Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum describes itself as a museum without walls, and a first visit shows why. The grounds in Spring Grove Village, a few miles north of downtown, were laid out in the nineteenth-century rural cemetery tradition, with curving drives, ponds, mature trees and family monuments that range from modest stones to small temples. It is a National Historic Landmark, and it doubles as an arboretum, so the plantings are as much a reason to come as the history. People walk, photograph, bird-watch and study the monuments, and the cemetery is a calm counterweight to a trip spent among museums and brewery cellars. Among the well-known Cincinnatians buried here are Salmon P. Chase, the Civil War general Joseph Hooker and the radio and automobile pioneer Powel Crosley Jr., which gives a history-minded walker plenty to hunt for with the cemetery's visitor map. Entry to the grounds does not carry a ticket, and it works at any pace, from a forty-minute drive-through to a long afternoon on foot.
Hours and access
The grounds are open every day from 8am to 6pm. The Customer Service Center just inside the main gate, where you can collect a visitor map and a self-guided walking tour brochure, keeps shorter hours and is closed on Sundays, so pick up the map on a weekday or Saturday if you want it.
From 1 May to 31 August the main gate stays open until 8pm on Mondays and Thursdays. The main entrance is at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, and there is a second gate on Gray Road. Guided tours and events are offered through the cemetery, so check its website if you would like a guide rather than a map.
Rules worth knowing
This is an active cemetery, so the etiquette is different from a park. Walk single file on the curving roads, keep headphones low enough to hear vehicles, and step aside for funeral processions. The speed limit on the paved roads is 20 miles an hour. Pets are not permitted apart from service dogs, food is not allowed on the grounds, and scooters, rollerblades and skateboards are prohibited. Bicycles need a permit. Picking flowers, removing plants and climbing trees are all forbidden, which is part of why the arboretum looks so well kept.
Making it count
Autumn, when the maples and oaks turn, and spring, when the flowering trees bloom, are the most photogenic times, though a quiet winter morning has its own appeal. Drive in and park wherever the roads allow, then walk the sections that interest you rather than trying to cover the whole property. Pair it with Over-the-Rhine, where the Music Hall tour and the ghost tour tell the story of the same nineteenth-century German city that built many of these monuments, or with the Cincinnati Art Museum for a day devoted to the city's older culture.
The cemetery is a car or rideshare trip from downtown rather than a streetcar stop. It suits history readers, gardeners, photographers and anyone who wants a slow, free hour away from crowds. It is not a place for a rowdy group or for small children who cannot stay quiet and on the path, and visitors should treat the grounds with the respect due to a working burial ground.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided walk or slow drive through a landmark cemetery and arboretum, with a visitor map and walking brochure from the service center.
Best time
A weekday or Saturday morning in autumn or spring, when the service center is open and the trees are at their best.
How long
Allow one to three hours depending on how much of the grounds you walk.
Tips
Pets, food and wheeled toys are not allowed, walk single file on the roads, and step aside for funeral processions.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History readers, gardeners and photographers.
- Families
- Best with older children who can walk quietly and stay on the path.
- Couples
- A peaceful, free autumn or spring walk.
- Pair with
- The Cincinnati Art Museum or the Music Hall tour.
- Time needed
- One to three hours.
Good questions
What are the Spring Grove Cemetery hours?+
The grounds are open daily from 8am to 6pm. In summer, from 1 May to 31 August, the main gate stays open until 8pm on Mondays and Thursdays.
Is there an admission fee?+
The visitors guide does not list one, and the grounds are treated as a free place to walk or drive. Guided tours and events are arranged separately.
Can I bring my dog?+
No, pets are prohibited except for service dogs.
Can I ride a bike there?+
Bicycles need a permit. Scooters, rollerblades and skateboards are not allowed.
Where do I get a map?+
At the Customer Service Center just inside the main gate, which is closed on Sundays, or from the downloadable visitor map and walking tour brochure on the website.
