I am an unabashed tree hugger. Whether it's an old growth forest or a neighbor's blossoming dogwood, there's something very grounding and inspiring about trees that fills me with peace. So when I'm looking for places for a day hike in Ohio, I gravitate toward arboretums and tree-filled forests. One particularly beautiful arboretum in Ohio is a hidden treasure located in the southwest region of the state. Bull's Run Arboretum is a beautiful woodland park in Middletown, Ohio, that's worthy of a day trip.

Like John Muir, I take great pleasure in nature. Walking through a dense, tree-filled forest fills me with a sense of peace that's truly food for my soul.

Here in Ohio, we might not have giant sequoias or towering Morrill pines, but we do have an abundance of forests and woodlands filled with the kind of native flora poets write about.

Ohio's lush landscape comes as a surprise to many. While being bussed to the launch point for a recent kayaking trip, I sat beside a couple from Tennessee who were in awe of how green the Buckeye State is. "I thought it was just cornfields here," said the woman.

Ohio has more than 100 native tree species in even more nature preserves, parks, forests, and gardens across the state. Places, as it were, like Bull's Run Arboretum in Middletown.

Middletown is its own hidden gem in Ohio; this 'burb is located between Dayton and Cincinnati, and many dismiss the town as a drive-thru to these places. But Middletown has so many beautiful places worthy of exploring, including the 11.6-acre Bull's Run Arboretum and Nature Sanctuary.

This local park is dedicated to preserving the natural area and serving as an environmental educational facility for all who visit. To this end, the park contains the last free-flowing section of Bull’s Run creek, which marked an original boundary of Middletown plotted in 1802. It's also home to trails, a rain garden, and an arboretum.

Its small acreage belies the immense variety of flora and fauna found within, including Ohio's eponymous buckeye trees.

Volunteer run and free to visit, Bull's Run is popular for its spring wildflower walks and summer birding events, but it's truly beautiful all year round.

Whether you visit in the winter, spring, summer, or autumn, you're sure to fall in love with this hidden gem in Middletown, Ohio.

Have you visited this lush arboretum in Ohio before? Bull's Run Arboretum is one of those hidden gems in Ohio that's a humble reminder of just how lovely our state is.