Wayne National Forest – Symmes Creek & Morgan Sisters Trails
BackpackOhio.com status: Last hiked March, 2021. An updated trail report download is now available.
County: Gallia
Nearest town: Rio Grande
Length: 13.6 mile loop with several shorter options available.
Difficulty: Hiking is moderate with some steep climbs and drops. Route is poorly marked in several spots. Blazes (white diamonds) are inconsistent
Permit/Fees: No permit is required to hike or camp in Wayne NF.
Location: Trailhead #1: is located on Symmes Creek Road (N38° 48.970′ W82° 26.704′) From Chillicothe, follow US-35 East for 40 miles. Turn right on Centerville Rd, then right on OH-279 West. Bear left to continue on Centerpoint Rd. Turn right onto Nebo Rd, right onto Wolf Run, right onto Symmes Creek Rd. The unmarked Trailhead is about ½ mile on the right.
Contact Information: Wayne National Forest Ironton Ranger District: (740) 534-6500. Web, https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/wayne/maps-pubs
Trail Facilities: There are no designated campsites on the trail and no latrines on the route or at the trailheads.
Water: There is no potable water available. There are seasonal creeks along the route as well as the turbid waters of Symmes Creek and Kenton Lake. As always, treat or filter any water obtained from natural sources. Remember that there was historic mining in the area when deciding whether to drink the local liquid or pack in all needed water. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service recommends against drinking even filtered water collected from within Wayne National Forest due to the possibility of contamination.
Maps: Wayne National Forest – Hiking, Backpacking and Mountain Bike Map
Internet: Wayne National Forest
Local Information:
Wayne National Forest, Ohio’s only National Forest, consists of over 250,000 acres spread over three districts in the southeastern part of the state. Much of the land is former farmland, in various stages of return to mature forest. There are numerous backpacking options, each providing a unique experience. Symmes Creek and Morgan Sisters Trails, in the Ironton District, lean toward one of the more “adventurous” choices. Considered to be in the Appalachian foothills, the rugged land varies by as much as 300 feet, from Symmes Creek’s approximately 650-foot elevation to the highest point on the “Ridge Loop.” The trail makes repeated trips between these extremes.
Symmes Creek and Morgan Sisters Trails are two connected trails in Wayne National Forest that together provide a challenging 13 ½ mile loop, with shorter options available. There is a Symmes Creek Trail Loop, and Morgan Sisters Trail includes the Schoolhouse Loop, Ridge Loop and Coal Branch Loop, along with connector trails. Sandstone outcroppings, pine groves and plenty of mature trees, along with the pretty waters of Coal Branch and Symmes Creek, make for a satisfying hike. The trails present some real differences when compared to other options in the state. They are located in a very rural section of the state, nowhere near a large population center. Usage by hikers appears to be very low. As an example, hiking the trail on three beautiful days in early March, we encountered only one other hiker (who was lost). The campsites that I looked over had not appeared to have been used in quite some time.
As with all the trails in Wayne National Forest, there are no designated campsites. Camping is allowed throughout the forest but, a number of locations are relatively flat and have obvious signs of being used as campsites. Several of these “possible campsites” these have been located on the trail’s map. The trail is designated as foot travel only, though it is obvious that all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) also make use of parts of the trails.
At first blush, the trails seemed like a great spot to get away from the high use of some other trails in Ohio. On the flip side, trail signage was minimal and, in some locations, completely absent. Blazes were white plastic triangles with a center dot. The color of the dot, in theory, denotes which trail, but it is not consistent. It is obvious that the blazes haven’t been maintained in quite some time. Turns and intersections are often poorly marked as well. The significant unauthorized all-terrain vehicle (ATV) usage and their “trails” complicate navigation as well. Also, unfortunately the amount of beer cans left along the trail was incredible, especially along Symmes Creek Trail and the Schoolhouse Loop of Morgan Sisters Trail. In fact, more than once, my best effort to figure out where the trail actually ran involved the use of beer cans as navigation beacons. Hiking this trail is a totally different experience than most others in the state.
The Hike:
The trail itself has multiple access points. Directions in this guide are based on starting at Trailhead #1, the farthest eastern trailhead located on Symmes Creek Road. There was no obvious signage indicating I was at the trailhead, the correct parking lot or even in the National Forest. There’s room for several cars in the gravel lot and it was empty on a beautiful day in March, 2021.
After an initial 250 or so foot climb from Trailhead #1, the path stays up on a ridge for the next mile. There are multiple campsite options along the ridge, which include wintertime views. Soon the trail drops back down, passing the 2nd trailhead and running along Symmes Creek. Along the creek is a highlight of the route: large sandstone outcroppings. Several impressive formations tower above the trail and the creek over nearly a mile. After a short climb away from the creek, Symmes Creek Trail turns left, straight uphill and back towards the trailhead, while a poorly marked right turn puts you on a connector trail back down to Symmes Creek and the loops of the Morgan Sisters Trail….
Updated Trail Guide download is now available.
