Saturday looks nasty for weather. I will cancel this date and reschedule as soon as opportunity looks good.

There will be snow and some mud on the field so wear appropriate footwear if you plan on walking through the field to see the historical markers. Otherwise, it is all paved asphalt surfaces. This place actually gets prettier in the snow! You have to experience it to appreciate it.

Carpool. If anyone would like to carpool, please meet north of Cincinnati at the Rave Cinema parking lot off of I-75/Union Centre Blvd at 10:45 AM. Depending on which way you are coming off of I-75, take exit 19, Union Centre Blvd. Turn to go Eastbound (away from Ikea direction). Turn right (southbound) on to Civic Center Blvd. Turn first left in to Rave Cinema entrance. Follow short driveway then turn right in to the parking lot. I will be in a silver Toyota Corolla with a black kayak rack on top. We will leave the Rave Cinema parking lot at 11 AM sharp.

Huffman Prairie is the flying field where the Wright Brothers really learned to fly. It is sometimes called the world's first airport and is probably the most unknown and unused National Park in the nation. Known for its pristine condition and quiet beauty, it is located about an hour's drive north of Cincinnati literally at the southwestern end of Patterson Field's runway. This area used to be part of Wright-Patt Air Force base but was made into a National Park and is open to the public year round.

The moderately-paced 4-mile hike will begin at the Base Skeet Range parking lot and follow flat and paved paths to the south side of Huffman Prairie and then to the Wright Brother's Memorial located on a steep hill top above Huffman Prairie where there is a visitor center. We then return back on paved flat surfaces to the north side of Huffman Prairie and back to the Skeet Range parking lot. Allow for about two hours.

Restrooms are available at the middle of the hike. There will be some walking across open fields to visit historical markers and a fairly steep hill to the visitor center. Dogs are welcomed along the walk but are not allowed into the visitor center building at the Wright Brother's Memorial.

Directions to Huffman Prairie: Take I-75 north through downtown Dayton to Exit 54B (48 Main St / Route 4).
Go 5.6 miles north on route 4 to exit 444 Fairborn. Once on 444, eventually get in to the left lane and go 3.4 miles. Watch for a brown sign reading "Huffman Prairie" on the left side of the roadway and prepare to slow/stop and turn left into a fenced in gate area, gate 16A. Immediately after entering gate 16A, turn into third left into Twin Base Golf Club parking lot. Plan to meet here by 11:45 AM. We will meet than caravan about 1/2 mile to the Skeet Range and park there. The reason is that the paved walkways start at the Skeet Range. The roads to Huffman Prairie are confusing and not all marked by name. Some GPS systems do not show or identify former military roadways at all. My Garmin does not. If you can program your GPS, the coordinates are 39'47'33.18 N and 84'03'34.77 W. My cell is [masked] in case anyone gets lost.

Short clip from National Park Service Film on Huffman Priaire "On Great White Wings"
http://www.youtube.co...

2005 Centennial Celebration at Huffmann Prairie
http://www.youtube.co...

Wikipedia's say on Huffman Prairie
http://en.wikipedia.o...

...and don't forget the legal waiver!
http://www.tristatehi...

Last updated: 25 Feb 10