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

Stockport Section

Morgan, Noble · Southeast Ohio
Buckeye Trail Association
58miles
6 of 26clockwise
2counties

Hills, forests and river valleys through former AEP lands, with the Muskingum River lock at Stockport.

Crosses the former AEP ReCreation Lands and forms part of the 145-mile Wilderness Loop with the Road Fork and Whipple sections.

Highlights

  • Former AEP ReCreation Lands
  • Stockport Lock on the Muskingum River
  • Part of the Wilderness Loop

Parks on this section

Jesse Owens State Park & Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area
The former AEP lands and rustic campgrounds
Open
Muskingum River Parkway State Park
Stockport Lock on the Muskingum River
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 Stockport Section page →This section on AllTrails →

Camping

  • Jesse Owens State Park area has free rustic camping and a full-service campground
  • Check the BTA section map for other sites

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

Dispersed and free camping

  • Jesse Owens free rustic campgrounds (Hook Lake, Sand Hollow, Sawmill and Maple Grove): Four primitive campgrounds on the former AEP ReCreation Land, free, first come, self-registration at the kiosk.

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.

Lodging near the trail

The Inns at 8th and Main
Bed and breakfast, McConnelsville
A historic stone house with a hosted breakfast, close to Jesse Owens State Park and the Muskingum River locks.

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

Water

Limited water in the hills; plan around campgrounds and villages.

Take the stops with you

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

The file holds 9 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

Small villages only; McConnelsville has the most services nearby.

Food and fuel

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
Near Muskingum River Parkway State Park
The Warehouse (Dresden)
Eclectic menu near the Y-Bridge; closed Sunday and Monday
Directions
Scottie's Den
Diner comfort food and pies; closed Sunday
Directions
Certified Oil
In Dresden, open daily
Directions

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

Know a place that belongs here, or spotted something out of date? Email hello@fieldnotesohio.com.