Hiking Level – Easy; approximately 30 min; dogs are welcome on a leash; paved accessible path
Park in the lot at the west entrance of TM Berry International Friendship Park, 1135 Riverside Drive, 45202
1. Pinwheel Sign – Our walk begins at the brightly-colored entrance of the park, where its name appears in eight languages.
2. TM Berry Plaza – Decorative signs on columns in the plaza commemorate Berry’s life as a humanitarian and activist committed to building a world where peace, freedom and equality are accessible to all.
3. Friendship Bracelet Pathways – From Berry Plaza, two intertwining walkways – the Path of Man and the Path of Nature, lead eastward, linking the gardens of the continents into a “friendship bracelet”. Observe the artful imprints set into each pathway, and the granite circles inscribed with the names of each continent embedded where the paths cross. The walkways symbolize the relationship between man and nature, and the relationships between cultures.
4. Castle of Air – On the right, take the orange Path of Nature through the Garden of Europe to this impressive, mirrored sculpture designed by architect Peter Haimerl. The sculpture is a gift from Cincinnati’s German sister city of Munich and reflects people and nature, causing us to reflect on our place in the world and our relationship to nature.
5. Story Circle – Continue on the path through the Garden of Africa until you find small mounds that radiate from a “story stone” where storytellers can share tales in the honored tradition of Native American and African cultures.
6. Hands of the Land – Cross through the Garden of Australia to the center of the park where this impressive earth sculpture is a tribute to the prehistoric North American mound builders of the Ohio Valley. The hands reflect the spirit of Friendship Park and are featured in the park’s logo.
7. Plaza of the Sun – Continue on the path and pass the contemporary Friendship Pavilion Building to this scenic overlook that radiates the sun with its red concrete and brick “sunbeams”. The massive sundial sculpture in the center of the plaza is carved from 150-year-old English Oak and its pieces are precisely arranged to align with the rising and setting sun on the winter and summer solstice, and the spring and fall equinox. Standing in its center, can you tell what time it is?
8. The Crystalline Tower – Continue on the Path of Nature to explore the Gardens of Asia and the Americas. At the east end of the park stands a 90’ tall three-sided tower, clad in sheets of titanium, mica panels and steel mesh. Designed collaboratively by Ohio artist Susan Ewing and Czech artist Vratislav Novak, the tower is topped by a rotating north star, in recognition of the importance of the star to slaves navigating their way across the Ohio River to freedom. Notice how the sculpture interacts with nature as the panels move in the wind and reflect sunlight.
SELFIE CHALLENGE SPOT (details in the “Things to Know” flier)
EXTEND YOUR HIKE: Follow the blue Path of Man westward to return to the parking lot where you can rent a Cincinnati Red Bike. Continue west to explore the paved pathways of Cincinnati’s Riverfront Parks – Sawyer Point, Yeatman’s Cove, and Smale Riverfront Park.
