Wayne National Forest OHV
The Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio manages approximately 145 miles of designated OHV trails across four named systems (Monday Creek (~75 miles), Hanging Rock (26 miles), Long Ridge (13 miles), and Pine Creek), distributed across the Athens, Ironton, and Marietta-Caldwell Ranger Districts in the Appalachian hill country of Ohio's southeast. The Wayne is the only national forest in Ohio, and its OHV network represents the largest block of publicly managed OHV terrain in the state. The Athens Ranger District's Monday Creek system is the largest and most visited: 75 miles of trail through the sandstone uplands west of Athens, following former coal road corridors through second-growth hardwood forest with the creek-bottom crossings and grade changes that reflect the outer Appalachian terrain of Hocking and Perry counties. The Hanging Rock system on the Ironton Ranger District occupies the Lawrence County hill country near the Kentucky border: more rugged, less trafficked, and accessed from a different set of trailheads. ATVs up to 50 inches wide are the primary permitted vehicle class; UTVs and side-by-sides wider than 50 inches are not permitted on the designated trail systems, a restriction that matters for full-size machines. Trail passes are required: $20 for a 3-day pass or $35 for a season pass per rider 16 and older. Season runs mid-April through mid-December. Contact the Athens Ranger District for current trail conditions (740-753-0101).