I have four kids whose ages range from five to 12 and although we've been going for hikes since my oldest was strapped in a baby carrier, we're still limited by my kids' short legs (and even shorter attention spans). My solution is to swap arduous hikes for lolling nature walks, and by doing this we've discovered some true hidden gem trails we wouldn't have found otherwise. Bull's Run Arboretum is one such place; this underrated park in Butler County, Ohio, is an outdoor paradise with accessible trails for hikers or all ages and abilities.

There's something so wonderfully healing about time spent in nature. For John Muir, it was the redwood forests of California that filled his soul, but here in Ohio, we have our own wondrous woodlands, too.

At just under 12 acres and located just minutes from two major metropolises, Bull's Run Arboretum seems like an unlikely candidate for a Muir-inspired adventure. But keen eyes and open-minded explorers have much to love about this underrated Ohio park.

Bull's Run Arboretum features the last free-flowing section of Bull's Run Creek. The property contains the last free-flowing section of Bull's Run, which marked one of the original boundaries of the City of Middletown when it was plotted in 1802.

Back in fledgling days of Ohio's official statehood, the area was used as a grazing pasture for bulls, hence the name.

Today, however, Bull's Run has transformed into something unexpected and wholly wondrous.

The front of the sanctuary is an arboretum that's teeming with a variety of flora and fauna, including some of the most magnificent trees in the Ohio Valley.

This tiny-but-mighty park also has a picnic shelter and mulched trails that wind past birding areas, along Bull’s Run Creek, and through a meadow filled with native plant life. The creek-side trail is approximately 0.3 miles, making it perfect for families those who prefer a leisurely stroll over an arduous hike.

If you were seeing Bull's Run Arboretum from above, you'd be surprised at just how close this park is to Middletown, and, by extension, Dayton and Cincinnati. But once you're found shelter in the quietude of this lush tract of land, you'll feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of these busy areas.

Have you visited this underrated park in Ohio? Bull's Run Arboretum is a sublime slice of Buckeye State paradise that's the perfect place for a long and leisurely walk.

Need to fuel up after your walk? Head to Holtman's for the best glazed donut of your life!