Mount Vernon offers several distinct highlights for trip planning: a repurposed former glass factory site, a historic opera house, experiences in the restored downtown, and two trails that begin in Mount Vernon. Plan your stay around culture, scenery or a specific route.
Glass History and Lakes at Ariel-Foundation Park
Ariel-Foundation Park covers 250 acres and is located on the former site of a glass factory. Visitors can walk among partially preserved remnants of the former facility. The industrial past is more than just background: parts of the glass factory remain on the site. Three large lakes, formed from former gravel pits, offer insight into another phase of the land’s use. The park thus brings together two distinct stories of the site: glass production and the former gravel extraction.
The Woodward Opera House and Downtown
The Woodward Opera House combines historical significance with present-day offerings. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 10, 1975. Today, the building can be used for events and offers tours. If you’re traveling to Mount Vernon for an event, check the specific dates in advance; the tours offer another point of interest for those interested in the building’s history.
The restored downtown also has its own highlights: it offers distinctive events, public art and family-friendly experiences. At the historic Public Square, Mount Vernon invites you to shop, dine and explore. This offers a different way to experience the area than a tour or event at the opera house. When planning, you can therefore decide whether you’re more interested in the historic building, art and events, or the offerings around the Public Square.
Two Trails Starting in Mount Vernon
The 14-mile Kokosing Gap Trail begins in Mount Vernon and runs through Gambier and Howard to Danville. It is paved and suitable for hiking, jogging, biking and inline skating. Its listed uses and route make it a clearly defined choice if you’d like to combine these activities with a route through several communities.
The Heart of Ohio Trail is 15.7 miles long and runs southwest from Mount Vernon through Mount Liberty and Centerburg. This makes it 1.7 miles longer than the Kokosing Gap Trail; its direction and the places named along the route also differ. Both routes begin in Mount Vernon, but their descriptions offer different points of reference to help you choose: the Kokosing Gap Trail’s paved surface and four listed activities, or the Heart of Ohio Trail’s southwest direction and route through Mount Liberty and Centerburg.
Practical Information for Trail Users
Trail users are asked to use the CA&C Visitor Center in Mount Vernon for daytime parking. Since parking rules can change, check the information before your outing. The visitor center also has public restrooms. A bicycle repair station is located on the east side of the building.
The trails differ in length, direction and route; the Kokosing Gap Trail also has information about its surface and permitted activities. This makes it possible to choose a route to match your travel interests without treating the two trails as the same.
Discover more destinations: Howard, Gambier.
Go to the regional travel overview: Knox County.
