Hike the Shawnee Ridge Trail

Starting at the northern parking lot, head south along the Shawnee Ridge Trail. Several spur and loop trails intersect the trail along the 10 mile out-and-back hike. Many of these spur trails include difficult hikes up large hills like Sugarloaf Mountain, Sand Hill, and Mt. Ives. At each trail intersection, there is a detailed map of the park with color-coordinated trails and a lettering system for each trail intersection. Views from the tops of the hills are few and far between, and are considerably more prevalent during the winter time when the lack of foliage allows for better views. The solitude of the park is one of its best features. Since it sits over an hour south of Columbus, its relatively accessible, but also relatively unknown to the greater population, making it an excellent escape for a day.

Alongside the numerous hiking trails, many of the trails in the park also serve double duty in terms of being accessible for horseback riding and mountain biking, and in fact is one of the prime locations in Southern Ohio for mountain biking, containing some of the most difficult and challenging trails in the state.

Trails Map: http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/Portals/parks/PDFs/parks/Maps/Great_Seal/greatsealparkmap.pdf