The views from Mt. Adams are arguably unmatched by those of any other neighborhood in Cincinnati.  The Cincinnati Scenic View Study (2007), a recent study done by the City of Cincinnati in conjunction with the Hillside Trust, identified the location of 82 views in the City and gave each a protection priority rating of high, medium, or low. Eighteen of the views identified by the study were located in Mt. Adams, and 10 had a high protection priority.

The following table show the views in Mt. Adams that were identified by the Scenic View Study.  The table details each view and includes the views observable features as well as the ways available to experience the view (for instance, does it feature a bench or sidewalk, or is the view available from a vehicle). 

Name Type Observable Features Site Amenities Protection Priority
Eden Park – Hal Apel Overlook City Park Ohio River and valley, Northern Kentucky Bench High
Eden Park – Playhouse in the Park front entrance overlook City Park Downtown skyline and basin, Music Hall, Union Terminal Picnic Table High
Parkside Place (from Louden Street) Right-of-way (as vista) Ohio River, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk, vehicle Low
Ida Street Bridge Right-of-way (as vista) Downtown skyline and basin, Music Hall, Union Terminal Sidewalk Medium
Guido Street – Holy Cross Immaculata Downtown Overlook Right-of-way (terminus) Downtown skyline, Ohio River, bridges, Northern Kentucky Balcony High
Guido Street – Holy Cross Immaculata Southern Overlook Right-of-way (terminus) Ohio River and valley, I-471 Bridge, Northern Kentucky Observation deck High
Carney Street Right-of-way (terminus) Ohio River and valley, I-471 Bridge, Northern Kentucky, eastern Cincinnati hillsides Vehicle, ledge High
Fort View Place (east and south views) – dense vegetation in middle Right-of-way (terminus) Ohio River and valley, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk Medium
Hatch Street Right-of-way (terminus) Ohio River, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk, vehicle High
Monastery Street (from Celestial Street) Right-of-way (as vista) Downtown skyline and basin, Music Hall, Union Terminal Sidewalk, vehicle High – Gateway
Saint Paul Place Steps Public Steps Ohio River, bridges, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk Low
Filson Place Right-of-way (terminus) Downtown skyline, Ohio River, bridges, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk, bench High
Columbia Parkway Steps Public Steps Ohio River, I-471 Bridge, Northern Kentucky Sidewalk, steps Medium
Celestial Street Overlook City Park Ohio river, bridges, Northern Kentucky Benches High
Hill Street (from St. Gregory Street) Right-of-way (as vista) sweeping bend of Ohio River Sidewalk, vehicle Medium
Eden Park – Cincinnati Art Museum City Park Downtown skyline and basin, Northern Kentucky Vehicle High
Martin Drive at Parkside Place Right-of-way (as vista) Ohio River and valley, Northern Kentucky Vehicle Medium
Martin Drive Overpass Right-of-way (as vista) Ohio River and valley, Northern Kentucky Vehicle Medium

 

Hillside Stairways

There are nearly 400 sets of City hillside stairways (not including those within the City Parks or Recreation properties) which serve the residents, visitors and commuters in the City of Cincinnati. The hillside steps are an integral part of our city’s transportation system and provide a pedestrian-friendly connection to some areas of the City which are quite remote.  Cincinnati is second only to Pittsburgh in the number of public stairways in our City.

Besides the day-to-day use of the steps for the travelling public, the steps offer recreational uses as well. During the lunch hour and after work hours it is not unusual to see joggers and hikers utilizing the stairway system as part of their exercise routes. Also, the hillside steps are a point of destination for many visitors of the City. The public hillside stairways are recognized by many tourists as a unique feature of the City of Cincinnati.

Mt. Adams has 9 hillside stairways that link Mt. Adams to Downtown and the East End.  The stairways are listed below:

Carney Street Stairway Paradrome Street to Hatch Street
Celestial Street Stairway Riverside Drive to Columbia Parkway to Hill Street
Fortview Place Stairway Hill Street to Fortview Place
Guido Street Stairway St. Gregory Street to Guido Street
Monastery Street Stairway Wareham Drive and Elsinore Place to Monastery and Celestial Streets
Oregon Street Stairway Wareham Drive to Monastery Street
St. Gregory Street Stairway Hill Street to St. Gregory Street
St. Gregory Street Stairway St. Gregory Street to Guido Street
St. Paul Place Stairway Jerome Street to St. Paul Place

 

Recent Upgrades

In 2009, the City of Cincinnati completed a major project to upgrade the Guido Street Stairway, which connects Holy Cross-Immaculata Church to St. Gregory Street, and the Celestial Street Stairway, that crosses over Columbia Parkway and leads down to Riverside Drive. 

These sets of stairways are famous in Greater Cincinnati for the steps many of the area faithful pray on Good Friday.  It is thought that the tradition dates back as far as 1861, when Immaculata church was still under construction.  In the early days, faithful climbed a dirt path instead of the concrete steps, which were built around 1910 and are part of the City of Cincinnati’s large network of hillside steps. 

The improvements to the Guido Street Stairway widened the steps from 4 feet to 8 feet, and created an improved pedestrian overlook at the top of the steps. 

The project also incorporated pedestrian-scaled lighting, landscaping and signage and graphics to help orient the public to the Mt Adams and Downtown neighborhoods.