derives from seven hills surrounding the downtown basin as a crown. It’s not true. First off, the Hillside Trust’s Russo says the city of Cincinnati alone has 25-27 identified hill systems. As for the Queen City name, Cincinnati was the largest U.S. city west of the Allegheny Mountains in the early 1800s and was often called Queen of the West when it wasn’t being referred to as Porkopolis.

Any street with steps beside it instead of a sidewalk is steep; Clyde Street rises at a 30 degree slope. Photo by Cameron Knight

BEST MYTH ABOUT OUR HILLS THAT’S TRUE: There are a ton of hilly streets in Greater Cincinnati that local police and fire departments need to be able to navigate in case of emergency. The Cincinnati Fire Department actually tests its new trucks and ambulances on three particular streets before they accept shipment: White Avenue, which runs between Queen City and Harrison in South Fairmount; Collins Street, which runs from William Howard Taft in East Walnut Hills and under Columbia Parkway; and Straight Street, running down from UC and Clifton. And they’re not even the steepest in the city. Cincinnati’s Engineering Division says two small side streets tie for the steepest, both at 30 degrees: the top of Hoffner Street near the I 74/Beekman interchange and Clyde Street off of River Road near the Anderson Ferry.

BEST EVIDENCE THAT OUR HILLS ARE SCREWED: The 80 humongous bolts that hold up the western edge of Mount Adams are a very public reminder that the area’s hills are inherently unstable. It’s just nature’s way of explaining that perhaps hills made of loose layers of shale shouldn’t have houses and roads built on them, vegetation stripped away from their soil and highway ramps cut into their bases. Russo says workers actually do go underground and tighten the bolts regularly, but several have failed and the entire system likely will have to be replaced within 50 years.

BEST HILL ON WHICH TO START A CITY: In 1788, the first white settlers traveled down the Ohio River to an area just west of the Great Miami River, where they established a camp they called Columbia, near what’s now Lunken Airport and the neighborhood of Columbia-Tusculum. Just above their camp was a hill they called Bald Hill because the native Indians had stripped all the trees off in order to provide a good lookout spot on the river. Cincinnati’s first hill commandeered for its view.

BEST VIEW FROM A HIGHWAY HILL: Our experts agree that no view beats the spectacular look at downtown Cincinnati and Covington from the Cut in the Hill heading north on I-71/75. Once the highway was reconfigured in the ’90s, the way the hills open up and downtown appears as you start to descend into the river basin is breathtaking every time. For Cincinnatians who’ve been out of town, it’s a wonderful “Welcome home” when you head back into town from the airport.

BEST VIEW OF HIGHWAY HILLS: Thanks to the work of The Land Conservancy and Cincinnati Parks, the trip into or out of the city on I-74 is uniquely serene among the area’s highways. Closer to its end point in the city, I-74 skirts a large section of Mt. Airy Forest, Cincinnati’s largest park; further out, other than development at the interchanges, the highway is surrounded by lots of hills and trees. The Land Conservancy has bought parcels along I-74 for years, hoping to maintain what’s left of the natural habitat along Taylor Creek, which the highway parallels.

BEST VIEW FROM A CINCINNATI PARKWAY: There’s little argument that Columbia Parkway is the most picturesque road in Greater Cincinnati. When the parkway was built over what was known as Columbia Avenue, the city tore down buildings on the river side to open up vistas for motorists. Heading east, the view up at the hills above Columbia-Tusculum — with the “painted ladies” homes and Sachem Avenue that appears to go 90 degrees straight up the hill — is spectacular. Heading into town, the view of Mount Adams with downtown’s skyscrapers peeking around — especially as the sun sets — is picture postcard perfect. Seriously. It’s on a lot of postcards.

BEST VIEW FROM A NORTHERN KENTUCKY PARKWAY: Memorial Parkway in Fort Thomas doesn’t hug the river as Columbia Parkway does, but it offers its own spectacular views. Coming down the hill from “downtown” Fort Thomas, you get one of the best straight on views of Cincinnati’s riverfront book-ended by the stadiums with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in the middle.

BEST VIEW FROM A STREET ON A CLIFF: I’d never heard of Cliff Road before being clued in to the far western Hamilton County area by the Johnsons and Miller. It’s aptly named, as the residential road runs along the edge of a huge bluff on the Ohio River. You’re too far west to see downtown, but the views down to the river and across to farms in Northern Kentucky are amazing.

BEST HILLY STREET TO MAKE YOU CARSICK: Up, down, up, down, curve a little, up, down, up, down — whoever named Devil’s Backbone Road got it exactly right. If you find yourself out in Covedale and Green Township in the heart of the West Side, try the backbone some time. Bring a barf bag if you have a weak stomach.

BEST VIEW FROM A WORKING OBSERVATORY: The Cincinnati Observatory in Ault Park has many features to offer visitors, particularly its historic telescope (the world’s oldest telescope still in use nightly by the general public) and National Historic Landmark buildings. There’s a nice view from its hilltop perch, too, across to the residential areas of East Hyde Park and beyond.

BEST VIEW FROM A NATURE ORGANIZATION’S OFFICE: As might be expected, the Hillside Trust’s office is situated on a hill with a fascinating view. Nestled in Alms Park, the small building, once the residence for park caretakers, looks out over Lunken Airport and the Little Miami River valley.

BEST VIEW OF THE HILLSIDES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER SIMULTANEOUSLY: You’ll derive a number of pleasures from slowing down and riding the Anderson Ferry, and the best might be the views from the middle of the Ohio River. You’ll see the hills rise quickly on both sides of the river and spot a few houses perched on top, and you’ll feel 1,000 miles away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

BEST HILL VIEW FROM DOWNTOWN: If there were a vote — and we’ve never held one — Mount Adams likely would be the public’s favorite hill in Greater Cincinnati. The views from Mount Adams are amazing, and there are some awesome streets winding up, down and around the neighborhood. The view of Mount Adams is special as well — from the iconic Holy Cross- Immaculata Church almost hanging out over downtown to the quaint Ida Street bridge to the The Monastery towering above it all. And to think a perfect view of Mount Adams would be in dead centerfield today if Hamilton County had built the Reds stadium at Broadway Commons … what a stupid idea that would have been.

BEST HILL MEMORIAL FOR A U.S. PRESIDENT: There are reminders of U.S. presidents with local ties throughout the area, from James Garfield’s statute downtown to Ulysses S. Grant’s birthplace in Clermont County. But there’s only one presidential burial site in Hamilton County: the William Henry Harrison memorial in North Bend. The oblisque honoring our ninth president, who served only 32 days in office before dying from a cold he caught at his inauguration festivities, stands on a quiet hill overlooking the Ohio River. It’s worth a visit.

BEST SLEDDING HILL: The Hillside Trust’s Russo insists that Stanbery Park in Mount Washington has the best sledding in the area — long and fast, he says. I’m checking it out next winter.

BEST BAR ON A HILL: Again, Mount Adams is the go-to place for this hill category, with many people favoring the outdoor decks at Mt. Adams Pavilion or the swanky bar at The Celestial. The old school choice, though, has to be City View Tavern, which offers one of the city’s best burgers, award-winning Bloody Marys and a cozy little deck from which to watch the world float by.

BEST RESTAURANT ON A HILL: CityBeat readers consistently choose Primavista in Price Hill as the best restaurant with a view, so who are we to argue?

Hills of bluebells in Delshire Nature Preserve

BEST HILL FOR WILDFLOWERS: This should be the perfect point in Spring to check out the Virginia Bluebells in Delshire Nature Preserve, but unfortunately another hill slide has temporarily closed the preserve. Miller, however, says her Western Wildlife Corridor colleague Tim Sisson (who’s actually WWC president) is willing to set up a special hike on April 19 for CityBeat readers. Delshire is a “guided trail” only until the hillside reconstruction is finished. If you’re interested in seeing a field of blooming bluebells, meet Sisson at 1 p.m. April 19 at the southern end of the preserve at the gravel parking area on Hillside Avenue, 1.6 miles east of Anderson Ferry Road just past the very steep Clyde Street. Info: 513-922-2104.

BEST HILL TO WATCH SUNSETS: You can’t beat the western views along the Ohio River from Fernbach Park in Sayler Park, Miller claims. “The water usually carries the shimmering colors toward you as you look at the sunset,” she says, “and for some reason there are often a few clouds toward the west that time of day, which make for frequently colorful sunsets.”

BEST MAN-MADE HILL: I didn’t tell my land conservation friends I’d be doing this category, as they’d surely be aghast, but I have to offer a shout-out to Mt. Rumpke on Ohio Rt. 27. The highest point for miles in northern Hamilton County and southern Butler County, the landfill is a monument to wasteful human consumption and American entrepreneurship.

BEST MAN-MANICURED HILLS: American entrepreneurs also carved out Perfect North Slopes from southern Indiana farmland, creating an unlikely ski resort that’s just a 30-minute drive from Fountain Square. You won’t find a lot of pristine powder or mountain views there, but the lodge is huge, the staff and instructors are friendly, the hills cater to a variety of skill levels and the prices are right.

BEST VIEW IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WEST OF LICKING RIVER: Sometimes the best-known spots are popular because of PR spin or luck, and sometimes they’re simply the best. Devou Park in Covington deserves its reputation for spectacular views of downtown and the river. Let’s hope the upcoming I-75 bridge construction project doesn’t “screw” the hill supporting Devou Park like I-471 “screwed” Mount Adams.

BEST VIEW IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY EAST OF LICKING RIVER: You know a neighborhood has great views when developers move in and start building condos. That’s what has happened on Wiedemann Hill in Newport, at the top of Park Avenue above 10th Street. It’s cool if you’re buying one of those condos, not so cool if you were already there and hoping no one else would discover the views.

BEST VIEW ON THE WEST SIDE: Mt. Echo Park in Price Hill offers almost a 180-degree view along the Ohio River, with the money shot a view back to downtown behind a bend in the river.

BEST VIEW NORTH OF DOWNTOWN: Jackson Hill Park is a little known pocket park on the edge of Mount Auburn on Eleanor Street near the top of Sycamore Street. Over-the-Rhine opens up right below you, from Union Terminal across to Music Hall and all the church steeples. You get a very good sense of how big an area Over-the Rhine occupies.

BEST VIEW ON THE EAST SIDE: Like Mt. Echo Park on the West Side, Edne Park offers 180-degree views of the Ohio River, downtown, residential areas and Northern Kentucky. Two of the best viewing spots are the Donald Spencer Overlook (yes, it has a name) on the park road above Krohn Conservatory and the Twin Lakes overlook just as the park ends at Victory Parkway. I like looking east and following the bend of the river and Columbia Parkway.

View from Cliff Road in western Hamilton County

BEST VIEW PERIOD: OK, it’s obvious by now that hill fans — me in particular — are partial to Mount Adams. The first time I ever visited Cincinnati, on a job interview, I was taken bar-hopping in Mount Adams. When I moved to Cincinnati for that job, I got an apartment in Mount Adams. I’ve watched many WEBN fireworks from Mount Adams and showed many visitors its unique views. It’s our own little slice of San Francisco, minus the cable cars and the bay and lots of other things. So it’s no surprise that my overall favorite view is in Mount Adams or that it’s obscure and off the beaten path. I thought I was the only person who loved this view until, when discussing the subject, the Hillside Trust’s Russo said this was his favorite view, too. Spooky! OK, here’s what you do: Take a left on Pavilion Street off of St. Gregory, and just past Crowley’s and Holy Cross- Immaculata Church the street turns slightly downhill and then to the left, where it becomes Carney Street. At that left curve there’s a wide opening to the river and Northern Kentucky that will take your breath away. As you turn your car to the left you swear you’re going to float out into the sky. ©