Athens County/Hockhocking Outdoor Opportunities
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Calendar:
Trail outings are in green, work sessions are in red, and other events are in blue.
December, 2013
No events known
January, 2014
Athens Trails Work Day
Date: Sunday, January 12
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: Dow Lake Dam
Sponsor: Athens Trails
Note: Weather permitting, we will be installing culverts on the Hickory Trail. Bring a shovel.
MAWE Hike: Bird Banding Date: Sunday, January 19
Time: 2 pm
Meeting place: 32840 Jourden Road, Albany, Ohio
Sponsor: MAWE
Notes: If you have questions about carpooling or other questions, please feel free to contact the Fox family (740-447-2299).
February, 2014
Groundhog Hike Date: Sunday, February 16
NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 2 DUE TO WEATHER.
Time: Starting window from 12 noon to 1 pm
Meeting place: Shelterhouse 3 (Lakeview Shelterhouse), beyond the swimming beach at Strouds Run State Park.
Sponsor: Athens Conservancy, Friends of Strouds Run, Athens Trails
Note: This is a free event. We will be using mainly the Lakeview Trail -- which has had a lot of upgrading -- and the Sundown Trail. You will be off the trail in plenty of time for the Superbowl. You may start any time within the window, but there will be guided hikes at 12:30 and 1:00.
Website: www.athensconservancy.org/groundhoghike.shtml.
Athens Trails Work Day
Date: Sunday, February 9
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: Dow Lake Dam
Sponsor: Athens Trails
Note: We will be continuing our culvert installations on the Hickory Trail.
MAWE Hike Date: Sunday, February 16
Time: 2 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: MAWE
Notes: Projected to be at Granville for sugaring. More details to come. If you have questions about carpooling or other questions, please feel free to contact the Fox family (740-447-2299).
March, 2014
Athens Trails Work Day
Date: Sunday, March 9
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: Pioneer Cemetery Trailhead
Sponsor: Athens Trails
Notes: We will be hiking a 4.2-mile circuit on the Trace Trail, Athens Trail and Finger Rock Trail to do maintenance and upgrades as needed.
MAWE Hike Date: Sunday, March 16
Time: 2 pm
Meeting place: Andy Jones property, Hocking Hills
Sponsor: MAWE
Notes: Andy Jones and Friends will host on 300+ acres at 13790 Little Cola Road, Rockbridge, Ohio 43149, of gorgeous Hocking Hills woodlands that are protected by a conservation easement with the Appalachia Ohio Alliance. We will see many beautiful places, learn about the Ohio Environmental Council, experience a recently constructed “green” homestead and consume hot chocolate. Parking is limited; please carpool. If you have questions about carpooling or other questions, please feel free to contact the Fox family (740-447-2299).
April, 2014
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 5
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 5
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 6
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 6
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 12
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 12
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 13
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Athens Trails Work Day
Date: Sunday, April 13
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Athens Trails
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 19
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 19
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 20
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 20
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Buckeye TrailFest 2014 Date: Thursday, April 24 - Sunday, April 27
Place: Camp Akita, Hocking Hills, northwest of Logan, Ohio
Sponsor: Buckeye Trail Association
Website: www.buckeyetrailfest.org
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 26
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Saturday, April 26
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 27
Time: 9 am
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
Garlic Mustard Pull
Date: Sunday, April 27
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Forest Stewardship Council
This will be another garlic-mustard pull.
MAWE Hike Date: Sunday, April 27
Time: 2 pm
Meeting place: TBA, along Greens Run
Sponsor: MAWE
Notes: 3rd Sunday is Easter Sunday, so we will be gathering on April 27, 2014. Naturalists, Mitch and Sue (740-767-2601) Farley, are hosting us on their lovely slice of paradise, 7576 State Route 685, Glouster, Ohio 45732, aka “Greens Run!” If you have questions about carpooling or other questions, please feel free to contact the Fox family (740-447-2299).
May, 2014
Athens Trails Work Day
Date: Sunday, May 11
Time: 1 pm
Meeting place: TBA
Sponsor: Athens Trails
MAWE Hike Date: Sunday, May 18
Time: 2 pm
Meeting place: Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest
Sponsor: MAWE
Notes: Joanne Rebbeck will be demonstrating oak forest regeneration techniques. If you have questions about carpooling or other questions, please feel free to contact the Fox family (740-447-2299).
Places
Shelterhouse 1 at Strouds Run State Park
Going into the park from Athens on Strouds Run Road, this is the first shelterhouse on the right, just after the Pioneer Cemetery Trailhead.
Shelterhouse 2 at Strouds Run State Park
This is the shelterhouse by the boat ramp, near the boathouse and swimming beach.
Shelterhouse 3 at Strouds Run State Park
This shelterhouse is past the swimming beach, where the paved Swimming Beach Road meets the gravel dead-end road.
Boathouse at Strouds Run State Park
This is the log concession stand building between the boat ramp and swimming beach.
Pioneer Cemetery Trailhead
Going into the park from Athens on Strouds Run Road, this is the first parking area on the right, just past the fields and before Shelterhouse 1.
Horse Trailhead
Go east on US Route 50 (OH 32) from Athens, and turn left on State Route 690. At the top of the hill, turn left onto County Road 20, East Scatter Ridge Road. Go to the first road to the left, where Scatter Ridge road makes a sharp turn to the right. This is Lake Hill Road. Turn left and go a short distance to the trailhead. Alternatively, go to Strouds Run State Park on Strouds Run Road, continue through the park, and go up the hill on the far side, bearing right at the top of the hill onto East Scatter Ridge Road. Bear right at every intersection until you reach the trailhead.
Dow Lake Dam
Go east on US Route 50 (OH 32) from Athens a short distance to the Dow Lake Dam turnoff (to the left). Park in the parking lot.
Blair Preserve Campsite
Follow directions to the Pioneer Cemetery Trailhead. Then take the Trace Trail about 1/2 mile to the turnoff for the Tunnel Rock Trail. This will be an old logging road going uphill to the right. Take this up the hill to the campsite.
Lakeview Trailhead
Go out Strouds Run Road to Strouds Run State Park. Turn right on Swimming Beach Road, and go all the way to the end -- continue on the gravel past Shelterhouse 3.
Cucumbertree Trailhead
Going out East State Street from Athens, turn left at the light at Wal-Mart and the Credit Union, and go to the Dance Barn at the end of the roadway.
Sells Park
Going out East State Street from Athens, turn left on Avon Place, just past the Maplewood Inn, across from the workout room at the Community Center, and between Larry Schey Used Cars and Larry Schey Chevrolet, and to 3 1/2 blocks to the parking area at Sells Park.
Baker Tract
Go east on US Route 50 (OH 32) from Athens, and turn left on State Route 690. Go 1/2 mile on OH-690, then turn left into a rough gravel parking lot at the Baker Tract Trailhead.
Gifford State Forest
Go out OH-550 from Athens (the continuation of Columbus Road). Take it through Amesville, then, at Sharpsburg, OH-550 takes a sharp right, but go straight instead on OH-377 to the parking area on the left, one-tenth of a mile past the intersection. It is about four miles past Amesville.
Friends Meeting House
From Athens, go out Columbus Road to OH-13 (at bottom of westbound US-33 exit ramp for OH-550/Columbus Road). Take OH-13 past the County Recycling Center/Dog Shelter, over Sunday Creek, then take the next street to the right just after the sharp curve (Birge Drive). Take the second right into the Friends Meeting House parking lot.
Hampton Inn
On East State Street just west of The Market on East State (formerly University Mall). Go to the very rear of the parking lot and park in the last row by the fence.
Le-Ax Plant, Poston Station Road
Take Ohio State Route 682 to The Plains. Turn at the light onto Poston Station Road (this is about 0.2 mile southwest of the US-33 interchange). Take Poston Station Road to the road entering the Le-Ax Water plant area. Stay to the right; meet at the gate blocking the gravel road.
Sunday Creek Watershed Group office
The office is at 69 High Street (OH-13) in Glouster. From Athens, just take 33 West to Route 13 north. Make a right at the Marathon station in Chauncey to stay on 13. Take 13 through Jacksonville and Trimble. You will come to a stop light for Route 78. Go straight through it to stay on 13, and SCWG office will be on your right, just past the post office (which is on the left).
