Buckeye Trail - Road Fork

Road Fork Section

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Trail Description



Andrew Bashaw

Supervisor: Tom Rohr
• 419-281-7465

59.2 Total Miles / 20.5 Off Road Miles (34.6%)
Map Publication Date: July 2011

Along with the Whipple Section, this section provides a link between the off-road trail in AEP Recreation Lands and North Country Trail in the Marietta Unit of Wayne National Forest. Although somewhat below average in off-road trail, this segment lies in very remote, wooded country of high ridges. Some of the roads are so little used that days may pass between vehicles. The trail leaves the Belle Valley Section in Belle Valley and heads east past Caldwell Lake, Fulda, Lamping Homestead and Ring Mill on the way to the Whipple Section at County Road Nine.

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Map Updates

  • (3/26/2018) The Trail Changes included here update the Road Fork Map Edition of July 2011. Distances at all map points have been corrected. New text is shown for all trail changes. Included is an earlier change written to include the Lamping Homestead (Point 18) as well as changes brought by the Wayne National Forest who brought in a team during the summer of 2017 to build wonderful new trail at the northeastern end of the Archer’s Fork Loop Trail. That team also added new trail, a new trailhead and a new campsite at St Patrick’s Cemetery. Both Points 27 and 28 have been moved to new sites. The specific changes resulted in significant changes in the text beneath Points 26, 27 and 28 as well as the section entitled, “Camping along the Trail.” See details below.

    CAMPING ALONG THE TRAIL
    The locations of campsites, which are known to BTA and are within reasonable walking distance of the trail, are shown on the Section Maps.
    Dispersed camping is permitted in the Wayne National Forest as long as the camp is not within sight from the trail and the property is owned by the USDA Forest Service. In addition, there are three other sites specifically designated along the trail.
    1. Near Point 18, a number of developed sites with tables and firepits are available just off the trail near the parking area for a fee.
    2. Near Point 21, a number of developed sites with tables and firepits E of the parking area for a fee.
    3. Near Point 28, a primitive campsite is located just E of the rear of St Patrick's Cemetery. To reach this site from the trail, ascend N from Pt 28 on the well-defined trail for ¼ mi. Coordinates: 39.52393°N, 81.17975°W.
    The Buckeye Trail Association does not manage any camping facilities along the trail. Various agencies and individuals operate all campsites. The owner/manager regulates each site independently. Dispersed camping is not permitted on private or state lands without express permission of the owner/manager. Hikers are expected to comply with the rules in all instances. For special camping information, email .
    CW CCW Pt
    0.0
    		 59.2
    		 1 Wolf Run Dr (C126) at Main St on the Outskirts of Belle Valley
    1.3
    		 57.9
    		 2 Reservoir Rd (C127) at Caldwell Lake Rd T129)
    3.3
    		 55.9
    		 3 Caldwell Lake Rd (T129) at SR 285
    5.2
    		 54.0
    		 4 Parry Hollow Rd (C28) at O R & W Tunnel Rd (T138)
    8.4
    		 50.8
    		 5 Mark Rossiter Rd (T314) at Ball Hollow Rd (C2)
    9.7
    		 49.5
    		 6 Archer's Ridge Rd (C2) at Hohman Rd (T265)
    10.9
    		 48.3
    		 7 Schockling Rd (T87) at Fulda Rd (C2)
    12.0
    		 47.2
    		 8 Fulda Rd (C2) at Rado Ridge Rd (C42)
    15.8
    		 43.4
    		 9 Rado Ridge Rd (C42) at Hoot Owl Ridge Rd (T270)
    19.2
    		 40.0
    		 10 Hoot Owl Ridge Rd (T270) at High Water Rd (T267)
    20.5
    		 38.7
    		 11 Coyle Rd (T242) at SR 260
    21.5
    		 37.7
    		 12 Harrietsville Rd (SR 145) at Cub Run Rd C48)
    23.9
    		 35.5
    		 13 T298 at Creighton Ridge Rd (C78)
    25.0
    		 34.2
    		 14 Creighton Ridge Rd (C78) at T297
    27.1
    		 32.1
    		 15 T289 at Long Run Rd (C14)/Sandbar Rd (C16)
    28.0
    		 31.2
    		 16 Long Run Rd (C14) at T303
    30.0
    		 29.2
    		 17 Dearth Ridge-Rias Run Rd (C13) at SR 537
    31.9
    NE    		 27.3
    NW    		 18 Clearfork Rd (T307) at Entrance to NE NW Lamping Homestead
    The route followed within the Lamping Homestead Recreation Area uses parts of the existing trail system. The USDA Forest Service describes the system as a Short Loop and a Long Loop. It could have been described as a perimeter trail with a cut-off near its mid-section. Visit https://www.hikingproject.com/directory/8012184/lamping-homestead-recreation-area for an area map with which to interpret the following description.
    Facilities: C, P, Pr, PS, PT, W (not potable). Exit Clearfork Rd onto driveway into Lamping Homestead Recreation Area. Go NE for 350'. Then, turn E across lawn toward woods near lake. Follow the Short Loop trail generally E around lake. Near a feeder stream, begin gradual climb towards ridge ahead. After 0.9 mi, the Short Loop returns W to the Homestead. Continue generally S on the Long Loop trail which will descend. After 0.6 mi, leave the Long Loop left onto footpath. Descend S on footpath that soon turns SW. After 0.3 mi, the footpath ends at Clearfork Rd (Coordinates: 39.61632°N, 81.18792°W). Go S on road which crosses the Clear Fork after 0.18 mi.
    34.6
    		 24.6
    		 19 Clearfork Rd (T307) at Witten Creek Rd(C15)
    36.4
    		 22.8
    		 20 Pleasant Ridge Rd (C73) at SR 26
    36.4
    E    		 22.8
    W    		 21 T575 at Entrance to Ring Mill
    Facilities: C, P, Pr, W (not potable)
    41.7
    		 17.5
    		 22 BT at Old Camp Rd (C88)
    44.1
    		 15.1
    		 23 Footpath at Scott Rd (T402)
    45.2
    		 14.0
    		 24 Rinard Mills Rd (C138) at Gated Service Rd
    46.6
    		 12.6
    		 25 BT at Rinard Mills Rd (C138)
    49.5
    SE    		 9.7
    N    		 26 Junction with SR 260
    Coordinates: 39.53703°N, 81.16331°W.
    Join gated woods road heading SE. After 250', take the less-used woods road. Continue SE and descend slowly towards a major tributary to Irish Run. After 0.5 mi, cross confluence of two tributaries and continue down-stream.
    50.7
    N    		 8.5
    N    		 27 Junction with the Archer's Fork Loop Trail
    Coordinates; 39.52276°N, 81.15876°W.
    The Archer's Fork Loop Trail is a 9.4 mile loop trail within the Wayne National Forest. BT comprises about ½ of the loop. The half between here and Point 30 is described in the text below. The other half of the loop is described as the description of Archer's Fork Loop elsewhere. Follow the more westerly leg of the Archer's Fork Loop as it moves and climbs away from the creek that you have been following. The trail turns W and goes beneath a number of rock outcrops before descending to ford a small stream (0.4 mi). Upon reascent, the trail heads W and then N beneath more rock outcrops before entering a long bend around a ravine that ends by descending W to McCormick Hill Rd (1.2 mi, T410). Coordinates: 39.52479°N, 81.17202°W. Cross road and soon ford a tributary of Irish Run. Turn briefly S in middle of power line easement but then turn abruptly W. Ascend a steep slope. Here, the trail will undulate and meander generally SW.
    52.9
    W    		 6.3
    SE    		 28 Trail Junction
    Coordinates: 39.52179°N, 81.17719°W
    The trail N leads past a campsite and then along the N edge of St Patrick's Cemetery to St Patrick's Cemetery Rd (T411) near the Trailhead. Continue W on footpath to a 4-way trail junction (0.22 mi). Note: This is the site of the Pt 28 shown on the Road Fork Map Edition of July 2011. A very short side-trail descends steeply S into the Great Cave, a small rock shelter. A casual trail leads W uphill to St Patrick’s Cemetery Rd which goes N to St Patrick's Cemetery and Trailhead (P). Continue W on BT that soon turns S. After 0.7 mi, reach a 3-way trail junction. The side trail leads down to a natural bridge. This sandstone structure is 50’ long. It sits 39’ above a seasonal, mossy stream. This exciting structure is well worth the effort required for the steep descent. Continue on the BT as it meanders generally S another 0.1 mi to reach the unimproved St Patrick’s Cemetery Rd. Follow the road a short distance NW. Exit the road W but soon turn generally S as an undulating, meandering 0.9 mi descent to the Archer's Fork. Here, turn W along the right bank of the creek as it turns slowly to the S. After 0.8 mi, turn SE to ford the Archer's Fork. Shortly before the ford, a connector trail continues SW to Covered Bridge Trail.
    55.7
    		 3.5
    		 29 Junction with Upper Archers Fork Rd (T58)
    57.0
    		 2.2
    		 30 Junction with the Southern End of the Archers Fork Loop on Wards Rd (T421)
    59.2
    		 0.0
    		 31 BT at County Nine Rd (C9)

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