Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
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  • 117parks & forests
  • 64ancient mounds
  • 34waterfalls
  • 40historic sites
  • 33road trips

Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

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117 parks in 7 regions

Belle Valley Section

Guernsey, Noble · Southeast Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
58miles
5 of 26clockwise
2counties

Rolling hills, dirt roads and parklands linking the Muskingum lakes to Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and Jesse Owens State Park.

A hilly, rural stretch that connects the lands of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District with the former AEP ReCreation Land.

Highlights

  • Salt Fork State Park
  • Seneca Lake
  • Wolf Run State Park
  • Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and Jesse Owens State Park

Parks on this section

Seneca Lake Park
A big MWCD lake with a campground and marina
Open
Salt Fork State Park
Ohio's largest state park, on the trail route
Open
Wolf Run State Park
Loop hikes and a campground on the route
Open
Jesse Owens State Park & Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area
The former AEP land, with free rustic camping
Open

Section map and alerts

Show this section on the mapDistances between stops in this section

The Buckeye Trail Association sells a detailed map for this section and posts current trail alerts.

Official Belle Valley Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • Wolf Run State Park has a campground on the route
  • Salt Fork State Park has a big campground and cabins
  • Jesse Owens State Park and Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area have free rustic camping

Campsites are run by different agencies and owners, and the rules and fees change, so confirm before you go.

Lodging near the trail

Skyline Resort
Lake resort with a grill, Senecaville
Resort on Seneca Lake with rooms, a grill and pub, and a dock; guests describe clean, inexpensive rooms.

These are places to sleep near the route, not places that advertise to hikers. Confirm that they welcome hikers, and ask about shuttles.

Water

Water sources can require careful planning here; carry extra between parks.

Take the stops with you

Save the camps, resupply, lodging, trail towns and parks for this section as waypoints.

The file holds 10 waypoints and a stop-by-stop route line. Locations are approximate, often a town center, so use the stop notes to find the exact spot. Your maps app chooses the roads between stops, usually the fastest, so follow the byway signs where they differ. The GPX arrives in a zip file; unzip it and open the .gpx in a GPS or hiking app. The CSV imports into Google My Maps.

Resupply

The village of Belle Valley is the main resupply point for the nearby Road Fork Section.

Food and fuel

Near Seneca Lake Park
The Dockside Restaurant at Seneca Lake Marina
Lakeside dining on the marina; closed Monday and Tuesday
Directions
Skyline Resort Grill & Pub
Grill and pub at a resort on the lake
Directions
High Street Seneca
General store and deli with subs and groceries; confirm fuel
Directions
Near Salt Fork State Park
Timbers Restaurant
In the Salt Fork Lodge, overlooking the lake
Directions
The Bear's Den Steakhouse
Farm-to-table steaks, a short drive from the park
Directions
Go Mart
24-hour, with food and showers
Directions
Near Wolf Run State Park
Wolf Run Drive In
Coney dogs and milkshakes right by the park. Hours can be unpredictable — call ahead
Directions
Patty's Place
Opens 7 a.m. daily. Small-town family cooking; the pies have a following
Directions
Pilot Travel Center
24 hours off I-77 exit 25. Tight lot for big rigs
Directions
Near Jesse Owens State Park & Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area
The Boondocks BBQ & Grill
Riverfront BBQ featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives; closed Sun to Tue
Directions
Chatterbox Tavern
Burgers, steaks and haddock sandwiches; open daily
Directions
Marathon Gas
In town; some travelers report high prices, so fill up before you come
Directions

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

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