Hike the Buzzard Roost Trail

Owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy, Ohio's Edge of Appalachia Preserve is home to over 19,000 acres of protected wilderness and rugged Appalachian terrain. And the greatest prize of the preserve is none other than the Buzzards Roost.

Perched atop a slab of resistant limestone roughly 500' above the valley of Brush Creek, the Buzzards Roost has a nearly 180 degree view of the surrounding hills and valleys. Benches and railing line the precarious landing, as the area itself is relatively small as it juts out from the hillside.

The 4.4 mile out-and-back trail features several creek crossings and a large native prairie towards the center of the hike filled with native wildflowers and, if you're lucky to spot it, wildlife (I had a large black snake slither across my path on the way up).

After about a mile into the hike, the trail splits in two and then rejoins just before reaching its final destination. The distance on either split is negligible, with the left split spending more time in the prairie and the right path climbing into the forest. 

The trail is rough in spots, and there are a few trees down, but nothing that provides a serious hinderance. Expect a crowd on nice days, and the parking lot is limited in size. Overflow parking is allowed in the gravel area across SR 125 next to Lynx Rd.