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Shawnee State Forest Contact: 13291 U.S. 52 West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-8906 740-858-6685
Description: If Ohio has a crowning jewel Shawnee State Forest is it. This area is called The Little Smokies because it is very much like the Smokie Mountains in ruggedness and feel. This is without a doubt the hardest hiking in Ohio. There is a south loop, a north loop and a day hike loop. All together they total over 60 miles of hiking. Add to this the 75 miles of bridal trails and the BSA Silver Arrow Trail and you have over 150 miles of hiking possibilities. The south loop is hard and there is some hand over hand work to get out of some of the hollows. It is worth it though because the hollows are wonderful! Pheasant Hollow is one of the most beautiful places you can find in the whole state. There are designated camps about every 5-8 miles with water tanks so water is never a problem except in snowy conditions. The north loop is a celebration in masochism. It is beyond hard. By the time I reached the end of the trail I was so infuriated with the trail planners who had no idea at all what a switchback is. The trail just goes straight up one side of a huge hill and down the other...over and over and over! Shear idiocy! It was on this trail that I came to the concession that I would never hike the AT. As I was hiking and complaining I thought to myself, "I couldn't imagine doing this every day for four months!". They say if you want to see what doing the AT is like, come here. Well, I have and I want no part of the AT! LOL! It is a place that needs to be experienced for yourself!
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