Lodging

Ohio State Parks-Hunting, Fishing and Wild Adventures

   Ohio State Parks

  • Lake Hope

  • Lake Alma

Ohio State Forests

  • Zaleski State Forest

  • Richland State Forest

Ohio Wildlife Areas

  • Wellston Wildlife Area

  • Mead Wildlife Sanctuary

National Forests

  • Wayne National Forest

Ohio State Parks-Ohio Hunting, Fishing and Adventures in the Wild

Vinton County. It's nature at its finest. It's hiking miles of remote, forested trails and discovering new challenges around every corner of the toughest mountain bike trail you've ever seen. . .or felt. It's catching your first glimpse of a black bear or seeing a buck from the window of your car and so close you'll swear you could have reached out and touched it.

This is Vinton County. Remote and wild, we'll be the first to tell you if you haven't been here, you're missing lots of great outdoors. Whether you're stopping in off the beaten path or looking for a new one to walk, we have a whole bunch of parks and forests, lakes and wildlife areas for you to discover.

So whether it's exploring nature through hiking trails, mountain biking, hunting, riding an all-terrain vehicle or countless other adventures in the outdoors that you're looking for, Vinton County is simply the first place you'll want to stop.

Ohio State Parks in Vinton County, Ohio

Lake Hope State Park

 

Camp. Hike. Mountain Bike. Backpack.

Nature Center. Fish.

 

27331 State Route 278

McArthur, OH 45651

(740) 596-5253
 

Lake Hope State Park Website

Lake Hope State Park Map

Lake Hope Driving Tour

 

Rugged and intriguing, Lake Hope State Park adds a little bit of fun into learning about history the hands-on way.  Once a small iron furnace community, Lake Hope State Park and the surrounding Zaleski State Forest are dotted with interesting remnants of the past. An old cemetery, an iron furnace and hints of a ghost town still linger along the trails thick with trees and wildlife.

But it doesn't stop there, Lake Hope boasts a 23-mile singletrack bike trail that was chosen as Ohio's top mountain bike trail by readers of "Mountain Bike Magazine".  There are 17 miles of beautiful hiking trails, a 10 mile backpacking trail and also a 21 mile backpacking trail.

A nature center offers visitors a special treat in learning about the area and the environment around the park.

 

Fun things to do at Lake Hope State Park include:

  • Stop in at the Lake Hope State Park Nature Center and ask the naturalist about box turtles or turkey vultures or the best places to hike at the park.

  • Take your bike out for a spin (and a few major bumps) on the mountain bike course.

  • Discover a little bit of history-hike the nearby backpack trail and find the old Hope Furnace Cemetery.

  • Explore the Hope Furnace and give the kids a good scare with the legend of the ghost of a watchman who stumbled into the fiery furnace and burned to death over a hundred and forty years ago. He is said to be seen with an orange lantern strolling across the top of the furnace on rainy evenings. Ohio State Parks close at dark.

Lake Alma State Park

 

Hike. Bike. Swim. Fish.

 

Location: Lake Alma Road
Wellston, OH 45692
(740) 384-4474 (seasonally)
Contact: Lake Hope State Park
27331 State Route 278

McArthur, OH 45651

 

Lake Alma State Park Website    

Lake Alma State Park Map

 

Lake Alma State Park was originally constructed as a private amusement park in 1903 complete with a dance pavilion, outdoor theater, a merry-go-round and other park rides. Although little remains of the former recreational area, Lake Alma State Park now offers visitors camping, boating, fishing, a playground and a beach area. There are also  3 1/2 miles of hiking trails and a 1-mile paved walkway/bicycle path begins at the park entrance and ends at the park exit.
 

 

Fun things to do at Lake Alma State Park Include:

  • Take the dog for a hike along the 1 mile paved walkway around the park. Pets need to be on a leash.

  • Hike up the hill and explore the area for remnants of the old amusement park.

  • Relax at a picnic table and watch your kids play the afternoon away on the modern playground facilities.

 

Ohio State Forests   in Vinton County

Zaleski State Forest

Hike. Backpack. Bridle Trails.

P.O. Box 330, S.R. 278
Zaleski, Ohio 45698-0330
740-596-5781

Zaleski State Forest Website

Brochure with map (pdf)
Brochure with backpack map (pdf)

 

Zaleski State Forest is Ohio's second largest forest covering 28,000 acres. From the iron ore industry to coal mining to farming, the land has sustained a huge amount of use even before becoming a thriving productive forest and recreational area.

Now, there are two backpack trails-a main trail that is 23.5 miles and a 10-mile day loop trail. There are approximately 50 miles of designated bridle trails at Zaleski State Forest and a Horse Camp with 16 sites available on a first come first serve basis.

Also on the Zaleski State Forest land is the renovated 1930's Hope School House, a one room school house serving as an interpretive center to teach cultural history of the area to children. Nearly hidden by deep forests, the legendary Moonville Tunnel creeps up at visitors along the old Cincinnati and Marietta Railroad -legend states that a brakeman for the railway was killed in 1859 at the site and he can be seen carrying a lantern near the tunnel in the early evening hours.

 

Fun things to do at Zaleski State Forest include:

  • Break in a pair of boots on the 10 mile backpack trail.

  • Find the remains of the 1870's ghost town of Ingham Station along the old Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad track running through the forest.

  • Give yourself a good scare watching for the ghost walking around the top of Hope Furnace-the ghost is an iron furnace worker who is still allegedly showing up for work to stoke the fires he fell into!

Richland State Forest

345 Allen Avenue
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-774-1596

Richland State Forest Website

Brochure with map (pdf)
APV area rules and regulations

Flint outcrops, the remnants of the 19th century ghost town of Richland and one of the four All-Purpose Vehicle (APV) areas operated by the Division of Forestry bring visitors to this Ohio State Forest. Once a flourishing iron boom town, little remains of the settlement that housed as many as 100 employees and their families. However, occasional ore pits near the ridges of the forest, the Richland Iron Furnace (on private property) and bits and pieces of stone foundations of the homes of the workers can be found throughout Richland State Forest.

Fun things to do at Richland State Forest include:

  • Explore the forest floor for remnants of the town of Richland.

  • See the sights of the forest from the seat of an all-terrain vehicle.

 

Hunting/Fishing Wildlife Areas in Vinton County

Wellston Wildlife Area

 

Hike. Hunt. Fish. Bird Watch.

 

Wildlife District Four
360 E. State Street
Athens, Ohio 45701
740- 594-2211

 

Wellston Wildlife Area

Wellston Wildlife Area Map

A mixture of both woodland wildlife areas, reverting old fields and a man-made lake make Wellston Wildlife Area a diverse outdoor area to visit. There is an assortment of recreation activities available including fishing-the lake is stocked with Northern Pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish, boating on the 325 acre lake, hunting and bird watching.

Fun things to do at Wellston Wildlife Area include:

  • Grab a pair of binoculars and search out a few migrant waterfowl, songbirds or even a Great Blue Heron or two.
  • Fry up some mouth-watering fish for supper tonight! If fishing is your thing, try your pole, line and a big ol' nightcrawler in the deeper waters around the dam for a catch of walleye.
  • Take an evening walk and see if you can hear the warning slap of beaver tails when you get too close to a beaver dam.

Mead Wildlife Sanctuary

Hike. Hunt.

Remote hiking trails, hunting areas and the remnants of the Vinton Iron Furnace make this privately owned wildlife area a unique place to visit. Nearly hidden in the overgrowth of the woodland, Belgium Coke Ovens used to make coke (raw material essential in iron making) from coal are quite possibly the only remaining  left in the world.

Fun things to do at Mead Wildlife Sanctuary:

  • Explore the forest for remnants of the iron furnace.

 

National Forests in Vinton County

Wayne National Forest

Hike. Camp. Horseback Ride. Mountain Bike. Canoe. ORV/ATV Trail Riding.

National Forest Website        National Forest Maps


Supervisor's Office and
Athens Ranger District
13700 U.S. Highway 33
Nelsonville, OH 45764
(740)753-0101
 

With over 300 miles of hiking, biking, off-road vehicle and horseback riding trails, Wayne National Forest spans several southeastern Ohio counties including Vinton County. From canoeing to hunting, horseback riding to mountain biking Wayne National Forest offers a wide range of recreational opportunities for its visitors. A Forest Trail Permit is required to operate off-road vehicles, or to ride horses or mountain bikes on the Wayne National Forest.

Fun things to do at Wayne National Forest include:

  • Take someone fishing! The Ohio Division of Wildlife restocked Lake Vesuvius with largemouth bass and bluegill fingerlings in late March 2004. There will be plenty of catch-and-release opportunities for the next couple years so try your hand at catching a bass.
  • Hike. Hike. Hike.
     

Nearby Ohio State Parks and Forests  not far from Vinton County

Hocking Hills State Park

Park Map
Old Man's Cave Map
Park Events Site
Hocking Valley Birding Trail
 

19852 St. Rt. 664 South
Logan, Ohio 43138
Park Office (740) 385-6842
 

Mammoth rock formations,  recess caves and over 25 miles of hiking trails make Hocking Hills State Park one of Ohio's best known natural areas. There are six major sections of the park including Ash Cave, Old Man's Cave and Cedar Falls and many of the trails feature breathtaking waterfalls.

Tar Hollow State Forest

 

Park Map
Park Events Site

16396 Tar Hollow Road
Laurelville, Ohio 43135
(740) 887-4818
 

A 22-mile network of hiking trails is located in the northern half of the forest. Seventeen miles of paved forest roads and 14 miles of gravel forest roads provide a great opportunity for a scenic drive and allow good access to all areas of the forest.

Vinton County. We're just off the beaten path from wherever you're coming from or from wherever you're going. For every taste, we have an adventure waiting for you-lodging, dining, shopping and the great outdoors of Vinton County.

 

 

 

Lodging | Dining | Gift Shops | Local Services | The Outdoors | Covered Bridges| Quilt Barns | The Past

Calendar of Events | Lake Hope Bike Trail | Lake Hope Driving Tour | Map/Directions |

 Turkey Festival  | Photo Contest | Zaleski Backpack Trail | Ridgetop Festival |

Vinton County Air Show | Site Map

Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau

104 West Main Street

McArthur, Ohio   45651

(800) 596-4459  (740) 596-5033   info@vintoncounty.com

 

Unique lodging, covered bridges and miles of parks and forests make Vinton County an extra special place to visit. Once a huge part of the iron producing industry, the only remaining reflections of this past are a handful of iron furnace remnants, an allegedly haunted train tunnel and a few ghost towns nearly hidden beneath the tall grass. Instead of urban sprawl of the mid-1800's, the region has transformed itself over the last 150 years into a wonderland of outdoor recreation. There are over 70 miles of public trails for hiking, horseback riding and backpacking. There are beaches, gift shops, small towns and covered bridges. It's a place just off the beaten path of both time and highway. It's Vinton County, Ohio.

Copyright © 2004-2007 Vinton County Convention and Visitors' Bureau  . Site concept, design and maintenance-21 Crows/ Heartofhocking.com