Ohio
From Nctguide
Contents |
Pennsylvania State Line
Buckeye Trail Association
The Buckeye Trail Association is proud to partner with the North Country Trail for much of its route through Ohio.
For nearly 1444 miles, the Buckeye Trail winds around Ohio, reaching into every corner of the state. From a beachhead on Lake Erie near Cleveland, to an hilltop overlooking the Ohio River in Cincinnati, a hiker can experience a little of all that Ohio has to offer.
First envisioned in the late 1950’s as a trail from the Ohio River to Lake Erie, the Buckeye Trail evolved into a large loop, branching both north and east from Cincinnati. The separate legs rejoin in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park near Cleveland, and complete the trip to the lake. Because it is a loop, it is also in essence, endless. You may start a hike at any point and hike as long as you want without ever reaching an end!
The trail is identified by blue blazes, 2" wide by 6" high, on trees or poles. A single blaze marks the trail where the route is fairly straight or obvious, while a double blaze marks a turn with the upper blaze offset to indicate the new direction. A double blaze with no offset simply means pay attention - the trail route may not be obvious.
The trail is maintained and managed by the Buckeye Trail Association, a private, non-profit volunteer organization. Go to www.buckeyetrail.org help plan your Buckeye Trail adventure. Start with the overview map, then zoom in on a section of interest. Read the section close-ups, contact the section supervisors, and get the detailed maps for those areas that interest you. Make use of the Featured Hike and Short Hikes sections for ideas. Check the events for a group hike, and finally, visit the on-line store to buy everything you will need.
Most important…find the time to explore Ohio up close and personal along the Buckeye and North Country Trails.
2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Buckeye Trail Association. We have special hikes and events happening all over the state to commemorate. Please look at the Event's Page for a complete listing. www.buckeyetrail.org
Suggested NCT route through Ohio by JHY
I have been asked by many people how to string a hike together to get through Ohio on the NCT. It seemed like the most helpful response if I posted it here.
begin with NCTA Map OH-101 with some extra notes on the east segment
Enter Ohio on PA 251, almost as soon as you exit PA State Game Land 285. There is a crumbling cement obelisk to mark the line. In less than ½ mile you turn left on Carmel-Achor Road, and then left again in a mile on Jackman Road. Watch closely to get onto the old rail grade that is just to your left. I think we missed where the actual access was and had to scramble up a bank. Follow the RR bed for about two miles. In 2006 it was clearly blazed where you leave it to the west to pop out onto Pancake Clarkson Road. Cross the North Fork of the Little Beaver River on an historic truss bridge. Camping is allowed in the mowed area just to the NW of the bridge, but it’s really wet a lot of the time. There is a nice ranch house just on the SW side of the bridge. Walk up the road past it and begin to look immediately for a turn into the woods. There are (were in 2006) blazes farther on up the road, but these are old and will only lead you astray.
Turn into the woods and begin climbing immediately into the Sheepskin Hollow Nature Preserve. The trail wasn’t marked very well, and we completely lost it a couple of times but always found it again. Your goal is the top of the hill with a ravine on your left. There is a sign for Jack’s Lookout. Then to get out to OH 170 you are supposed to find a certain corridor and not stray from it due to property issues. This was not blazed in 2006, but we got good directions from Brad Bosley, and if you want to walk this, you should contact him and find out for sure what is going on with this area... there was a lot of sticky litigation or something.
Once you come out on OH 170 turn south one mile to Fredericktown-Clarkson Road and turn west. Back to Pancake-Clarkson Road, turn west, the in a mile south again on Sprucevale Road. This is a long roundabout way around a lovely valley. It’s maddening to have to make that long trek, but the views are great. Just enjoy them! You will enter Beaver Creek State Park and there is a parking area just north of the Little Beaver Creek. Camping allowed here. Be sure to check out the old mill and the remains of a lock. Here you enter park trails. They were pretty easy to follow, although not always marked as NCT. Be sure you have more maps than just the NCTA map. There is a small recreated village near the park headquarters that is interesting. Quite a few lock remnants from the Sandy Beaver Canal in the park.
Leave the park on Leslie Road to Carlisle Road. Cross OH 7, take Middle Beaver Road to Elkton. It’s a side trip, but Lusk Lock (signed) is worth seeing. At Elkton you join OH 154 and walk in to Lisbon. Highly recommend eating at the Steel Trolley Diner.
In Lisbon you pick up the paved Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail ( TH is south of OH 154 on Maple St I think) and head north on this trail. You don’t follow it all the way to the end, but bail out on Logtown Road. Then turn left on Kelch in less than a mile. Use NCTA Map OH-101, which has a suggested route as far as Minerva, which we didn’t really follow.
The rest of the way to Zoar is on roads. No legal places to camp. We base camped at Guliford Lake State Park. There is a village trail around Magnolia that is nice. Also an historic mill worth touring there. The Zoarville Station Bridge restoration is now complete, and this is supposed to somehow take the NCT into Zoar. However, the bridge was not in place when we were there. This should be checked out, and visited even if trail across it is not complete. See http://www.tuscazoar.org/ZSB.htm
At Zoar, be sure to spend a day at the historic village. It’s worth it! Just south of Zoar on OH 212 there is a trailhead where you get on the Buckeye Trail, and the old towpath of the canal by the Tuscarawas River. Follow Buckeye Trail maps Massilon, Bowerston, Belle Valley to point 18.
Supposedly the BT is developing an alternate route that will lead to the Wayne NF that will be the NCT route. Meanwhile, here is what we did.
Belle Valley point 18 is south of Senecaville Lake. The BT will turn north on OH 566, for the NCT, turn south. In short, here is our route to reach the Wayne. OH 566 to OH147, turn south. Bates Road (Twp 223) turn east, Mud Run Rd turn east, Howell Rd (Twp 528) turn south, Lew Martin Rd (Twp 228) turn south to Whigville. Take OH 146 (Zep Road East) east to Summerfield. Take Twp 204 east, OH 78 east, Swazey Rd (Co 44) south a long way till it crosses OH 145 and becomes Sandbar Rd (Co 16). Co 12 turn east. We drove an alternate route here that would not add miles and was prettier. Suggest turning east off Sandbar Rd at Twp 232, go to Hanson Ridge Run and turn south.
From either option at the corner where Hanson Ridge Run and Co 12 meet you want to go east. This road is variously named Hanson Ridge, Trail Run, Hartshorn and Stafford Corner Ridge Rd. It was confusing. Just before Sandbar Rd hits the road of many names you come on to NCTA Map OH-105 Continue east to Pleasant Ridge Road (Monroe Co 73) and turn south. Follow Pleasant Ridge a long way to SSE to the former village of Cline. There is a small church and cemetery there. At Cline take SR 26 northeast and very quickly turn on Jericho Low Gap Road (Co 68). Follow this to Poulton where Ring Mill is located and here you join actual trail through the Wayne NF.
Follow NCTA OH-105 to Marietta. Suggested route from Marietta back to the Buckeye Trail. I walked this in 2001. In Marietta, cross the Muskingum River and walk north along it on Gilman St. Leave the river on Co 446 (Groves Ave) angling west. Take Groves to OH 646 and follow 646 to Locust Fork. Turn west on Co 126. Reach a fork with Twp 755 and take 755 to the right (this really continues west as 126 angles south). Just after crossing Twp 110 and Halfway Run take Twp 55 continuing west but soon angling northwest. Twp 55 wiggles west till reaching OH 676. Turn left on that into Watertown.
At Watertown continue west on 676 for about 1.5 miles to Twp 1. Turn right, but you are still continuing west. Take Twp 1 till OH 676 comes back in and continue on it to Wolf Creek. I called ahead and was given permission to camp behind the community hall at Wolf Creek. Take 676 west through Dale till reaching Twp 1 (a different township, of course). Take Twp 1 west. Reach a fork with Twp 565 and Tabor Ridge Rd where you take Tabor Ridge Rd northwest. Just past Twp 22 you reach point 29 on the Buckeye Trail Stockport Section map. Join the BT.
Follow the BT Maps west for almost the rest of the way around Ohio - Stockport (starting at point 29), New Straitsville, Old Man’s Cave, Scioto, Sinking Springs, Shawnee, West Union, Williamsburg, Loveland, Caesar Creek, Troy, St. Marys, Delphos, and Defiance.
At the present time I think the NCT supposedly leaves the BT where OH 109 goes north to Liberty Center. I would suggest that for a wonderful experience you continue east on the BT to Grand Rapids, Ohio. New towpath trail has been/ is being created all through there, and Grand Rapids has several features that should not be missed. There is a rebuilt canal boat which you board a mile east of GR, and can ride back into town where you can tour a very unique mill. This really shouldn’t be passed up just for the privilege of a couple of extra miles of paved Wabash Cannonball Trail.
Anyway... leave the BT somewhere in there and walk a road north to the Wabash Cannonball Rail Trail. This heads ENE to Oak Openings Metropark. The NCT goes north through the Metropark. There are several trails, most of them prettier than the direct route through the middle that the NCT is routed on. So take some trail north through the park to the east-west section of the Wabash Cannonball Trail. Go west till that ends (this rail trail route was not in place when I hiked it), but basically you need to get to Wauseon, then take whatever back road you want to connect with NCTA MI-01 just south of Waldron, Michigan.
Burr Oak State Park
Burr Oak State Park epitomizes the wilderness character of southeast Ohio. Miles of forested ridges and hollows comprise these foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The woodlands support a variety of wildlife including white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, box turtles and the elusive wild turkey. The lake's shore is inhabited by the industrious beaver and various waterfowl species. The forest is comprised of numerous hardwoods but is dominated by stately oaks and hickories. In autumn, the forest displays spectacular fall colors as leaves turn to deep reds, brilliant yellows and burnt oranges. Woodland wildflowers are equally as impressive in the spring when violets, Dutchman's breeches, trillium, rare orchids, bloodroot and hepatica are in bloom. The Burr Oak Lodge has plenty of rooms, cabin rentals, and the Cardinal Dining Room. in the area the nearby Village of Glouster has some services including the Moore’s Main Dish Diner.
Suggested Weekend Hike. Burr Oak State Park proves that you don’t need extreme changes in elevation to have a great backpacking experience. Spectacular old hardwoods dominate the gently rolling forest on this relatively easy 18-mile circuit around tranquil Burr Oak Lake. Several primitive camping areas dot the lake shore, and the state park’s main campground has full facilities. To extend this trek another night or two, add on the 13-mile Wildcat Hollow Trail, which starts at the northern end of the lake and offers more challenging ups and downs. Trails can be flooded in wet weather; call ahead for conditions.
Suggested Day Hike: For a day hike try the Buckeye Loop from the Ranger’s Station on the entrance to the Lodge. These 3+ miles take you through the uplands, offer views across the lake from under the forest canopy and provide access to Buckeye Cave.
To Trailhead: From Columbus follow US 33 East towards Nelsonville. In Nelsonville take SR 78 East to Glouster. SR 78 jogs north through Glouster on SR 13, then continues east to the Burr Oak Lodge entrance.
Shawnee Section Buckeye/NCT
(Hiked 2007 JHY) Enter Davis Memorial Nature Preserve. This is one of the gems on the NCT/BT. There are a number of rare plants, and very interesting geology. Native bamboo at the entrance, the rare Gentain quinquefolia, a 100' Virginia Pine, and Sullivantia can be seen along the trails. The trail follows a boardwalk along cliffs. This had fallen trees across it in 2007 and was difficult to walk. One of the very interesting places is where you can actually see a fault that separates Peeples and Greenfield Dolomite. The layers have been shifted so they are vertical rather than horizontal and the fault crosses a creek bed and continues up the opposite cliff. Exit Davis Memorial through several fields (use stiles and follow edges of planted fields). Reach Cedar Fork Lane and follow it downhill about 0.5 mile to Mineral Spring Rd. (Davis Memorial Rd goes to the left).
(Hiked 2009 JHY) Turn right on paved Mineral Spring. This is a narrow, curvy road with no shoulders. Trucks travel too fast, be very careful. You now begin to climb Peach Mountain. In about 1.5 miles turn left on the less-well paved Peach Mountain Lane. There is no road sign, but it’s the only left turn. (Just past the corner is a blue-green gate on a farm lane.) You are now going to really climb Peach Mountain! But there is a bit of a view at the top and this route takes you out of the traffic on Mineral Springs Rd (where you would have to climb quite a bit anyway, so it’s worth the climb.) This pavement is old and starting to break up on the lane-and-a-half wide road up to Peach Mountain Church. There is a bit of a view to the east across from the church.
Just beyond the church the road makes an abrupt right and becomes gravel. The land on your left is now GE Aircraft Engines Proving Grounds. Do not trespass. This road is narrow but very pretty. You begin to descend and soon pass a small pond on your right. Reach a T and turn right, downhill. In one-half mile you will be back at Mineral Springs Road. There is a small township building on the corner where you can sit in some shade on the porch. There is a little-used latrine, but one can use it if you can compete with the spiders.
Turn left on Mineral Springs Rd. This is now level to slightly rolling and continues to OH 781. Turn left and there are now 3.7 miles to Wamsly. Pass the Antioch church on the left in about a mile. There is a pavilion with picnic tables where one might rest in the shade. Outhouses in the back, but I didn’t check them out.
Wamsley has no services at all. There is a church with a pavilion beside it where one could rest (no tables or benches in Sept 2009). The main road makes a right angle turn around the church, and the NCT/BT makes an immediate left on Mt. Unger Road. In less than a mile Bracken Ridge Road angles left up the hill. As of 2009 this was still blazed as the route, but it has been changed and you now continue straight. This won’t get you out of climbing to Bracken Ridge, but you should thank every star you know that you do not have to climb up Bracken Ridge Road. I have seen roads at this angle before, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one as long! Continue on Mt. Unger Rd. This is driveable, but just barely if you have a car. It is very rough and rutted large gravel. Continue to climb, but at a reasonable grade for 1.6 miles total from Wamsley. At this point is a gravel road which turns left and slightly downhill. This is the road to take.
Before leaving this corner, however, look to the right where there is a 2-track over a hump that enters a grassy field. Across the field is a small brown cabin which is owned by the BTA and one can camp there. It is a box with floor and roof. The windows are just openings with shutters which lift to let in light, air, and bugs. But it’s great to have options in Ohio! There is supposedly a well SW of the cabin at a distance of 250', but I didn’t check it out.
Anyway, turn left on the gravel road (unmarked, but it is Township 163). This road narrows and seems to become a gravel farm lane, but just stay on the gravel and you won’t have any problems. Just after passing a nice farm the road ends at paved C-84 after 0.6 miles. Turn left.
C-84 continues to climb gently till you pass a pond and come to a gravel road in 0.9 mile that descends precipitously to the left. This is what the BT used to take, Bracken Ridge Rd, and you would have had to climb up. (Note that if you are hiking west to east the blazes still tell you to turn down this road. GO STRAIGHT. The trick is to find unmarked T 163. It is a right turn at a farm with a gray house on the right. The road looks like it might be their driveway/farm lane)
Now continue straight on paved Bracken Ridge, where you will see a few views of distant hills. In 1.5 miles the road makes an abrupt right hand turn and you begin to descend rapidly into the valley. The road is paved but very steep and includes a hairpin turn.
The only way to get from Wamsley to Happy Trails Horse Ranch is over this hill, and even the locals don’t like to drive it in winter. If you are spotting yourself with a bike I seriously suggest making alternate plans for the day you cross this hill. I begged a ride. On the BT map, and in the DeLorme map book it looks as if you could cut off the corner on a continuation of C-84, but this road has been closed and private for more than 10 years.
When you come down the hill on Bracken Ridge Road, paved Rocky Fork Rd (C-40) comes in from the left. Continue straight and cross the bridge over Rocky Fork Creek. Just after the bridge turn right (south) on Rocky Fork Rd. This is a pleasant, nearly level walk along Rocky Fork. Not many good places to access the creek, but there are a couple.
Reach Big Spruce/ Little Bear Creek Road (paved) which goes left. (If you were to continue straight you would cross another bridge). One might think that this would be a fairly level road since it parallels Spruce Run for quite a way, but it is seriously rolling, and then climbs the divide between Big Spruce and Right Fork Creek. Descend past Happy Trails Horse Ranch which is less than a mile before the junction with Shawnee SF (Natural Resources) road 3.
Happy Trails Ranch welcomes BT hikers. Hikers can camp there for free in a tent, or rent a bunk room. Horse campers or RV campers pay a fee. The owner, Ben, is very friendly to the trail and he gave me and my bike a ride over the hill to Wamsley! I basecamped there for three days, and it was a very pleasant experience. There is a rustic (not upscale rustic) lodge where campers can use the kitchen, bathroom and shower, washing machines. There is a lounge area with couch and TV to relax in the evening. This is an operating horse ranch and campground, so it may be busy, but when things are calm Ben and Karen love to talk to hikers. They also have several very nice cabins that sleep 3 or 4, and have their own kitchen and bath, that can be rented, which would make a really nice option to softie hike this section of trail. Because the trail turns a corner here you can hike for about 50 miles and still be within 30 miles of Happy Trails. Highly recommended. Of course, you could also pay for a trail ride on their horse trails if you wanted a diverse experience too. 740-372-2702
Turn right on paved SF 3 and start climbing very soon up a moderately steep hill. In 2 miles turn left on gravel SF 6 and continue climbing more steeply for 0.5 mile. Reach the crest and start down making three short bends in the road and look for the trail which heads back into the woods on the right at a sharp angle which is easy to miss from this direction even though it is well-marked with carsonite posts. If you reach the spot where the bank drops steeply off on the right into a valley you went too far because the trail just angles along the edge of the hill.
Blazes are orange, and the SF does not want it blazed in blue because they believe people would confuse it with another of their trails that has blue blazes. (You are now on the Shawnee Backpacker Loop. If you would want to do this whole loop you are supposed to fill out a registration form which can be found in a box at the kiosk where the trail crosses OH 125. But the NCT only follows the west side of the loop.) The trail through Shawnee State Forest is very hilly. The trail follows the contour of the hill and then descends to a valley. There is LOTS of poison ivy beside and in the trail. Cross a creek and begin to follow it, crossing it numerous times (at least 10). This creek was dry in September, but this could be pretty messy when wet.
When the trail leaves the creek it climbs gently on well-benched trail up the edge of the slope and then follows the contour a short way on the east side of the valley with the hill on the other side clearly visible. Drop steeply down to the right and cross another creek and then turn left. Follow this wider, flatter creek downstream. There were trickles of water in Sept. Angle up a tributary creek with loose flat rocks, but watch for some oddly humped basalt cracked into lumpy ridges in the bed. Soon after these, take a right climbing along another tributary which follows a valley, but you will be on the right bank above the steep valley. When you are almost at the head of the valley cross it and continue to climb steeply to a short level area, then take a switchback to the left and continue to climb to the top of the hill. No view, but there is a wider graveled area where you can rest without being in the poison ivy.
Descend off that hill, beginning with three long, beautifully benched switchback runs. Then continue to descend more steeply to a creek. Cross it ( a little water in Sept) and turn right. You go away from this for a short distance and then cross either it again or another creek. Climb over one more hill and descend to OH 125. Just as you approach the road another trail angles in from the left. (This is no problem traveling in this direction, but if traveling from W to E you would want to be sure you take the left fork just after climbing some steps to take you up the road bank. Clearly marked Sept 2009)
Cross OH 125 at an angle- you can see a carsonite post in the grassy area. Lots of paved parking and a kiosk where you can get backpacker trail permits if needed. Lots of park maps posted. Bench on the back side of the kiosk. Take the side road, SF 120, on the road bridge across Turkey Creek. The BTA map implies that there is trail right along the edge of the creek, but it really means just follow the grassy area beside the road. In less than 0.2 mile you will see a green hiker road sign. Directly across from that on the left is a cement stairway that descends to the level of the creek (pond created by a small dam). Cross the metal footbridge. There is a toilet building there. Just past the toilet turn right on paved pathway and reach a T with another paved path. Turn right and follow this for just about 100 feet and look for a carsonite post and woods trail heading uphill to the left. All of these features after leaving the road occur in quick succession.
Climb gently and rolling paralleling OH 125, with orange blazes. Very soon, veer away from the road and begin a long steady climb on perfectly benched trail that goes almost to the top of the hill. This piece of trail is what everyone hopes all the NCT would be like. The climb is almost effortless even though it rises through a lot of elevation. Almost at the top you will curve left around the shoulder of a hill and then the good trail ends at a bulldozed path. Turn right. If you are coming from the west watch for a carsonite post where you turn off the bulldozed trail.
There are hints of views to the west, but too many trees to really have good ones. You will now be on the bulldozed trail all the way to Mackletree Road. The trail can best be described as HILLY. Every time you think that you must be all the way up this hill you will descend a bit and then climb again. Eventually you do reach a wide gravel road well-marked with carsonite posts on each side. This is Lampblack Road which is no longer open to vehicles. The map shows this as a road that goes over the hill, but it was closed several years ago due to earthslides.
The next three miles to Mackletree took me two hours. I admit that it was at the end of a day that had already been quite hilly, so I was probably tired, but none of this is trail that you are going to walk very fast. Just after crossing Lampblack there is a broken picnic table and campfire ring. I don’t know if camping is really allowed there, it is not so indicated on the BTA map.
Continue climbing and dropping and climbing and dropping, staying on the bulldozed trail. After 1.5 hours I reached the turnoff to Camp 7 which was clearly marked on a white blazed trail dropping to the right. It said 0.1 miles to camping and 0.4 miles to potable water. Continue with the ups and downs. Next, in about 15 minutes reach a white carsonite post where the bulldozer circled around some trees and the trail makes a definite turn to the left. It then begins a long steep descent down to a small creek which you cross. (dry in Sept.). You will be facing the side of a hill just opposite the creek which you might guess you will have to climb next, and you would be correct. Turn right along the creek for a short distance, then take a switchback to the left and begin climbing that hill.
When you reach the top of that hill you enter an area that burned just a few years ago. It is still quite open with just a few burned trees. This makes for a nice view. You can look ahead of you and see the trail undulating along the ridge for another half-mile ahead of you. Eventually reach a fork in the bulldozed trail. Take the uphill right fork! There is an orange blaze up that way if you look. (If you take the left fork it will bring you to more forks that lead into an open areas with many bulldozed paths, which were probably fire breaks. There are orange blazes here, but they have been painted out with brown. Turn around and go back to the correct fork.)
The correct trail will give you views of the open area with the firebreaks to your left. Begin going very, VERY steeply down to the Mackletree Road. When you reach the road level the trail turns right and parallels the road for about 100 yards till it pops out on the road.
Turn right and cross the small creek on the road and find the orange blazed trail leading into the woods on the south side of the road. Follow the along the creek edge for about 5 minutes and reach a carsonite post with the BT and NCT emblems on the other side of it. Now, I have to confess to apparently being very stupid. You need to make a right turn on the white-blazed Wilderness Loop Trail just past that post, but I did not see it. I’ll explain why, and then you will be able to find it. The BT map says “following a steep climb, WLT undulates and meanders along ridge.” So, just past that carsonite post there is an impossibly steep bulldozed path up the hill that you can clearly see undulates and meanders along the ridge. I couldn’t believe that was the trail, and I saw no white blazes anywhere, but I had been following a bulldozed path for miles, so I was lulled into looking for more. I walked ahead on the orange trail for 10 more minutes, and saw no other turns, so I came back and said “OK, I guess this is it!” When you get up that hill on the bulldozed trail you can follow several tracks, none of them blazed and they all lead you over to SF 2. The BTA map seems to indicate that the trail does pop out on that road even though the words don’t say so, and I was at the exact location– the end of a hairpin turn– so I thought I was ok, but never saw another turn off of SF 2 back into the woods. So I walked SF 2 to the next trail crossing. Later I went back and looked for the correct turn again, and I did find it. It is between the carsonite post and the impossibly steep bulldozed trail. There is no turn signal, in Sept it was filled with brown leaves, it does not begin with a steep ascent which was what I was looking for. and the white blaze was obscured by foliage. But it is there. Just look more diligently than I did and you won’t have to feel stupid. By the time I finished the rest of the State Forest I had learned that the presence of a post in this section often is a signal that you are very near a turn. That extra piece of information was what made me go back and look again.
So the narrative of the actual trail picks up where it crosses SF 2. (If you also end up walking SF 2, it is gravel with a downhill along the west side of the hairpin then as you turn NW begin a long steady climb around another sharp turn, to a clear top, and then a long steady descent. Just before you are all the way down you will find the trail crossing. There is a bulldozed trail that crosses at the top of the hill with no markers. That is not the BT/NCT).
Returning to the correct narrative E to W, the trail will drop off the ridge and parallel SF2 below the road level for a ways on what appears to be an old road, exiting on the SF2 at spiraled, corrugated metal posts with a cable between them closing the entrance. (If you are coming from the west there is a BT/NCT carsonite post visible down that road, but there are no white blazes.) There is room to park on the south side of the road. Continue about 100 yards down the road and You have two choices when you reach this trail turnoff which is left on the level. If it is wet you should continue on the road, crossing the creek on a bridge, to the corner of Upper Twin Creek Road, turn left and walk to the road crossing of the trail. This road route takes about 5- 6 minutes. I could easily have crossed the creek without getting wet in Sept, but I didn’t know that till I got there. So I could have taken the trail across that corner.
If you followed the trail, just cross Upper Twin Creek Road; or if you followed the road, turn right. There are large rocks blocking the trail entrance and carsonite posts on both sides of the road. The trail is level along the creek for about 10 minutes then climbs to the top of the ridge on nicely benched trail with two switchbacks. In one place it levels out on a contour and drops a little bit around the shoulder of a hill then climbs the rest of the way to the top of the hill and the junction with the bridle trail. It is easy to find this junction.
The single-track trail dead-ends at an old road, now grass and week covered, but clearly an old road at the top of the ridge, which is now the Buckhorn Bridle Trail. Take a right. (If you are coming from the west watch for this turn down off the ridge, but there is a carsonite post just as you start down the BT/NCT.) A SF hiking trail takes a left, but this is not BT/NCT. In 5 minutes, reach a junction with the Cabbage Patch Bridle Trail, also an old road with a SF road sign Natural Resources Forestry and Reclamation Road 37. This angles in sharply from the left. There is a carsonite post here, but its placement is not good for people coming from the west. (If you are coming from the west, continue straight on the Buckhorn Trail, which is to say, take the left fork. I drew an arrow to indicate which way to go with pen on the blaze, but I sure don’t know if that will survive weathering.)
The walk along Buckhorn Ridge is really delightful. It is hardened and wide, so two people could walk side by side. You don’t have to watch your feet every minute like you did on all that bulldozed trail. The bank falls off steeply to the left with large trees on the slope- very pretty. It needed mowing, and was kind of rough on the legs with shorts on, but it was the prettiest walk in the Shawnee SF. About 25 minutes from joining the bridle trail there is a fork in the trail, with a carsonite post in the middle of the left fork. This is the BT/NCT route. The right fork begins to climb to the top of a knob and the site of the former Twin Creek Fire Tower. (If you are coming from the west you might not see the other fork angling in from behind you, but if you did the placement of the carsonite post would not be helpful. Continue straight, do not make a sharp left.)
The trail is now a bit narrower and curves right around the shoulder of that knob of a hill, coming quickly to the end of this “road” which is blocked with four huge stones. Just beyond the stones is a post with a cable through it and a Buckeye turn signal to the left on it. Pass by the post and turn left on the continuation of the road that went up to the fire tower which now descends gently. (If you are coming from the west it would be VERY easy to miss this turn. There is a turn signal, but it is high in a tree and is breaking up. The turn is just 3-5 minutes after leaving Sunshine Ridge Road. Look to the right for the square post which is about 3 feet tall and has a blue blaze.)
Turn left on Sunshine Ridge Road. This is gravel and rises and falls gently (for a road) along the ridge. The loose 3/4 inch gravel is hard on the feet. In 2.3 miles pass a cemetery and reach a junction with Carter Run Road. This road is not on the BTA map. The turn is clearly blazed for both directions of travel, although blazing along the road is sparse. Turn left and continue on Sunshine Ridge Road. At the corner is the Church of God. There is a shelter with a table and benches and outhouses (which I did not check, but they seem in good repair).
The road now becomes more level. In about 3/4 mile pass another long narrow cemetery on your left, and the Sunshine Ridge Independent Holiness Church on the right. There is a shelter with a table and benches, and an outhouse that looks very well kept.
In another ½ mile reach the junction with Lower Twin Creek Road which goes south. Continue straight on Sunshine Ridge, now paved. The pavement continues for about 3500 feet past a number of small, nicely kept homes. Just past the halfway point on the pavement, paved, unlabeled Slate Fork Road comes in from the north. This is the settlement of Sunshine. There is a stop sign for traffic coming from the west even though that is the straight road. Continue straight.
About 0.2 mile after the end of the pavement, paved Johnson Run falls off sharply to the right (unmarked), and in another 0.1mile, gravel Reel Ridge Rd rises away to the right, but it looks more like a gravel driveway than a road. No stop sign, no road sign.
Watch carefully, as there is one break in the trees to the right where you actually get a view of hills to the north. Next, you will pass a marker on the right for the High Hill family cemetery and then one for the Manchester Family Cemetery.
The road continues to rise and fall gently along the top of the ridge, at one point becoming quite narrow, just before reaching Long Lick Road.
West Union Buckeye/NCT
(Hiked 2009 JHY) All roads are paved unless it is noted as dirt or gravel.
It is two miles from Long Lick Road to Blue Creek Road. Long Lick is the road that goes straight, and there is a road sign. You need to turn right on Sunshine Ridge (mostly gravel) which has a short stretch of poor pavement. Faded turn blaze and ADT emblem on a utility pole.
Climb a short steep hill to a right turn in the road with a small bit of pavement past three trailers, and descend steeply to paved Blue Creek Road. Dangerous intersection. It is hard to see cars coming from either direction and the crossing is at the top of a hill for Blue Creek Road so vehicles will be hauling to get up the hills.
Climb steeply on rutted road till you reach the ridge. At 0.6 mile from Blue Creek Rd is the turn where Sunshine Ridge angles left, but continue straight on Morel Hollow Rd. There is a handpainted sign for Armstrong Cemetery on the road you want, and keep the brown cabin on your left. No road signs, no blazes. (If you are coming from the west, there is a turn blaze when you reach this corner).
In about one minute you will pass Armstrong Cemetery on your right. You could park a car here, but most vehicles will not want to continue past this point. REALLY (a truck or something with 4-wheel drive can make it, but the ruts are deep). The gravel road drops gently for about five minutes. You will see the road you are on reach the bottom of a small dip and rise going straight ahead. There is a deeply rutted dirt, gravel and cobblestone road that drops sharply to the left. This is Tobe-Lewis Road and is the road that you should take. The really bad section only lasts for a little over a half mile, and then it levels out (a road angles in from the left on the level) and reaches a section which is obviously the maintained portion at a mailbox with the name Lewis. (If you are coming from the west there is a fork which continues straight and level, or a fork to the left which begins to climb. Take the left fork- this is properly blazed.) Gravel Tobe-Lewis continues to a corner where Tobe-Lewis turns left and becomes paved There are two private roads that go to the right, but they are clearly marked with stop signs.
Turn left on paved Tobe-Lewis Road and immediately climb a very steep hill. The next 1.3 miles climb and descend several short steep hills until you reach the juction of Tulip Road (straight), Hamilton (right), or West Fork (left). Turn left on West Fork. West Fork rises over a hill and begins to drop, (heading toward the Ohio River). You need to watch for Abner Hollow Road, a dirt road that angles to the right and uphill (no blazes from the east). Take this for its full 1.5 miles. At the top of the hill is a short dirt road to the left that leads to the Rogers Hill Cemetery. On the way downhill, watch for some posts and boards painted red on the right that make something of a useless guardrail. But note the valley to the right at that point. It is narrow and deep with blocky rocks and small caves. Continue down hill on Abner Hollow Road till you reach pavement and turn right. This is Wagoner-Riffle Road. (If you are coming from the west it would be easy to miss the turn on Abner Hollow- basically, when the pavement ends on Wagoner-Riffle there are 3 choices. Two are left turns and the “main” road curves to the right. You should take the first left.)
Wagoner-Riffle has a few small hills when you first join it, but it basically follows Brush Creek and is mostly rather level. In one mile you will pass Ohio Brush Creek Campground. Tent camping is cheap, although they were unable to find the price when I asked. However, it wasn’t a very nice place to stay. The sites are muddy and have no picnic tables. There is an open pavilion with picnic tables shared by everyone. The bathroom is a long walk. Also, next door is the Hickory Valley Dragway, so on certain days it is going to be very noisy. I think this would be ok if you needed a place to stay for one night, but not a great place to base camp. There is a bar and restaurant.
Walk on Wagoner-Riffle Road for 2.8 miles. At about 2.7 miles is a huge oak tree on the left, worth noting. And in 2.8 miles turn left down a short hill on Beasley Fork Rd. Cross Ohio Brush Creek on a one-lane steel truss bridge. Climb away from the creek, but Beasley Fork is also mostly level, following a creek. Follow Beasley Fork 2.9 miles to where it ends at OH 247. Turn left. No turn signal. There are a couple of blazes on the posts of the guardrail, but they are hard to find until you get closer. OH 247 curves right and then very quickly left again crossing the bridge over the creek. Stay on OH 247. Now begins a very long, steep, dangerous climb! There is almost no shoulder, and vehicles roar up and down the steep, curvy hill. Be careful! It is 1.7 miles to Gift Ridge Road, and more than a mile of this is the hill. Interesting rock formation on the left near the top. After the climb, follow the ridge a short way to reach Gift Ridge Road. No turn blazes, but it is the first paved crossroad, and there is a road sign. It is 0.5 mile after the fire station and just before a collection of homes.
Gift Ridge rises and falls along the ridge. The first house on the right is the antebellum house known as the Counterfeit House. This is an interesting bit of Ohio History. It is no longer open to the public due to damage from a storm. Follow this for 2.4 miles to the next intersection. Great views to the south.
Take Bat Roost Road to the left (Pumpkin Ridge goes right). Bat Roost falls steeply down the hill. Great views to the south. About halfway down you will pass Buckeye Station Road, marked with a hand painted sign. This is the closest the trail comes to the Ohio River since leaving Marietta. The river is about 2 miles to the south. Buckeye Station was a home built of sawn buckeye lumber and was one of the oldest frame houses in Ohio. It has now fallen into ruin. Reach Island Creek Road at the bottom after crossing Island Creek. Turn left, and in 0.1 mile turn right on Bentonville Road.
Bentonville road begins with a long climb up to the top of a ridge, and then continues to roll across the ridge. Take one more long climb and then drop, leveling out until reaching Bentonville. I was told to not miss having a chicken salad sandwich at Hanson’s General Store on the main corner. It was very good! Continue straight across the intersection on Brier Ridge Road. This drops down a hill soon, and then continues fairly level for about a mile. Old Dutch Road comes in from the right, and very shortly leaves to the left. Take Old Dutch Road to the left for about a mile. Reach Suck Run road at a four corners with a stop sign and turn right. (No road sign, faded turn blaze) After a brief climb, and passing Denham Road, then begin a long descent to Suck Run. Then the road follows the creek all the way to OH 763, which is about 5 miles. Suck Run grows from a tiny nondescript creek in a culvert to a wide, flat, shale-bottomed waterway. There was a little water in it, but I was told that this was unusual at this time of year.
At OH 763 turn right and cross the wide Eagle Creek on the road bridge. You can see the abutments from a former road bridge to the west. Continue for 0.6 mile on OH 763 and turn left on Chicken Hollow Road. There are blazes from both directions. This begins to climb up a very long and steep hill. Some of the walk is very lovely with the narrow road benched into the hill with trees close on each side. About half way up is a stone wall on the left with steps that seem to lead no where. There is a small cemetery on this hill. The road climbs for about 2 miles. Continue for another half mile to a four corners where the left turn says “No Outlet”. Turn right on Hermann Road which is marked. (If you are coming from the west there is no road sign for Chicken Hollow, but there is a stop sign on Hermann.) This wiggles side to side and up and down short but steep hills across a ridge. In 1.5 mile reach the first stop sign at a road that only goes to the right. This is Mt. Aire. There is a road sign, no turn blazes. (If you are coming from the west there is no road sign for Mt. Hermann, but you would reach a T and turn left.) Turn right. Mt. Aire also rolls across the top of a ridge.
Come to a T at George Miller Road. (The George Miller covered bridge– still open to vehicular traffic– is in 0.5 mile to the right). Turn left. George Miller Road is less rolling, and comes to OH 62 in about 2 miles. Turn right and continue 1 mile into Russellville. OH 62 has a lot of large truck traffic and very narrow shoulders. Be careful.
In Russellville there is a city park with benches, a drinking fountain (if it works- it was turned off in October) and a gazebo. There is a gas station across the corner where you can use the rest room and buy snacks. Turn left on Main St and then right in a couple of blocks on Kendle St. This will leave town and become the Russellville-Arnheim Road. Pass the Shaw Cemetery on the way out of town with lots of very old stones.
The road bears left in a couple of miles, which is the trail route. This is all paved and slightly rolling. When the road bears hard right, take a left on Martin Hollow Road, also paved but narrower. This is fairly level with just a couple of small, steep humps. When you reach Straight Creek you will see where there used to be a ford that was Edwards Road. Now it says “Road Closed.” In September you could probably wade this, but I wasn’t sure that I saw where it connected to the end of Edwards Rd. any more, so this might now be private. So... you need to hike down to OH 125 and take a right. OH 125 is a busy road, but there is a good paved shoulder, so it’s not very dangerous. Go down a long curving hill and then cross Straight Creek.
Immediately past the creek take a right on Day Hill- Arnheim Road. For about a mile this is a lovely level walk along Straight Creek. Then you begin to climb, mostly gradually, for then next several miles. Cross Camp Run Road and note the quilt barn on the left. Watch for a left on Baker-Hanselman Road. The road becomes narrower with each turn! Soon you cross a very narrow bridge where the road makes a 90-degree turn to the left, and becomes so narrow that it looks like a paved private road. Begin to climb a bit more steeply. There are some beautiful homes in this section.
Reach West Fork Road at the Still Waters Mennonite Church and turn right. In another 2 miles you come to a T with Delhi-Arnheim Road. In the woodlot on the west side of West Fork Road, just 0.1 mile south of the corner is camping, compliments of a landowner. Contact the West Union Section Supervisor to get advance contact information. Please secure permission. There is a good open area near the road. Disadvantages of the site are that it is very noisy with truck traffic in the evenings, and the poison ivy is encroaching everywhere. It was fairly dried out in the fall, but anyone who is at all susceptible would not be able to avoid exposure earlier in the season.
(If you turn right on Delhi-Arnheim Rd, there is the Backstreet Deli in 1.5 miles at the next corner. Open 8 am to 9 pm, some groceries, hoagies, pizza, owner friendly to hikers)
Turn left on Delhi-Arnheim Road. This is only slightly rolling. Cross Hamer Rd, and just past address 5162 on the other side of the road is a very large scarlet oak tree. The road curves downhill and take a right on Stony Hollow Rd at a grassy triangle on the hill. Stony Hollow road is more rolling. At address 4717 is a very large ginko tree on the right. In about 1.5 miles from the turn onto Stony Hollow it climbs a moderately steep hill and then drops moderately steeply 0.3 mile to reach OH 68.
Continue straight across 68 on Kimball Ford Road. This little-used byway turns and parallels 68 for about a half mile till coming back to OH 68. Turn left (N) on 68 for about 1000 feet and then turn left on Hauck Road. OH 68 has a lot of traffic and these side roads take you off that for all but these few feet. The blazing is confusing here as there is a turn blaze quite a distance before the corner. Hauck Rd dead ends at a guardrail. Take the grassy path which descends slightly to the left. Lots of poison ivy in this path! The path takes you under the concrete bridge which carries Bethel-New Hope Road over White Oak Creek. Follow the path up a short bank to another guardrail and you will find the continuation of Hauck Road. Hew Hope Covered Bridge is to your immediate left. The trail does not cross the bridge! Continue to follow Hauck Road back to OH 68.
(Note for those coming from the west. The description on the BT map is confusing coming from this direction. The key is that the trail does not cross the New Hope Covered Bridge. Just go around the guardrail at the end of Hauck Rd and down the bank to walk under the concrete road bridge and follow the path back to connect again to Hauck Rd.)
Cross OH 68 and take an immediate left on Main St of New Hope. (You could continue straight on New Hope- White Oak Station Road because you will come out on it soon again, but you will miss a neat bridge). Main St curves through town (no services of any kind), and continues to a steel truss bridge. The trail used to cross this, but the decking is now falling out. But it’s a really nifty bridge. The trail now turns right, uphill, on a road that is barricaded and marked closed. Just walk up it till you come again to New Hope- White Oak Station Road. This closed street is marked High St. at the top end. (If you are coming from the west the turn onto High is clear, but then it is less clear what to do when you reach the road barricade... just take the closed street down the hill).
Turn left on New Hope- White Oak Station Road. This road has rolling hills. In two miles watch for Beckelheimer Road and turn left. In just a few feet you will see the south end of Brown Bridge (a covered bridge), which you cross. (If you are coming from the west you will easily see the bridge ahead of you. From the east, you need to watch for that turn). The “road” through the bridge takes you right back to New Hope- White Oak Station Road, and in another mile, turn left on Oakland Road. Follow this across OH 68 again and walk around the south end of Lake Grant. Reach the corner with Mt. Zion Church and turn north on Lake Grant Road.
(There is a motel just slightly over 1 mile off the trail if you turn north on OH 68 at the southern edge of Mt. Orab.)
Williamsburg Section Buckeye/NCT - Points 1-6
(Hiked 2009 JHY) There is a discrepancy on the Williamsburg and West Union BT maps. The newer West Union Map is correct, but the Williamsburg Map looks like the trail comes from the south on OH 774. The route has been changed to the New Hope- White Oak Station Road and Oakland Road route described in the previous section. (If you are coming from the west with only the Williamsburg map you need to turn east at the corner of Lake Grant Road and Garland.) Therefore the blazing at Point 1 on the Williamsburg Section is confusing. At the corner of Lake Grant Rd and Garland is a small, closed church (Our Lord’s House of Prayer). Turn north here on Lake Grant Road. In one-half mile pass Lake Grant parking area on the right. There is parking, a boat launch, fishing dock, and a picnic table. It says parking for users only. It doesn’t say anything about camping. It belongs to the Village of Mt. Orab. They might grant permission if one asked in advance.
From here to Williamsburg is 9.5 miles, all on pavement, fairly level. The whole area is very small farms and/or what I would call country/suburban. Very suburban, but on larger lots. There are very few places where you can sneak into the bushes, and even then there is poison ivy everywhere. Follow the many turns as noted on the BT map. On Todd’s Run Road where you enter Williamsburg Township is a small pullout where trucks can turn around. It says no parking, but it is a place one can rest without getting in the poison ivy. You can access the creek from here, but there is lots of poison ivy.
Reach OH 133 and turn right. At the Marathon Station turn left and head down a hill into town. There is a laundromat on the lower level of the Marathon Station. Williamsburg has a good grocery store, Marbery’s. Small shops and services. Just east of the bridge over the East Fork of the Little Miami River is the Williamsburg Park. Camping is possible with prior authorization.
Southwest Ohio-Dayton
Dayton, OH North Country Trail Certified Segment
In 2007 the North Country Trail was certified through Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, OH establishing almost 20 continuous miles of certified off road hiking. From the North the trail joins the Great Miami River Recreation Trail in Taylorsville MetroPark and heads south through Island MetroPark before crossing the river at Deeds Point MetroPark near the confluence of the Gret Miami and Mad Rivers with which the trail turns in the Downtown Dayton area and RiverScape MetroPark on its way to Eastwood MetroPark. New trail will be constructed in 2010 to continue the off road section to Huffman MetroPark and join the Kauffman Trail on its way into Greene County and on to Yellow Springs (Camping available at John Bryan State Park) and Springfield (Camping available at Buck Creek State Park) before turning South on the Little Miami.
Prior to 2007 the proposed NCT route was planned to bypass Dayton to the north but a decision was made to align with the Buckeye Trail route that had already been established through Dayton and the beautiful parks and greenway of Five Rivers MetroParks. The northern route was becoming more developed and not as feasible long term as once envisioned. This change left the Simon Kenton Trail from Urbana to Springfield as a dead end certified section. If you are planning a hike please note that the main NCT overview map does not yet show this change to include Dayton as a certified section.
Camping options exist near the trail with 7 days notice in Taylorsville MetroPark north of Dayton or through special arrangement with Five Rivers MetroParks Outdoor Recreation Department located on the trail at 224 N. St. Clair St. near RiverScape in Downtown. Call 937-572-2995 for more information on local shuttles and camping along with thru-hiker information. For more on Five Rivers MetroParks, the NCT managing partner for this section, visit www.metroparks.org
Restaraunts and supplies exist near the trail throughout the Dayton section but are not obvious from the trail as a buffer to street level retail is created by predominantly hiking the river corridors.
Suggested Day Hikes: Loops in this area are most convenient in Taylorsville and Eastwood MetroParks utilizing the NCT and creating a loop with other park trails.
Two of the largest outdoor events in the Midwest take place on the North Country Trail in Dayton. GearFest www.gearfest.org is the first Saturday in October takes place on the trail at Eastwood MetroPark and The Adventure Summit www.theadventuresummit.com is hosted at Wright State University each winter 1/2 mile from the NCT.
Regional Trail Map-North of Dayton to Cincinnati
