An important access point to the Kokosing Gap Trail is in Gambier; at the same time, Kenyon College and its facilities shape the town. History, contemporary art, astronomy, and trails through a river landscape make Gambier a destination with clearly distinct themes. The following places and trails show how village and campus history can be combined with experiences in nature.
Village and Campus History
Philander Chase founded both Gambier and Kenyon College. Old Kenyon dates from the college’s founding era. The steeple of the Church of the Holy Spirit rises above the campus on Gambier Hill. Together, these connections link the town’s founding story with the college’s early years and a distinctive campus landmark.
Art, Lectures, and Astronomy
The Gund Gallery is Kenyon College’s museum of contemporary art. Rosse Hall is a concert and lecture hall with 600 seats. The Franklin Miller Observatory enables astronomy students and interested members of the public to experience the cosmos up close. Between Old Kenyon and the Gund Gallery lies a clear contrast in time: the college’s founding era on one side, contemporary art on the other. Rosse Hall and the observatory add a concert and lecture space as well as astronomy to this perspective.
Getting Around and Outdoor Activities
The Middle Path is Gambier’s most important pedestrian connection and helps visitors find their way around the town. The Kokosing Gap Trail has an important access point in Gambier. The paved trail is 14 miles long and runs alongside the Kokosing River through forests and farmland. It can be used for walking, jogging, and cycling. For planning routes, it answers two different questions: the Middle Path is Gambier’s most important pedestrian connection; the trail offers a named route and the option to walk, jog, or cycle.
Railroad History on the Kokosing Gap Trail
A closer look at Gambier’s railroad connections reveals two distinct historical details. The Kokosing Gap Trail Board brought the 0-6-0 steam locomotive to Gambier in April 2001. Chesapeake & Ohio caboose No. 90776 is permanently located at the Kokosing Gap Trail stop in Gambier. The details also differ in terms of timing: April 2001 is the date the locomotive was moved to Gambier; the caboose is permanently placed at the trail stop.
Nature Trails and Regional Scale
The Brown Family Environmental Center maintains several nature trails in and adjacent to Gambier. The preserve has more than 10 miles of trails in total for self-guided exploration. In the wider region, the 700-acre Brown Family Environmental Center is located in the Kokosing River Valley in central Ohio. The Kokosing Gap Trail is a single paved route, while the Brown Family Environmental Center offers several nature trails and more than 10 miles of self-guided trails in total. The options therefore differ: a named paved route on one hand, and several trails for independent exploration of a preserve on the other.
Discover more destinations: Mount Vernon, Howard.
For the broader travel overview: Knox County.
