John Bryan State Park
John Bryan State Park is a 752-acre park in Greene County, Ohio, near Yellow Springs. It surrounds Clifton Gorge, a deep canyon carved by the Little Miami River. The park has a campground, hiking and biking trails, and it borders Clifton Gorge and Glen Helen nature preserves.
Long ago, the area was a stop along the Cincinnati–Pittsburgh stagecoach road, and settlers started water-powered mills in the gorge. Clifton Mill, built in 1802 in the village of Clifton, is one of the mills that still operates today. The town of Clifton thrived for a time thanks to mills and other industries along the river.
In 1896, John Bryan, a local businessman, bought 335 acres along the gorge and called it Riverside Farm. In 1918 he left the land to the state of Ohio to be used as a forestry, botanic, and wildlife reserve—named for him. Riverside Farm became one of Ohio’s first forest parks in 1925.
In 1949, John Bryan State Park became part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Parks and Recreation. The park and the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve overlook the Little Miami River gorge, which is recognized as a National Natural Landmark.
John Bryan State Park was established in 1951 and remains a place for outdoor recreation and enjoying natural beauty.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:43 (CET).