Overview
Wayne National Forest is in Southeast Ohio, the only national forest in Ohio.
1 sights · 2 things to do · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Wayne National Forest
Vesuvius Furnace
A historic furnace that produced iron used in the American Civil War era.
Lake Vesuvius Fishing Derby
A fishing derby held at Lake Vesuvius.
Wheelin’ Sportsmen Fishing Event
A fishing event for disabled anglers.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Columbus)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PKB Mid Ohio Valley Regional Airport, Parkersburg (Williamstown) — 39 mi away. Directions
- CRW Yeager Airport, Charleston — 53 mi away. Directions
- CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Columbus — 79 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Vesuvius Furnace, Wheelin’ Sportsmen Fishing Event
- Afternoon Lake Vesuvius Fishing Derby
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
There are many locations in Wayne National Forest ideal for Picnicking.
More adventurous travelers may attempt to forage for food. Small amounts of mushrooms and blackberries may be foraged without a permit. Collection of rooted plants such as cohosh, ginger, and ginseng all require a permit, which costs $20 for either ginseng or all other approved plants in a single permit.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The forest is clustered in three areas along the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River.
- The southern cluster is primarily located in Lawrence County and spans from Portsmouth to Gallipolis and along the northern banks of the Ohio River.
- The northwestern cluster primarily spreads across Athens, Hocking and Perry Counties and includes Athens on its southern end.
- The northeastern cluster is located in Washington and Monroe Counties running from Marietta northeast along the Ohio River.
History
The grounds include many areas that were strip mined in the late 1800s. Accordingly, the forest includes areas experiencing various degrees of reforestation.
Landscape
The forest is nestled in rugged foothills of the Appalachian Mountain Range, north of the Ohio River Valley.
Flora and fauna
The Wayne National Forest boasts more than 2,000 species of plants, including hardwoods, pine and cedar as well as an endangered species, running buffalo clover. Wildlife includes bobcats, coyotes, eagles, hawks, osprey, wild turkey, turkey-vultures and songbirds as well as deer and beaver. Among Bigfoot researchers, the rugged forested hills are suspected to harbor a sizable Bigfoot population.
Climate
The climate changes considerably throughout the course of the year. In the winter months it is on average around 30°F during the day time and can dip in lower teens at night. In the summer the day time temperature ranges on average from about 77 to 90 °F, night time temperature are in mid 60s. the fall and spring have very mild weather. The rainiest months is normally April and May.
Ranger Stations
Because the forest is geographically separated into 3 separate regions, it is managed by 3 separate ranger units.
Get in
By plane
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), take US-33, approximately 45 miles, from Columbus to the northwestern forest cluster.
- Charleston Yeager Airport 45 miles to the southern forest cluster.
- Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) travel via I-70 west and I-77 south approximately 75 miles to the eastern forest cluster.
- Also the Wayne National Forest is an approximately 2-hour drive from:
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), a United Airline Hub, via I-77 south or
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), a Delta Airline Hub, travel east along US-50 or SR-32 to the forest areas.
By car
- I-77, running north-south through Ohio from Cleveland to Marietta provides access to most national forest areas.
- Interstates 64, 70 and 79 can also be utilized to map out a route from the east, west and south regions to the forest.
Fees and permits
Permits are required for offroad vehicles. No permits are needed for horseback riding or cycling.
Reservations are encouraged for developed campsites, and primitive camps only require a permit for groups of 75 people or more.
Plant Collecting, hunting, and fishing requires a permit or licence.
Get around
By car
By foot
The forest includes 300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback and ATVs.
See
Do
The Wayne National Forest offers a number of standard park activities such as, Biking, Camping,Canoeing, Hiking, Picnicking, Fishing, Swimming, and Hunting
Buy
- Amish Country crafts
Eat
There are many locations in Wayne National Forest ideal for Picnicking.
More adventurous travelers may attempt to forage for food. Small amounts of mushrooms and blackberries may be foraged without a permit. Collection of rooted plants such as cohosh, ginger, and ginseng all require a permit, which costs $20 for either ginseng or all other approved plants in a single permit.
Sleep
Lodging
Bed and Breakfasts
Camping
Stay Burr Oak Cove
on the northwest tip of the Burr Oak Reservoir. Fee of $13/night during high demand seasons (roughly, Memorial Day to Labor Day). Camping free of charge at other times of the year.
Stay Stone Church Horse Camp
includes 21 miles of scenic trails for horseback riding. Fee of $10/night during high demand seasons. Camping free of charge at other times of the year, but campground is closed from December 15th through April 14th.
Backcountry
Stay safe
Much of this area is not served by cell phone towers and you will have no communications. Consider downloading maps of the forest in advance for GPS apps to allow for offline navigation, and bring a paper map of the area and a compass as a backup. Most stream water in the forest is not drinkable.
The area is popular with hunters and all terrain vehicle (ATV) users. Rumor has it that the area is also popular with marijuana growers, in and out of the Wayne National Forest. If you come upon a patch, change direction and move on slowly while looking for man-traps. Don't even think about getting close enough to pick any. You may be being video taped by law enforcement, or worse.
Exercise ordinary caution as in any outdoor activity.
Go next
- Ohio State Parks - Includes more information on Burr Oak State Park.
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Ohio's only national park.
- Ohio Indian Burial Grounds - Adena Native American sites
- Athens - home of Ohio University
Nearby
Point Pleasant
City / town · 11 listings · 14 mi away
Gallipolis
City / town · 9 listings · 18 mi away
Athens
City / town · 59 listings · 19 mi away
Nelsonville
City / town · 14 listings · 30 mi away
Parkersburg
City / town · 38 listings · 31 mi away
Jackson
City / town · 23 listings · 31 mi away
Hocking Hills State Park
Park · 19 listings · 37 mi away
Marietta
City / town · 36 listings · 41 mi away
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