Zaleski State Forest

Zaleski State Forest is one of Ohio’s largest state forests and one of the most wild and remote natural areas in the state, a vast, rolling landscape of second-growth hardwood forest covering the deeply hollowed ridges and valleys of the hilly country in Vinton County, southeastern Ohio. Managed for timber, wildlife and recreation, Zaleski offers a rugged backcountry experience rarely found in the Midwest.

The forest is best known among backpackers for the Zaleski Backpacking Trail, a 23-mile loop through remote ridges and hollows with primitive camping shelters — one of Ohio’s premier backpacking routes. Beyond backpacking, the forest offers mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting, birding, and the chance to explore one of Ohio’s most ecologically recovering landscapes, where reclaimed strip-mined land and second-growth forest blend with deeper, older hollows. Remote, peaceful and surprisingly rugged, Zaleski is a destination for those seeking Ohio’s wilder side.

Zaleski State Forest is renowned for the Zaleski Backpacking Trail, a 23-mile loop through remote ridges and hollows with primitive Adirondack-style shelters at intervals, offering one of Ohio’s finest multiday backpacking experiences. Beyond backpacking, the forest offers mountain biking on the North Loop Trail, equestrian trails, hunting for deer, turkey, squirrel and grouse, fishing in the forest ponds and streams, birding, nature study, and dispersed hiking on forest roads and primitive trails through the remote hollows and ridges.

Fall is spectacular in Zaleski, when the hardwood canopy turns gold and russet across the remote ridges and hollows — the backpacking trail is superb in fall color. Spring brings wildflowers and birdsong through the recovering forest. Summer offers dense green shade for hiking and birding, though it can be humid. Hunting seasons in fall and winter draw sportsmen. The forest is rewarding year-round for those who enjoy solitude and wild forest; weather can be changeable in the hills, and the backpacking shelters fill on fall weekends.

Zaleski State Forest stands on land that tells Ohio’s story of industrial use and recovery — the Vinton County hill country was logged heavily in the 19th century and then strip-mined for coal, leaving a worn-out landscape that the state acquired and began restoring. The forest takes its name from Peter Zaleski, a 19th-century Belgian financier who had interests in the local iron furnace era of the region. Over decades, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has rebuilt the forest through replanting and natural regeneration, and the recovering woodland now hosts abundant wildlife.

Zaleski State Forest lies in the unglaciated hill country of southeastern Ohio, where soft shales and sandstones underlying the ridges and hollows were not smoothed by the glaciers that covered much of the state. The rolling, dissected terrain — with sharp ridges and deep, winding hollows — reflects the erosive action of streams cutting through the layered sedimentary rock over millions of years. The coal seams that underlie parts of the forest drove the strip-mining that shaped much of the landscape now being reclaimed by the recovering woodland.

Zaleski State Forest supports a rich and recovering wildlife community — white-tailed deer, wild turkey, red and gray foxes, coyotes, ruffed grouse and a diverse community of forest birds thrive in the second-growth hardwoods and recovering hollows. The forest is excellent for birding, with species characteristic of mature eastern woodland. Black bears have been reported with increasing frequency in southeastern Ohio’s forests. Ponds and streams support fish, frogs and salamanders, and the remote hollows shelter wildlife undisturbed by development.

Zaleski State Forest is an ongoing ecological recovery story, where former strip-mined and logged land is returning to diverse woodland. The recovering forest blends young and maturing second-growth hardwood with older hollows that escaped the worst disturbance, supporting increasing biodiversity as the canopy closes and the understory develops. Forest ponds, streams and wetlands add aquatic habitat. The state forest is managed for multiple uses including timber production, but the scale of the recovery — and the wildlife it supports — makes Zaleski one of Ohio’s most significant ecological restoration landscapes.

Zaleski State Forest, in the remote hill country of Vinton County, reflects the arc of Ohio’s land use history — from old-growth clearance through the iron and coal industries to state acquisition and recovery. Its famous backpacking trail, its hunting heritage and its remote, wild character have made it a cherished destination for Ohioans seeking solitude and backcountry recreation. In a state where wild, remote forested land is rare, Zaleski holds a special place as one of the most expansive and genuinely wild forest landscapes in Ohio.

Zaleski State Forest is in Vinton County in southeastern Ohio, with its main office near McArthur and trailheads and forest access roads off State Route 278 and surrounding roads, roughly 75 miles southeast of Columbus. The forest is free to access, with no entry fee. The Zaleski Backpacking Trail is the primary attraction; shelters are first-come, first-served. Mountain bike and horse trails are also available. The roads into the forest are rural. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for maps, trail conditions and current regulations before visiting.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources manages Zaleski State Forest for multiple uses — timber, wildlife, hunting and recreation — while continuing the long-term restoration of land that was heavily logged and strip-mined. Visitors help by practicing leave-no-trace camping and backpacking, using designated fire rings at the shelters, packing out all trash, staying on trails, and respecting the recovering forest and its wildlife. Protecting the water quality of the forest’s streams and ponds sustains both the ecology and the wilderness character that makes Zaleski special.

Zaleski’s remote terrain and minimal facilities demand self-sufficiency — carry detailed maps (cell service is poor in the hollows), sufficient water and food, a first-aid kit and navigation tools. The backpacking trail is rugged in places; creek crossings can be challenging after rain. Hunting is permitted in season — wear blaze orange during deer and turkey seasons. Weather in the southeastern Ohio hills can change quickly. Know your route and planned shelter locations before setting out, and tell someone your plan.

Zaleski State Forest is free to access; follow Ohio Department of Natural Resources state forest rules. Backpackers must use the designated Adirondack shelters or camp at least 100 feet from trails, water and shelters. Camp fires are permitted only in shelter fire rings. Pack out all trash. Hunting and fishing require Ohio licenses and follow state seasons and regulations. Mountain bikes are limited to designated trails. Pets must be on a leash or under control. Motorized vehicles are restricted to designated roads. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for current rules.

Zaleski State Forest adjoins the Lake Hope State Park, with its lake, beach, campground and cabins in the heart of the forest, and the area is close to the Hocking Hills region to the north and west. The small towns of McArthur and Zaleski are the nearest services. The Raccoon Creek and its tributaries flow through the region, and the broader Vinton County hill country offers a rural, quiet backdrop. Zaleski and Lake Hope together make a rich southeastern Ohio outdoor destination.

Plan the 23-mile Zaleski Backpacking Trail as an overnight or two-night loop, reserving a day for travel in and out of the remote forest — fall is the prime season, when the hardwood color is spectacular and the air is cool. Download maps before you go (cell service is limited), pack shelter-to-shelter distances carefully, use bear-resistant containers or hang food at shelters, and wear blaze orange during hunting seasons. Combine with adjacent Lake Hope State Park for a cabin or campground base.