Ohio Trails

Stone Quarry Road is primarily an access road to the Vinton Iron Furnance and the Belgian Coke Ovens. Built in 1853, the Vinton Furnace began operating one year later, creating iron ore from charcoal and processing 10 tons daily. In 1868, the owners attempted to use local coal to make more iron, but the attempt failed due to the high sulfur content within the coal, making the iron brittle. The furnace would operate successfully until 1883. This road is an easy graded road that takes you through the middle of an old sand quarry, over a wood-planked bridge, past the dilapidated hiking bridge that leads to the furnace, and finally dead-ends after about 2.5 miles. Per the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Vinton Furnace State Forest is open daily to visitors between 6 am and 11 pm. Legal campers, hunters, and anglers may be present during other times. The only camping is for hunters at the hunter's camp on TR-6, Experimental Forest Road.

Jackson Run Road is an easy gravel road used as a connector between several of the 4-wheel drive roads in the area. This road cuts through the center of the Wayne National Forest Marietta Unit and is the main road used to access the Archers Fork hiking trail system. Along the way, you will traverse a couple of small, concrete hardened creek crossings, see historic barns and houses, and submerse yourself in thick foliage. This road is an excellent way for any road traveler to connect the Ohio River Scenic Byway to the Covered Bridge Scenic Byway. It is suitable for any vehicle. There are a couple of large, lovely dispersed campsites along the road, but be sure to use caution and know for certain you are on National Forest Land and not private property, as this area is a checkerboard of public and private lands.

Located only half an hour northeast of Marietta, in the heart of the Wayne National Forest's Marietta Unit, sits this amazing off-road hidden gem. The road starts just off the National Forest Covered Bridge Scenic Byway, at the Rinard Covered Bridge. The first half mile follows a gravel road along the Little Muskingum River before dropping into the Haught Run drainage and following that drainage up to Cullen Road / Township Road 34. Along the way, you will cross the creek and drive in the creek numerous times. You will traverse through shallow yet sticky mud holes, over small exposed boulders, and lean your vehicle into uncomfortable positions with close to 30 degrees of roll. This trail is best for modified 4x4 vehicles with high clearance and aggressive tires. Because this trail follows the drainage the entire way, there are no camping opportunities along the route.

Experimental Forest Road is the longest, continuous road through the Vinton Furnace State Forest. This straight-through gravel road meanders its way through the lush, dense vegetation, paralleling a creek bed for a short time. Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest has been an ongoing research area since 1952. Data collected here has been cited in nearly 200 academic articles since 2000. This forest hosts the largest bobcat population in the state and is very popular with hunters and anglers due to its extreme biodiversity. Managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Vinton Furnace State Forest is open daily to visitors between 6 am and 11 pm. Legal campers, hunters, and anglers may be present during other times. The only camping is for hunters at the hunter's camp located on the north end of the road.

Just west of the town of Creola and close to the Hocking Hills area, Scott Road is an easy and graded dirt road that travels partially through the Wayne National Forest. This road is only one vehicle wide and treks its way through dense forest. The eastern half of the road travels through the national forest and offers only a single pullout that can be used for camping. The remainder of the road along the national forest offers no suitable camping due to the terrain and the dense vegetation. The western half passes through private property and turns south before intersecting with Dunkle Creek Road.

Axle Ridge Road is a straight-through gravel road that weaves its way through the lush, dense vegetation of the Vinton Furnace State Park. At 12,089 acres, Vinton Furnace State Park is the largest remaining intact block of forest in Ohio. It hosts the largest population of bobcats in the state and is very popular with hunters and anglers due to its extreme biodiversity. Per the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Vinton Furnace State Forest is open daily to visitors between 6 am and 11 pm. Legal campers, hunters, and anglers may be present during other times. The only camping is for hunters at the hunter's camp on TR-6, Experimental Forest Road.

Located in the Wayne National Forest in southeast Ohio, Saint Patrick Cemetery Road starts and ends as a mild gravel road on both ends but is hiding an extremely dirty secret. Waiting for you halfway through your trip are monstrous mud holes that make this road a true 4-wheel drive road that will test you and your vehicle's capabilities. The soil in the area is a clay-type soil that becomes very slick and sticky during rainy periods. Long rain events can also make it difficult to determine the depth of some of the mud holes. Although a few holes are only several inches deep, a couple are 4 feet deep. Use extreme caution when entering any mud holes during the rainy season. Saint Patrick Cemetery Road is commonly used as a trailhead for the Archers Fork hiking trail and passes by two popular points of interest along that hiking trail. The Great Cave on the north end and the Irish Run Natural Bridge on the south end are very short hikes to the east from the road and worth exploring if in the area and have a capable vehicle. The road passes several oil wells, oil tanks, and the Saint Patrick Cemetery. No camping was found along this road.

Located within the Vinton Furnace State Forest, Oreton is a short, 1-mile long dead-end gravel road with a few deep ruts and a few mud puddles. It is narrow at times through dense forest, hence pinstriping should be expected. At one time, this road led to the Oreton Lookout Tower. At 12,089 acres, Vinton Furnace State Park is the largest remaining intact block of forest in Ohio. It hosts the largest population of bobcats in the state and is very popular with hunters and anglers due to its extreme biodiversity. Per the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Vinton Furnace State Forest is open daily to visitors between 6 am and 11 pm. Legal campers, hunters, and anglers may be present during other times. The only camping is for hunters at the hunter's camp on TR-6, Experimental Forest Road.