Backpacking Zaleski State Forest
Zaleski Sate Forest is located in south-central Ohio, just a short jump north of the Ohio River. It is in one of the most rugged and scenic areas in the state, and boasts some of the truest "backcountry" conditions in the great state of Ohio. There are deep ravines, craggy cliffs, and rushing streams. Several of the higher hills reach 900 feet or more in elevation (with some topping 1000), adding to the sensation of being in a (very) small mountain range. These Appalachian foothills are truly natural gem.
The threat of rain loomed as we headed on the three hour drive to Zaleski State Forest. It held off most of the way and even stayed dry as we started the trail. We entered the South loop with a nice pine stand and gradual slopes as we moved further away from the parking lot and civilization. I was much more well-equipped for this trip than my first one this year--hydration bladder, raingear, lighter pack--The proper gear makes all the difference. As we headed deeper into the woods, thunder rumbled in the distance and the sky became dark. We knew we were in for rain, so the guys and I threw our raingear on and covered our packs. Soon, the light drizzle became a steady, soaking rain. The trail became a muddy mess as we pressed on towards the second campsite and our destination for the evening.
We passed through deep woods, along a rocky overlook, and up and down over several steep ascents and descents. Zaleski makes decent use of switchbacks, but there are a couple steep climbs. I did something bad to my knee along the way, and was in intense pain the second leg of day one. A big dose of Ibuprofen helped me make it through and it we finally made it to camp.
Of course, the rain stopped by the time we made it to camp. Thankfully, we were able to set up our tents/tarp and eat dinner in dry comfort. Our fire never really got to where we wanted it, but was pleasant enough for a nice evening. We enjoyed chatting about stupid things and playing with a green laser pointer while an obnoxious group of high-schoolers/young college kids made serious noise at the campsite beside us. My idea of backpacking and camping usually doesn't involve obnoxious kids.
It was annoying, to say the least, and they didn't go to sleep until after 1 a.m. We gave them a piece of our mind, which didn't seem to affect them. Over their loudness, I heard coyotes howling somewhere down in a hollow not far away. The more the girls in the youth group giggled, the more the coyotes howled.
About two in the morning, the rain started up again. It rained steadily all night, and we woke up to soaked tent flys and fog. It was chilly and damp but not raining as we packed up. The annoying youth group beat us to the trail, so we relished in our newfound quiet. We finally hit the trail and the sun came out, making for a nice second day. We wrapped up our backpacking excursion around noon on day two, and headed for home.
This truly was a great outdoor experience with my good friends, and Zaleski doesn't fail to deliver on adventure. If you're in Ohio and looking for some outdoor fun, think about hitting up Zaleski State Forest!
