"Don't unplug the fridge!!!" We recently headed south for a weekend of camping and hiking at Shawnee State Park. The park, located near Portsmouth, is nearly 1,100 acres and falls within the 63,000 acre Shawnee State Forest. There is so much to do here, although we just came to hike and drink beers by the campfire. Alcohol is not permitted outside of your tent or RV so shhhh and pretend you didn't just read that! But seriously, in addition to hiking you'll find swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, mini golf, basketball, a Little Free Library and more. There are several trails throughout the park, including a 60-mile backpack trail. We went for the Shawnee Forest Day Hike Trail. We read that it was 7.2 miles, a moderate hike, and gorgeous. When we approached the trail head a sign read that it's actually just 4.2 miles - they must have cut out a portion. Slightly disappointing but it was nearly 80 degrees that day, so we were okay with it. The trail is legit. When it's flat, it's flat, but when it's steep, it. is. steep. Grateful for my Keen hiking boots for stabilizing my ankles on the somewhat rocky terrain. I'm no nature expert, but it's safe to say there are a ton of different species of plants and animals out there. What was true about what we read is that the trail is gorgeous. The pics below are your proof. We only saw one other person out there, along with his dog. Don't get me wrong, I love y'all, but it was nice having the place (mostly) to ourselves. I also took an early morning solo hike on the Knighton Nature Trail, which ran behind our campsite. Equally as lovely, quiet, and empty. The campgrounds were quite nice. They have bathrooms and bathhouses. I don't mind a day or two sans shower, but I also don't hate having access to running water, so this was welcomed. The sites themselves are fairly close together, but very wooded so you still have your privacy. They each have a fire pit and picnic table, as well as electrical outlets. We brought a mini grill to make dinner and I thought that was fancy. The guys next to us brought a mini FRIDGE and hooked that bad boy up. Now THAT is fancy (and/or a bit much?). They also brought a power saw and were using it to cut firewood. I'm 97% sure this is against park rules.... Overall a lovely weekend, and a place I would definitely return to - although there are about 8 million places on the agenda first!
Worth noting: - The camp store sells firewood, ice, charcoal, bug spray, and other things you might have forgotten or run out of. You can also rent cornhole here :) - The town of Friendship, where the park is located, is dry. If you run out of beer you'll have to head to Portsmouth. It isn't too far, maybe 20 minutes. While there, check out the Floodwall Murals. - The town does have a bar, The Dairy Bar. They serve ice cream and other delicious treats. Rural Ohio really does ice cream best, amiright? - Can't speak for all cell providers, but us Verizon users didn't get service in the park. A blessing and a curse, if I'm honest. Adventure on, my friends!
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"Learned how maple syrup was made in the 1800s. What did you do last weekend?" Back in February, I unleashed my inner nerd and took her to Slate Run Historical Farm in Canal Winchester. At Slate Run, you can experience what life would have been like at an 1880s farm here in Ohio. There are gardens, barns full of animals, and an old farmhouse maintained by costumed staff and volunteers. And if you like giant hogs, you're in luck, there are plenty of those too. Like all of the Columbus Metro Parks, Slate Run offers different programming. We went to learn how maple syrup is made - and, if I'm honest, to sample that tasty treat. It was quite interesting. We were able to view the different equipment used, hike into the woods to see how the trees were tapped to extract the sap, and sample maple sugar and syrup in the farmhouse. While the demonstration was fun, probably more enjoyable was wandering around the farm after. That place is FULL of animals. Turkeys, hogs, sheep, sleeping horses. You can play with old farm equipment, watch the staff make brooms 1880s style, and just enjoy seeing what life was like during a simpler time. While at the farm, we also took a hike through Slate Run Park. They share a parking lot, so no excuse not to. There are over 12 miles of trails, from easy to difficult, paved to dirt. We took the Sugar Maple Trail and then connected to the Covered Bridge Trail. What was fun about our hike was that the trail was still snow covered, making it both beautiful and empty. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing the experience of a hike with strangers, but every now and then it's fun to have the place all to yourself. And we did. The trail had some steep inclines. On a normal day your basic sneaks would do, but with the compact and slippery snow, our hiking boots were a must. We hiked a total of about 5 miles, and all were gorgeous and will bring me back again. Now that the snow has long since melted and the trees have regained their leaves, I'm sure it would be an equally beautiful but different experience. I'm particularly interested in checking out the Kokomo Trail. Not just because Kokomo is one of my fav Beach Boys songs, but because I hear it's great for checking out all the wildlife at the park. You can learn more about the Farm and Park here: http://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/. Adventure on, my friends! Welcome to the My Ohio Adventure blog! I've been out and about a lot this year, and wanted to start journaling those adventures, so I could remember it all. Figured if I'm going to take the time to document my exploits, might as well share it with others! Expect pics, reviews, random ramblings about my adventures, and updates on fun things going on around Ohio. You can also give me a follow on Instagram. Over there I share pics of what I'm up to around the Buckeye State, as well as shots shared via the #myohioadventure tag. Y'all are up to some cool stuff - check it out!
I hope you enjoy my reviews, and are inspired to get out and see all the different things Ohio has to offer. It's a pretty great state! -Christa |
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