In April of 2010, the Knox County Park District, with financial assistance from the Clean Ohio Fund Green Space Conservation Program, acquired a 348-acre property located across the road from the Honey Run Waterfall. You may access the site using one of three parking lots. One parking lot is located across from the entrance to Honey Run Waterfall at 10865 Hazel Dell Road Howard 43028. The other parking lots are located at 10816 Millersburg Road, Howard 43028 (just north of the intersection of Caves Road and US 62). The first lot can be seen from US 62 and the second lot can be accessed by using the driveway towards the interior of the park. At the second lot you will find a pergola shade structure with a picnic table and grill for your pleasure. The site includes hiking trails, picnic facilities and habitat restoration (warm season grasslands/prairie forb areas and tree plantings).There is a residence in the middle of the park, and we ask visitors to not trespass in this area or on neighboring properties. Park boundaries are marked.
In May spring wildflowers abound throughout the park and waterfall. In 2021, a group of volunteers spent countless hours to compile a plant survey for all of the Knox County Parks. This survey highlights the baseline data for the presence of forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) that are not graminoids, within selected county parks. The project furthered determined flowering time for each identified species. During the 2021 growing season, surveyors identified a total of 320 distinct species forbs. Click on the plant data icon above to view results. You may also view the narrative of the project on the link below. 

The site serves as excellent habitat for state-threatened wildlife species. The Barn Owl, Bobcat, Wild Turkeys, white-tailed deer, and Ring-necked Pheasants are just a few of the wildlife observed. Many species of songbirds and butterflies have been seen on this ecologically diverse site. During the summer months, butterfly monitoring is conducted by a group of volunteers on the park’s Butterfly Transect Trail (see link below to download a Butterfly ID Park checklist). A single male Bobwhite Quail was spotted in August 2015. In addition, 60 acres of warm season grasses and prairie forbs have been planted on the site, improving the water quality of Honey Run and providing soil erosion control on highly erodible soils. The Park District manages Honey Run Highlands warm season grasslands/prairie forb areas with prescribe fire.  

Archers, by permit-only, assist the Park District with our deer management program, during Ohio’s white-tailed deer archery season. Archery participants pursue their sport at Honey Run Highlands throughout the week (including weekends) during archery season which typically runs from the end of September through the beginning of February. Gun hunting is prohibited at the park.