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117 parks in 7 regions

Vinton Furnace State Forest

McArthur · Vinton County · Southeast Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
12,089acres
—trail miles
1952established

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
ODNR park finder (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Vinton Furnace State Forest, McArthur
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
Vinton Furnace is a working public hunting forest under Ohio Division of Wildlife rules. Squirrel, deer, grouse and wild turkey are the main game. The only camping in the forest is the Hunter's Camp, which is only for legally licensed hunters during hunting seasons (see the site details). Wear blaze orange if you hike in season, since this is a research forest that is also open to hunters.

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

The story of this land

Vinton Furnace is named for a nineteenth-century iron furnace that once smelted ore in these hills. Like Zaleski to the east, this region was in the thick of Ohio's iron era, when charcoal furnaces and coal mines ate up forests, and the forest that came back is second-growth. The ruins of Vinton Furnace and some old Belgian coke ovens still stand inside the forest.

Forest research began here in 1952, when the Baker Wood Preserving Company set aside about 486 hectares as an experimental forest for the U.S. Forest Service's Central States Forest Experiment Station. A decade later the Mead Corporation bought the land and kept the arrangement going. It was designated an experimental forest in 1963 and the agreement was formalized in 1965. In 2010 the land was bought by the Ohio Division of Forestry, which now co-manages it with the Forest Service's Northern Research Station.

Since then it has been one of the most studied woodlots in the country, with a focus on bringing oak forests back to Ohio. It is also one of the most biologically diverse places in the state, home to the largest known population of bobcats in Ohio, plus timber rattlesnakes, cerulean warblers and several rare plants. Forest roads radiate from the headquarters and serve as hiking trails.

Things to do in the park

  • Hunt deer, turkey and squirrel from the Hunter's Camp
  • Hike the forest roads and the Watch Rock Trail
  • Look for bobcat and timber rattlesnake habitat (from a respectful distance)
  • Tour the Vinton Furnace ruins and the coke ovens
  • Visit the forest headquarters, training center and research plots

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Vinton Furnace State Forest.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Zaleski State Forest and Lake Hope State Park, about 15 minutes north
  • McArthur, the Vinton County seat, for supplies and food
  • Moonville Tunnel and the Moonville Rail Trail
  • Hocking Hills State Park, about 40 minutes northwest

Hiking trails

No dedicated trail system. Forest roads that radiate from headquarters double as hiking routes, and the Watch Rock Trail is a popular hike.

Wildlife you might see

  • Bobcats: the largest known population in Ohio
  • Timber rattlesnakes (watch where you step and sit)
  • Cerulean warblers and other oak-forest songbirds
  • Several rare plant species in the mixed-oak forest
  • White-tailed deer, wild turkey and squirrels for hunters

Fishing

  • No significant fishing. Lake Hope, Lake Alma and Lake Logan are within a short drive.

Hunting

Vinton Furnace is a working public hunting forest under Ohio Division of Wildlife rules. Squirrel, deer, grouse and wild turkey are the main game. The only camping in the forest is the Hunter's Camp, which is only for legally licensed hunters during hunting seasons (see the site details). Wear blaze orange if you hike in season, since this is a research forest that is also open to hunters.

The Forest That Runs Experiments

Not every state forest is just a place to walk. Vinton Furnace has been a research forest since 1952, when the Baker Wood Preserving Company set aside about 486 hectares as an experimental forest for the U.S. Forest Service. A decade later the Mead Corporation bought the land and kept the arrangement going, and in 2010 the Ohio Division of Forestry bought it. Scientists here have spent decades on one question: how to bring oak forests back to Ohio.

It is also, by the state's account, home to the largest known population of bobcats in Ohio. Timber rattlesnakes, cerulean warblers and several rare plants live here too, and forest roads that radiate from the headquarters double as hiking trails.

Behind the legend

The research history is well documented, with a small wrinkle: one account puts the experimental forest's designation at 1963 and the formal agreement at 1965. The furnace the forest is named for is the older story. It is one of the charcoal iron furnaces that fed on Ohio's forests, and the ruins of the furnace and some old Belgian coke ovens are described among the remains on the property.

The bobcat claim is repeated widely, and it is a statement about a population, not a promise that you will see one. Bobcats are secretive, and the rattlesnakes are the ones to watch for underfoot.

If you go

Come during the licensed hunters' camp season only if you are hunting. Otherwise hike the forest roads and the Watch Rock Trail on a spring day, and look at the furnace ruins.

Campsites

Ball Diamond Hunter's Camp
About 3 campsites with a latrine · licensed hunters only · self-registration form on site · first-come, first-served
Free

On site

  • Latrine at the hunters' camp
  • Forest headquarters and training center near McArthur
  • Forest roads open to hiking
Vinton Furnace camping details (ODNR) →
The Hunter's Camp is only for licensed hunters and is first-come, first-served, so there is nothing to book. It opens one day before squirrel season and closes about a day after the fall seasons end (ODNR pages give the end as deer archery season in one place and grouse season in another, so confirm with the forest). It opens again 14 days before spring wild turkey season and closes the day after the season ends. Fill out the self-registration form on site.
Prefer the phone?740-596-5781

This is not a general-public campground. Camping is permitted at the Ball Diamond Hunter's Camp only, and only for legally licensed hunters during the posted seasons. Other campers should try Zaleski State Forest, Lake Hope State Park or Tar Hollow State Park.

Restaurants nearby

Mama Renie's Pizza of McArthur
Pizza and pub food, open late
Directions
Main Eatery
Local classic for a Viking Veal sandwich and a milkshake; closed Sunday and Monday
Directions
Smoke-N-Beans
Coffee and breakfast sandwiches
Directions

Gas stations nearby

McArthur Express
Hometown station with a good deli and breakfast
Directions
Marathon Gas (Clark Pump-N-Shop)
More pumps and easy access in downtown McArthur
Directions

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