Murphin Ridge

 Inn welcomes families seeking escape to solitude

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Talk about remote. Murphin Ridge Inn sits along a gravel road atop a mountain ridge in the Appalachian foothills in southwest Ohio. The inn’s closest neighbors are the residents of a small, Adams County Amish community. And although Murphin Ridge has wireless Internet connection in six cabins and a small television in the gathering room, most people come here to get away.

“Our guests tell us over and over again, they come here to rest, relax, read, walk and cuddle up,” says innkeeper Sherry McKenney, who with husband, Darryl, bought the inn in 1997. “So we offer little extras.”

The inn has been in operation since 1989. Located on 142 acres of farmland and forest, it offers a guesthouse with 10 rooms and an outdoor pool, and nine cabins outfitted with a fireplace, whirlpool tub, two-person shower and porch.

An 1828-built farmhouse features four dining rooms with original fireplaces and a kitchen where gourmet meals and fresh-baked desserts are whipped up.

Executive Chef Jackson Rouse brings many years of experience in fine dining, most recently at the Iron Horse Inn in Cincinnati, and he likes to feature local in-season foods. The property has a garden where the innkeepers grow fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Murphin Ridge also has a 2.5-mile hiking trail that leads past working Amish farms where visitors can view the Appalachian foothills, enjoy the night sky by the bonfire or visit nearby Serpent Mound State Memorial.

For more information, visit www.murphinridgeinn.com.