American Discovery Trail: Hocking Hills State Park

It has been two weeks since I posted, mostly because Mike was here this week, but I have been walking across Ohio, making progress. I finished the thirteenth segment of my walk and am well into the fourteenth, and I am now about straight south of Columbus. Columbus is actually slightly west of the center of Ohio, closer to Indiana than it is to Pennsylvania to the east, but my walk across Ohio is only about one third complete, as the route from here to Indiana is much longer than if, for example, you were a crow flying across.

I have travelled more than 780 miles, 1.75 million steps, about one sixth of the total distance.

I just read this week about a planned Great American Rail-Trail that would be constructed using old rail routes wherever possible. It would stretch from Washington State to Washington, DC, and would be 3,700 miles long, and would go all the way across without having to go on roads. Only problem is, it is only about half finished, and it sounds like some of the remaining 50% is more a gleam in someone's eye than anything close to reality. It sounds good though, and probably more usable than the American Discovery Trail.

The last two weeks took us through Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, Ohio, with waterfalls and sandstone caves and cliffs. The main picture is Cedar Falls.

Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills State Park. The cave was named after an actual old man who lived in it around 1800 and was eventually buried there with his dog.

Ash Cave. Apparently Old Man's Cave is the most popular hiking spot in the park, but Ash Cave is pretty impressive.

American Discovery Trail: The Buckeye Trail

 

I realized today that I am walking along the Buckeye Trail for most of my hike through Ohio, and this is actually a pretty cool thing, and it explains to some extent why the walk through Ohio is so long, since Ohio is not that big.

The Buckeye Trail is a loop all the way around the outside of the state, going to or near Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron. Only Columbus is left out because it is in the middle of the state. I have not heard of anything like this in any other state.

The trail is 1,447 miles long, which is a lot given that Ohio is the 34th largest state. If you look at a more detailed map, the trail jogs back and forth all the way along. The idea clearly was not to get around the state as quickly as possible. I joined the Buckeye Trail 30 miles after entering Ohio and will continue to follow it all the way to Cincinnati.

I have now covered over 700 miles and 12 segments of the American Discovery Trail. The latest one took me to Ohio SR 664. Now I am on my way to SR327. Not the most colorful place names, but there are parks and caves and stuff to see along the way.

Part of the Buckeye Trail near Akron. I won't be going there, but it's brick, so it looks nice.

American Discovery Trail: Near Shawnee, Ohio

The month of February was nothing to get too excited about, as I walked less than 100 miles. In a good month, I can do 150. Nevertheless, I moved from West Virginia to Ohio and passed 1.5 million steps.

We are still south and east of Columbus, same as last time I posted, but maybe by next week Columbus will be behind us.

This week took me to Burr Oak State Park, which has a lake and a nice large lodge, pictured here. Then it's on to Tom Jenkins Dam, Wayne National Forest, and Tecumseh Lake just south of Shawnee.

The Tom Jenkins Dam, which turned Sunday Creek into Burr Oak Lake, the main feature of Burr Oak State Park.

Wayne National Forest is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War general.

We end this week near Tecumseh Lake. This picture probably shows most of the lake, which is only about 1,000 feet long and a few hundred feet wide.

For a little perspective, I am now west (and well south) of Akron, Ohio, where I lived until I was seven, and west of Cleveland, though still a little east of Mansfield, where we lived for a year before moving to California in 1966.