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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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

Scioto Trail Section

Vinton, Hocking, Ross, Pike · South Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
61miles
11 of 26clockwise
4counties

Forest roads, ridges and remote trails through Tar Hollow and the Scioto Trail state park and forest.

Climbs ridges through Tar Hollow State Forest, then continues south through Scioto Trail State Forest toward Pike County.

The Buckeye Trail Association does not manage any camping in this section. Dispersed camping is not allowed on private or state land without permission.

Highlights

  • Tar Hollow State Park and Forest, with the Logan Trail and fire tower
  • Scioto Trail State Park and Forest
  • Caldwell Lake

Parks on this section

Scioto Trail State Forest
About 4.5 miles of trail cross the forest
Open
Tar Hollow State Park
The Logan Trail leg leads to Pine Lake and the campground
Open
Tar Hollow State Forest
Fire-tower backpack camp on the ridge
Open
Scioto Trail State Park
A 112-site campground below the dam and heated cabins
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 Scioto Trail Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • Tar Hollow State Park: fee camping with electric sites; near Point 3 the northeast leg of the Logan Trail leads to Pine Lake
  • Near Point 4: primitive, dry camping for a fee at five dispersed sites about 1,200 feet southeast of the fire tower
  • Near Point 5: dry camping may be available in an Adirondack shelter
  • Scioto Trail State Park (near Point 36): family camping with 112 sites south of the dam, plus heated cabins by reservation

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

Dispersed and free camping

  • Mapleberry Farms (Free camping with the owner's permission): 458 Mt Tabor Rd, Waverly, between Points 28 and 29 of the Scioto Trail Section. Call the owners first at 740-947-2331. This listing comes from an older trail association update, so confirm it is still offered.

Ohio state forests and state parks do not allow open dispersed camping, and the trail association says camping on private or state land needs the owner's permission. Rules change, so check with the land manager.

Water

Showers and water are seasonal at Tar Hollow State Park; carry water on the ridges.

Take the stops with you

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

The file holds 8 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

Few services; plan around the parks.

Food and fuel

Near Scioto Trail State Forest
Old Canal Smoke House
Barbecue downtown, about 15 minutes north. Closed Wednesdays
Directions
Bell Farms
Brisket and homestyle cooking. Thu–Sun only
Directions
Speedway
24 hours, the closest full-service stop north of the park
Directions
Near Tar Hollow State Park
The Ridge Inn Restaurant
Scratch-made home cooking and a genuinely warm room. Closed Tuesdays
Directions
Laurelville Pizza
Dough made fresh daily, locally sourced. Closed Mon & Sun
Directions
Sunoco
Opens 5 a.m. but closes early — fuel up before evening. Card readers can be down
Directions
Near Tar Hollow State Forest
The Ridge Inn Restaurant
Scratch-made breakfast and dinner, homemade doughnuts; closed Tuesday
Directions
Mam's Rusted Skillet
Burgers and fried snacks, playing cards on every table; closed Mon and Tue
Directions
Sunoco
Closes early, so fill up in the afternoon
Directions
Near Scioto Trail State Park
Old Canal Smoke House
Barbecue downtown, about 15 minutes north. Closed Wednesdays
Directions
Bell Farms
Brisket and homestyle cooking. Thu–Sun only
Directions
Speedway
24 hours, the closest full-service stop north of the park
Directions

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

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