Welcome to Shawnee State Forest!

Shawnee is the largest State Forest in Ohio, encompassing over63,000 acres, or nearly 100 square miles. Shawnee is oftenreferred to as “The Little Smokies of Ohio.”

Questions often come up about the Forest. This tour guide ismeant to help answer some of the routine, most often askedquestions, as well as explaining, and most important, showingyou, how Shawnee State Forest is managed.

Some areas of interest that will be covered on this tour are:History, Management, Recreation, Wildfire, Prescribed Fire,Biodiversity, Forest Health, Ice Storm in 2003.

Grab a Shawnee Forestmap and a ShawneeBackpack Trail map ifyou’d like while you’rehere. They may behelpful as you proceed.Now, let’s start the tour.

Go back down the hill toRt. 52 and turn right (west).Proceed about three and ahalf miles to Pond Run Rdand turn right. (Note: AlongRt. 52 you passed the Shaw-nee State Park Golf Courseand Marina. Later on we will explain what the Division of Parksand Recreation manages (which is different from the Division ofForestry.) Follow Pond Run Rd. (Township Rd. 100) about twomiles to the sign that says Shawnee State Forest. This is where theForest begins. You are now on Forest Road 1. From here this tourwill guide you to a beautiful vista overlooking the Ohio River.

Follow Forest Road 1 a little over a mile to Forest Rd.5. Turn left. Follow the blacktop all the way to the topof the hill where the overlook is located. This is

STOP 1. This is a spot worth stopping to get out andenjoy the view. The Kentucky hills are in the distance. When

you’re done here, continue on the blacktop road a short way wherea turnaround will head you back down the hill. At the turnaroundyou will see a large communications tower. The tower, which wasconstructed in 2004, supports the ODNR radio network and othernetworks as well. Pond Run fire lookout tower was here untilabout 1985.

Go back down the hill to Forest Road 1 and turn left. Aftera mile or so you will see a kiosk on the right entitled“Resource Management.” There is room to stop andpark here. This is STOP 2, Pheasant Hollow. The

Backpack Trail crosses the road here and orange blazesmark the Trail. The Division of Forestry work crew maintainsseventy miles of hiking and Backpack Trails in the Forest. (Mapsof the Backpack Trail are available at the Office.) There are sevendesignated campsites along the Backpack Trail where overnighthikers must stay.

The kiosk at this stop explains how RESOURCEMANAGEMENT is done in the State Forests. You may besurprised to learn that over 20,000 acres of timber sales have takenplace in Shawnee State Forest since 1948. The 240 sales includeover 17,000 acres that were selectively harvested and 3200 acresthat were clearcut. This ongoing program of practicing forestryand harvesting timber on a sustainable basis when the stands areready has created a wide range of habitats. That is one reason thereis such a diversity of flora and fauna in Shawnee State Forest.

As you proceed on you will pass some private property andresidences. We refer to these as “inholdings.” These “inholdings”are property that hasn’t been acquired. We purchase propertywhen it becomesavailable and when wehave the money topurchase it. We acquireit from “willingsellers.” So the ownershave to be willing tosell, and then we haveto agree on a price.Some people will

mowing is delayed until Nov. 1 to allow state listedplants to seed. This is part of our “RoadsideMowing Policy.” This particular area has apopulation of Yellow-Fringed Orchids. Continueon to the intersection and turn left on Forest Road3. Follow it for a couple miles to where Road 6turns right. If you stop here, there are two oldclearcuts on the left. One of them was cut in 1978and the other one was cut in 1989. See if you cantell which is which.

Proceed on Forest Road 3 to State Route 125. Thisis the end of the Forest tour. Turn left and Rt. 125will lead you back to Rt. 52 in about six miles.Along the way you’ll pass through Shawnee StatePark. Feel free to stop here and take in therecreation opportunities. You can turn right on theLodge Rd. and visit the fabulous Shawnee ParkResort Lodge, Conference Center and Cabins. Onthe way you’ll pass the Park office on the left. ThePark also has a Class “A” Campground with109 sites, two beaches for swimming, hikingtrails and other popular attractions. It is openyear around. The ODNR Division of Parks andRecreation manages this Park and the other StateParks.

Feel free to stop back at the Forest office for furtherinformation. You may also wish to visit our websiteat www.ohiodnr.com/forestry. You have barelyscratched the surface of Shawnee State Forest onthis tour. There are many other roads and trails totake and we hope you’ll come back soon. Try a tripin each of the four seasons and enjoy the variety.

Happy Trails !ODNR Division of Forestry,

Shawnee State Forest..

SHAWNEE

STATE FOREST

AUTO TOUR

Division of Forestry 2045 Morse Rd., H-1 • Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/F/H

Self-guided Auto Tour of Shawnee State Forest

The Division of Forestry is part ofthe Ohio Department of NaturalResources (ODNR). The Missionof ODNR is “To ensure a balancebetween wise use and protectionof our natural resources for thebenefit of all.” Just a few words,but a tremendous amount ofmeaning.

Let’s see where the Division ofForestry fits in this picture. As youmight expect, it has a lot to do withtrees and forests and forestry inOhio. The Division of Forestryprograms include a State Nursery,Urban Forestry, Forest Health,Landowner Assistance, ForestIndustries, Fire Protection, and(here’s where Shawnee StateForest comes in) State Forests. TheDivision of Forestry is legallydefined in Chapter 1503 of theOhio Revised Code. The Missionof the Division of Forestry is “Topromote and apply managementfor the sustainable use andprotection of Ohio’s private andpublic forest lands.”

The Division of Forestry’s roots goall the way back to 1885 with thecreation of a “State ForestryBureau.” The first land purchasedfor State Forests was 221 acres in1916. Since then, the State ForestSystem has grown to 20 StateForests that encompass 185,000acres.

SHAWNEE

STATE FORESTSHAWNEE STATE FOREST BACKPACK TRAIL

1

2

OHIO

Location Map

Rome

Vanceburg

Portsmouth

BlueCreek

Otway

Lucasville

52

2373

104

73104

52

23

10

8

10

K E N T U C K Y

Ohio

River

125

O H I O

Additional Information

Shawnee State Forest13291 US Highway 52

West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-8906Phone: (740) 858-6685

Toll free: 1-877-247-8733

Shawnee State Park4404 State Route 125

West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-9003Phone: (740) 858-6652

Shawnee State Park Resortand Conference Center

P.O. Box 189Friendship, Ohio 45630-0189

Phone: (740) 858-6621

877-24STREEohiodnr.com/forestry

Welcome to Shawnee State Forest!

Shawnee is the largest State Forest in Ohio, encompassing over63,000 acres, or nearly 100 square miles. Shawnee is oftenreferred to as “The Little Smokies of Ohio.”

Questions often come up about the Forest. This tour guide ismeant to help answer some of the routine, most often askedquestions, as well as explaining, and most important, showingyou, how Shawnee State Forest is managed.

Some areas of interest that will be covered on this tour are:History, Management, Recreation, Wildfire, Prescribed Fire,Biodiversity, Forest Health, Ice Storm in 2003.

Grab a Shawnee Forestmap and a ShawneeBackpack Trail map ifyou’d like while you’rehere. They may behelpful as you proceed.Now, let’s start the tour.

Go back down the hill toRt. 52 and turn right (west).Proceed about three and ahalf miles to Pond Run Rdand turn right. (Note: AlongRt. 52 you passed the Shaw-nee State Park Golf Courseand Marina. Later on we will explain what the Division of Parksand Recreation manages (which is different from the Division ofForestry.) Follow Pond Run Rd. (Township Rd. 100) about twomiles to the sign that says Shawnee State Forest. This is where theForest begins. You are now on Forest Road 1. From here this tourwill guide you to a beautiful vista overlooking the Ohio River.

Follow Forest Road 1 a little over a mile to Forest Rd.5. Turn left. Follow the blacktop all the way to the topof the hill where the overlook is located. This is

STOP 1. This is a spot worth stopping to get out andenjoy the view. The Kentucky hills are in the distance. When

you’re done here, continue on the blacktop road a short way wherea turnaround will head you back down the hill. At the turnaroundyou will see a large communications tower. The tower, which wasconstructed in 2004, supports the ODNR radio network and othernetworks as well. Pond Run fire lookout tower was here untilabout 1985.

Go back down the hill to Forest Road 1 and turn left. Aftera mile or so you will see a kiosk on the right entitled“Resource Management.” There is room to stop andpark here. This is STOP 2, Pheasant Hollow. The

Backpack Trail crosses the road here and orange blazesmark the Trail. The Division of Forestry work crew maintainsseventy miles of hiking and Backpack Trails in the Forest. (Mapsof the Backpack Trail are available at the Office.) There are sevendesignated campsites along the Backpack Trail where overnighthikers must stay.

The kiosk at this stop explains how RESOURCEMANAGEMENT is done in the State Forests. You may besurprised to learn that over 20,000 acres of timber sales have takenplace in Shawnee State Forest since 1948. The 240 sales includeover 17,000 acres that were selectively harvested and 3200 acresthat were clearcut. This ongoing program of practicing forestryand harvesting timber on a sustainable basis when the stands areready has created a wide range of habitats. That is one reason thereis such a diversity of flora and fauna in Shawnee State Forest.

As you proceed on you will pass some private property andresidences. We refer to these as “inholdings.” These “inholdings”are property that hasn’t been acquired. We purchase propertywhen it becomesavailable and when wehave the money topurchase it. We acquireit from “willingsellers.” So the ownershave to be willing tosell, and then we haveto agree on a price.Some people will

mowing is delayed until Nov. 1 to allow state listedplants to seed. This is part of our “RoadsideMowing Policy.” This particular area has apopulation of Yellow-Fringed Orchids. Continueon to the intersection and turn left on Forest Road3. Follow it for a couple miles to where Road 6turns right. If you stop here, there are two oldclearcuts on the left. One of them was cut in 1978and the other one was cut in 1989. See if you cantell which is which.

Proceed on Forest Road 3 to State Route 125. Thisis the end of the Forest tour. Turn left and Rt. 125will lead you back to Rt. 52 in about six miles.Along the way you’ll pass through Shawnee StatePark. Feel free to stop here and take in therecreation opportunities. You can turn right on theLodge Rd. and visit the fabulous Shawnee ParkResort Lodge, Conference Center and Cabins. Onthe way you’ll pass the Park office on the left. ThePark also has a Class “A” Campground with109 sites, two beaches for swimming, hikingtrails and other popular attractions. It is openyear around.The ODNR Division of Parks andRecreation manages this Park and the other StateParks.

Feel free to stop back at the Forest office for furtherinformation. You may also wish to visit our websiteat www.ohiodnr.com/forestry. You have barelyscratched the surface of Shawnee State Forest onthis tour. There are many other roads and trails totake and we hope you’ll come back soon. Try a tripin each of the four seasons and enjoy the variety.

Happy Trails !ODNR Division of Forestry,

Shawnee State Forest..

SHAWNEE

STATE FOREST

AUTO TOUR

Division of Forestry 2045 Morse Rd., H-1 • Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/F/H

Self-guided Auto Tour of Shawnee State Forest

The Division of Forestry is part ofthe Ohio Department of NaturalResources (ODNR). The Missionof ODNR is “To ensure a balancebetween wise use and protectionof our natural resources for thebenefit of all.” Just a few words,but a tremendous amount ofmeaning.

Let’s see where the Division ofForestry fits in this picture. As youmight expect, it has a lot to do withtrees and forests and forestry inOhio. The Division of Forestryprograms include a State Nursery,Urban Forestry, Forest Health,Landowner Assistance, ForestIndustries, Fire Protection, and(here’s where Shawnee StateForest comes in) State Forests. TheDivision of Forestry is legallydefined in Chapter 1503 of theOhio Revised Code. The Missionof the Division of Forestry is “Topromote and apply managementfor the sustainable use andprotection of Ohio’s private andpublic forest lands.”

The Division of Forestry’s roots goall the way back to 1885 with thecreation of a “State ForestryBureau.” The first land purchasedfor State Forests was 221 acres in1916. Since then, the State ForestSystem has grown to 20 StateForests that encompass 185,000acres.

SHAWNEE

STATE FORESTSHAWNEESTATE FORESTBACKPACK TRAIL

1

2

OHIO

Location Map

Rome

Vanceburg

Portsmouth

BlueCreek

Otway

Lucasville

52

23 73

104

73104

52

23

10

8

10

KENTUCKY

Ohio

River

125

OHIO

Additional Information

Shawnee State Forest13291 US Highway 52

West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-8906Phone: (740) 858-6685

Toll free: 1-877-247-8733

Shawnee StatePark4404 State Route 125

West Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-9003Phone: (740) 858-6652

Shawnee State Park Resortand Conference Center

P.O. Box 189Friendship, Ohio 45630-0189

Phone: (740) 858-6621

877-24STREEohiodnr.com/forestry

never sell, and you can see the appeal of owningland that borders the Forest. Prior to 1922 this wasall private land. Shawnee State Forest began with a5,000-acre land acquisition in 1922. Much of theland acquired had been cut over, farmed, and orburned. Since then our land base has grown to63,000 acres. With time, the forest grew back.

When you get to the top of the hill you will cross agravel road, Forest Road 2. Stay on the blacktopand follow Forest Road 1 on over the hill. Alongthe way you will notice a few newer clearcuts onthe left. These were done after The Great IceStorm of February, 2003. As you continue

traveling on Forest Road 1, you will cometo Pond Lick Lake. This is STOP 3. Thekiosk tells the story of The Great IceStorm of 2003. The ice storm lasted for

three days. It was so devastating that eightcounties along the Ohio River Valley in Ohioreceived Federal Disaster Declarations. It alsoimpacted over 20,000 acres of Shawnee StateForest. The area you are driving through now wasthe hardest hit.

Just below the Lake used to be a CivilianConservation Corp (CCC) Camp. The CCCProgram began in the depression area of the1930’s. It was a national program. Many of theForest roads were built bythe “CCC boys.” The smalllakes around the Forestwere built as watersupplies for the CCCCamps. The programlapsed during WWII. Itwas revived in 1979. TheCamp below Pond LickLake was active from 1979until 2004. The programlapsed in 2004, and thebuildings and camp were removed. The onlyremnant is the log cabin from the original CCCCamp of the 1940’s. This historic building is builtof American Chestnut logs. American Chestnutwas the major forest species in this region until a

3

blight wiped it out soon after the turn of the 20thcentury. The root systems remain, and the treescontinue to sprout in Shawnee State Forest. However,before they can produce seeds, the blight strikes themagain. NOTE: In 2007, the cabin was moved toShawnee State Park, next to their nature center.

White Oak and Other Oak MortalityAs you drive along you will notice a lot of dead oaktrees. This widespread mortality was triggered bystress from a drought in 1999. In 2000 many whiteoaks were defoliated by Forest Tent Caterpillars. In2001 another round of defoliation occurred. This iswhen the mortality became evident. A summerdrought occurred in 2002, and Common Oak MothCaterpillars defoliated more trees. Theice storm in 2003 stressed many treesfurther by snapping out large portionsof the trees’ crowns. That stressshowed up in 2004 with Scarlet Oaksand Black Oaks adding to the oakmortality. Inch worms (genus Phigalia)and Common Oak Moth once again fedon the tree leaves. Chestnut Borers arenow common under the bark of dyingtrees, as well as Hypoxylon canker.

As you proceed, you will notice severalfields on the left and right. These areas are mowed for

hay each year. In so doing, wemaintain some open field habitatthat is important for many speciesof wildlife. Shawnee State Forestholds a bounty of flora and fauna. Itis a treasure trove of many speciesof birds, butterflies, trees andwildflowers. People come frommiles around for birding, observingwildflowers, and other forms ofnature appreciation. Over athousand species of plants and

animals are found here. At least seventy-five speciesof trees grow here. Threatened and endangeredspecies like Dwarf Iris, Bobcat, and TimberRattlesnake inhabit the Forest.

Birding in the Forest is outstanding. The AnnualAudubon Christmas Bird Count has been centeredin the Forest since the 1920’s. In April, 2004, theOhio Ornithological Society held its firstconference at Shawnee State Forest and Park. In athree-day weekend, birders recorded 156 species ofbirds, most of them within Shawnee Forest.Butterflies have been surveyed annually in theForest since 1992. Seventy-one species ofbutterflies have been observed to date.

Shawnee Forest is a large and contiguous tract ofpublic land. Long-term public ownership allowsfor long-term management and protection.Sustainable forestry allows timber harvesting while

at the same time protectingsoil, water and wildlife. Italso creates a matrix ofhabitats from earlysuccessional to maturehardwood forests. As aresult, “Shawnee StateForest represents the bestof Ohio’s biodiversity.”(Natural Ohio, Winter,2001 issue.)

When you get to Route125, turn left. Go about a mile and turn right onForest Road 1 by Boy Scout Camp Oyo. CampOyo is one of the oldest Boy Scout Camps. TheCamp occupies about fifty acres and bordersShawnee State Forest. It is an ideal location for aBoy Scout Camp. As you proceed up the road youwill pass a few more inholdings. A little further andyou will see where Hobey Hollow Bridle Trail goesoff to the left. This area has historic significance asit was once part of the Roosevelt Game Preserve.Today it is one of the most popular bridle trails inthe Forest.

During some of the deer and turkey huntingseasons, Hobey Hollow is open as a primitive campfor hunters. Shawnee State Forest is a PublicHunting Area. Hunting and fishing are allowed asregulated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The

most popular game species in the Forest are deer,wild turkey, gray squirrel, ruffed grouse, andrabbits.

Hunting seasons generally begin in September andrun through February. Then spring turkey seasonstarts late in April and runs through part of May.Check the Division of Wildlife regulations forspecific seasons and bag limits.

At the top of the hill you meet a gravelroad, Forest Road 14. Pull over on theright. This is STOP 4. Just ahead on the

right is one of the many vistas maintainedby the Division of Forestry. It is nice to get a viewout across the forest. To maintain the view, thetrees must be kept out of the way. That is done withthe use of Prescribed Fire on a three to five yearcycle.

Prescribed Fire is also used in the Forest to favoroak seedling in the understory and reduce theheavy fuel (logs and limbs) in the understory.Research has shown that fires in the landscapeduring the past centuries resulted in more oak treesgetting established in the forests in this part of thecountry. After fire control measures went intoeffect in the 1920’s, fires have been suppressed andreduced. Now we know that to maintain the impor-tant oak forests, we need to reintroduce fire to theforests. Shawnee State Forest has a ten year plan toprescribed burn about 1800 acres per year with lowto moderate intensity fires from 2005 – 2015.

The District 6 staff includes a maintenance crew ofsix laborers and Equipment Operators. They are theones who take care of the roads and bridges youhave been driving on. They also assist with wildfiresuppression in Scioto and Adams Counties, as wellas with prescribed fires in the State Forest System.They have numerous other duties as well, includingmaintenance of over 200 miles of Forest boundary(painted yellow).

Continue on the blacktop Forest Road 1 whichswitches back to the left at this point. At the bottomof the hill, go a little further, and turn left on Forest

4

Road 4. Go to the top of thehill and follow Road 4 to theright.

Note: For a side trip, turnleft on gravel Forest Road 6.About a mile ahead on theright is Copperhead FireTower. There is a parking areajust past the fire tower on theleft. Feel free to take a look atthe fire tower, but DO NOTCLIMB UP ON IT. That isprohibited due to its unsafecondition. This was the firstfire tower in Ohio, erected in1922. (Fire towers are nolonger needed to detectwildfires in Ohio, and most ofthem have been taken down.)

Continuing on Forest Road 4,follow it down the hill and on

to Bear Lake HorseCamp. This isSTOP 5. Feel free

to stop here andlook around. This primitive,sixty-site Camp is forcampers with horses only. Itties in conveniently tonumerous bridle trails. It isespecially popular from Aprilthrough October, and full onholiday weekends. The SciotoCounty Chapter of the OhioHorsemen’s Council volun-teers maintain the bridle trailsin Shawnee State Forest. They have made improve-ments at the Horse Camp, like the horse tie poles.They also improve the bridle trail system whenpossible, and maintain a parking and recreation accessarea on Rt. 52 called “Moore Run.”

State Forest Officers provide the law enforcementnecessary to protect forest visitors and the Forest.They assist the public, respond to emergencies, write

5

citations, investigate encroachments across theForest boundary, and enforce state laws and forestrules. They also have authority to enter onto privateproperty to investigate wildfires and to enforce theopen burning laws.

On down Forest Road 4 past the Camp, you’ll seesome yellow signs that say “Vegetation ClearanceLimit.” They mark areas around the Forest where

C-7

T-202

T-97

T-1

83 C-96

C-9

6C

-96

T-99 T-104

T-1

02

C-49

C-4

9

C-4

9

C-181

C-41

C-41

C-43

T-92

T-91

C-42

T-9

0C-40

T-87

SandySprings

BuenaVista

Friendship

Lombardsville

SugarGrove

Ridge

Blackburn

Buckhorn

Rid

ge

Grass Lick

Mackletree

Lampblack Run

BridgeTimber

Morgan

SilverArrow

Hobey

Hollo

w

Rock

Lic

k

Silv

er

Arr

ow

Con

ley’

sR

un

Pig

eon

Ro

ost

McAtee

Mo

or e

Run

Ohio

River

Ohio River

TurkeyCreekLake

RooseveltLake

Rock

Run

Su

lph

ur

Cre

ek

Tw

in

Creek

Lower

Upper

Creek

Twin

Pond

Creek

Run

Pond

Run

Lick

Nace Run

East

Creek

Fork

Rocky

For

k

Odell

Cre

ek

Sto

ney R

un

Brouses

Ru

n

Careys

Creek

Run

Pond

CreekBear

Creek

Turkey

Creek

McAtee

Run

Vast

ine R

un

Hollo

w

Patc

hC

abbage

To O

tway

52

52

125

125

73

371

64

119

4

1

2

2

22

1

1

5

23

13

8

19

16

6

25

66

3

1

14

0 0.5 1

0 0.5 1

3 kilometers

2 miles

2

BEAR LAKE

WOLFDEN

LAKE

LODGE,CABINS,

PARK OFFICE

CAMPOFFICE

BOY SCOUT CAMPOYO

FORESTHEADQUARTERS

PICNICPOINT

POND LICK

LAKE

McBRIDE

LAKE

POND

POND

BCMAMARINA

GOLFCOURSE

WILDERNESSAREA

1

2

3

4

5

never sell, and you can see the appeal of owningland that borders the Forest. Prior to 1922 this wasall private land. Shawnee State Forest began with a5,000-acre land acquisition in 1922. Much of theland acquired had been cut over, farmed, and orburned. Since then our land base has grown to63,000 acres. With time, the forest grew back.

When you get to the top of the hill you will cross agravel road, Forest Road 2. Stay on the blacktopand follow Forest Road 1 on over the hill. Alongthe way you will notice a few newer clearcuts onthe left. These were done after The Great IceStorm of February, 2003. As you continue

traveling on Forest Road 1, you will cometo Pond Lick Lake. This is STOP 3. Thekiosk tells the story of The Great IceStorm of 2003. The ice storm lasted for

three days. It was so devastating that eightcounties along the Ohio River Valley in Ohioreceived Federal Disaster Declarations. It alsoimpacted over 20,000 acres of Shawnee StateForest. The area you are driving through now wasthe hardest hit.

Just below the Lake used to be a CivilianConservation Corp (CCC) Camp. The CCCProgram began in the depression area of the1930’s. It was a national program. Many of theForest roads were built bythe “CCC boys.” The smalllakes around the Forestwere built as watersupplies for the CCCCamps. The programlapsed during WWII. Itwas revived in 1979. TheCamp below Pond LickLake was active from 1979until 2004. The programlapsed in 2004, and thebuildings and camp were removed. The onlyremnant is the log cabin from the original CCCCamp of the 1940’s. This historic building is builtof American Chestnut logs. American Chestnutwas the major forest species in this region until a

3

blight wiped it out soon after the turn of the 20thcentury. The root systems remain, and the treescontinue to sprout in Shawnee State Forest. However,before they can produce seeds, the blight strikes themagain. NOTE: In 2007, the cabin was moved toShawnee State Park, next to their nature center.

White Oak and Other Oak MortalityAs you drive along you will notice a lot of dead oaktrees. This widespread mortality was triggered bystress from a drought in 1999. In 2000 many whiteoaks were defoliated by Forest Tent Caterpillars. In2001 another round of defoliation occurred. This iswhen the mortality became evident. A summerdrought occurred in 2002, and Common Oak MothCaterpillars defoliated more trees. Theice storm in 2003 stressed many treesfurther by snapping out large portionsof the trees’ crowns. That stressshowed up in 2004 with Scarlet Oaksand Black Oaks adding to the oakmortality. Inch worms (genus Phigalia)and Common Oak Moth once again fedon the tree leaves. Chestnut Borers arenow common under the bark of dyingtrees, as well as Hypoxylon canker.

As you proceed, you will notice severalfields on the left and right. These areas are mowed for

hay each year. In so doing, wemaintain some open field habitatthat is important for many speciesof wildlife. Shawnee State Forestholds a bounty of flora and fauna. Itis a treasure trove of many speciesof birds, butterflies, trees andwildflowers. People come frommiles around for birding, observingwildflowers, and other forms ofnature appreciation. Over athousand species of plants and

animals are found here. At least seventy-five speciesof trees grow here. Threatened and endangeredspecies like Dwarf Iris, Bobcat, and TimberRattlesnake inhabit the Forest.

Birding in the Forest is outstanding. The AnnualAudubon Christmas Bird Count has been centeredin the Forest since the 1920’s. In April, 2004, theOhio Ornithological Society held its firstconference at Shawnee State Forest and Park. In athree-day weekend, birders recorded 156 species ofbirds, most of them within Shawnee Forest.Butterflies have been surveyed annually in theForest since 1992. Seventy-one species ofbutterflies have been observed to date.

Shawnee Forest is a large and contiguous tract ofpublic land. Long-term public ownership allowsfor long-term management and protection.Sustainable forestry allows timber harvesting while

at the same time protectingsoil, water and wildlife. Italso creates a matrix ofhabitats from earlysuccessional to maturehardwood forests. As aresult, “Shawnee StateForest represents the bestof Ohio’s biodiversity.”(Natural Ohio, Winter,2001 issue.)

When you get to Route125, turn left. Go about a mile and turn right onForest Road 1 by Boy Scout Camp Oyo. CampOyo is one of the oldest Boy Scout Camps. TheCamp occupies about fifty acres and bordersShawnee State Forest. It is an ideal location for aBoy Scout Camp. As you proceed up the road youwill pass a few more inholdings. A little further andyou will see where Hobey Hollow Bridle Trail goesoff to the left. This area has historic significance asit was once part of the Roosevelt Game Preserve.Today it is one of the most popular bridle trails inthe Forest.

During some of the deer and turkey huntingseasons, Hobey Hollow is open as a primitive campfor hunters. Shawnee State Forest is a PublicHunting Area. Hunting and fishing are allowed asregulated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The

most popular game species in the Forest are deer,wild turkey, gray squirrel, ruffed grouse, andrabbits.

Hunting seasons generally begin in September andrun through February. Then spring turkey seasonstarts late in April and runs through part of May.Check the Division of Wildlife regulations forspecific seasons and bag limits.

At the top of the hill you meet a gravelroad, Forest Road 14. Pull over on theright. This is STOP 4. Just ahead on the

right is one of the many vistas maintainedby the Division of Forestry. It is nice to get a viewout across the forest. To maintain the view, thetrees must be kept out of the way. That is done withthe use of Prescribed Fire on a three to five yearcycle.

Prescribed Fire is also used in the Forest to favoroak seedling in the understory and reduce theheavy fuel (logs and limbs) in the understory.Research has shown that fires in the landscapeduring the past centuries resulted in more oak treesgetting established in the forests in this part of thecountry. After fire control measures went intoeffect in the 1920’s, fires have been suppressed andreduced. Now we know that to maintain the impor-tant oak forests, we need to reintroduce fire to theforests. Shawnee State Forest has a ten year plan toprescribed burn about 1800 acres per year with lowto moderate intensity fires from 2005 – 2015.

The District 6 staff includes a maintenance crew ofsix laborers and Equipment Operators. They are theones who take care of the roads and bridges youhave been driving on. They also assist with wildfiresuppression in Scioto and Adams Counties, as wellas with prescribed fires in the State Forest System.They have numerous other duties as well, includingmaintenance of over 200 miles of Forest boundary(painted yellow).

Continue on the blacktop Forest Road 1 whichswitches back to the left at this point. At the bottomof the hill, go a little further, and turn left on Forest

4

Road 4. Go to the top of thehill and follow Road 4 to theright.

Note: For a side trip, turnleft on gravel Forest Road 6.About a mile ahead on theright is Copperhead FireTower. There is a parking areajust past the fire tower on theleft. Feel free to take a look atthe fire tower, but DO NOTCLIMB UP ON IT. That isprohibited due to its unsafecondition. This was the firstfire tower in Ohio, erected in1922. (Fire towers are nolonger needed to detectwildfires in Ohio, and most ofthem have been taken down.)

Continuing on Forest Road 4,follow it down the hill and on

to Bear Lake HorseCamp. This isSTOP 5. Feel free

to stop here andlook around. This primitive,sixty-site Camp is forcampers with horses only. Itties in conveniently tonumerous bridle trails. It isespecially popular from Aprilthrough October, and full onholiday weekends. The SciotoCounty Chapter of the OhioHorsemen’s Council volun-teers maintain the bridle trailsin Shawnee State Forest. They have made improve-ments at the Horse Camp, like the horse tie poles.They also improve the bridle trail system whenpossible, and maintain a parking and recreation accessarea on Rt. 52 called “Moore Run.”

State Forest Officers provide the law enforcementnecessary to protect forest visitors and the Forest.They assist the public, respond to emergencies, write

5

citations, investigate encroachments across theForest boundary, and enforce state laws and forestrules. They also have authority to enter onto privateproperty to investigate wildfires and to enforce theopen burning laws.

On down Forest Road 4 past the Camp, you’ll seesome yellow signs that say “Vegetation ClearanceLimit.” They mark areas around the Forest where

C-7

T-202

T-97

T-1

83 C-96

C-9

6C

-96

T-99 T-104

T-1

02

C-49

C-4

9

C-4

9

C-181

C-41

C-41

C-43

T-92

T-91

C-42

T-9

0C-40

T-87

SandySprings

BuenaVista

Friendship

Lombardsville

SugarGrove

Ridge

Blackburn

Buckhorn

Rid

ge

Grass Lick

Mackletree

Lampblack Run

BridgeTimber

Morgan

SilverArrow

Hobey

Hollo

w

Rock

Lic

k

Silv

er

Arr

ow

Con

ley’

sR

un

Pig

eon

Ro

ost

McAtee

Mo

or e

Run

Ohio

River

Ohio River

TurkeyCreekLake

RooseveltLake

Rock

Run

Su

lph

ur

Cre

ek

Tw

in

Creek

Lower

Upper

Creek

Twin

Pond

Creek

Run

Pond

Run

Lick

Nace Run

East

Creek

Fork

Rocky

For

k

Odell

Cre

ek

Sto

ney R

un

Brouses

Ru

n

Careys

Creek

Run

Pond

CreekBear

Creek

Turkey

Creek

McAtee

Run

Vast

ine R

un

Hollo

w

Patc

hC

abbage

To O

tway

52

52

125

125

73

371

64

119

4

1

2

2

22

1

1

5

23

13

8

19

16

6

25

66

3

1

14

0 0.5 1

0 0.5 1

3 kilometers

2 miles

2

BEAR LAKE

WOLFDEN

LAKE

LODGE,CABINS,

PARK OFFICE

CAMPOFFICE

BOY SCOUT CAMPOYO

FORESTHEADQUARTERS

PICNICPOINT

POND LICK

LAKE

McBRIDE

LAKE

POND

POND

BCMAMARINA

GOLFCOURSE

WILDERNESSAREA

1

2

3

4

5