Skip to main content

Plan Your Visit


Discover Ohio's only national forest and explore 244,000 acres of scenic Appalachian foothills.

Recreation Guide

Welcome to Wayne National Forest

The Wayne National Forest is a patchwork of public land that covers over a quarter million acres of Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio. The Forest is divided into three units managed out of two Ranger District offices located in Nelsonville and Ironton, with a field office in Marietta.

Know Before You Go

Download a Map

Trail Permit Questions

Closures and Area Alerts

Recreation Opportunities

Get out and GO!

A man rides a mountain bike up a hill.
The Wayne National Forest has trails managed for mountain bikes in the Athens and Marietta Units of the Athens Ranger District. Mountain bikes are…
Horses at trailhead
The Wayne National Forest has 79 miles of horse trails available to ride. Each of the trail systems allows for camping and some have specific camping…
OHV Riders
As the largest off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail system in Ohio, The Wayne is known for its premier OHV trails. The Wayne National Forest provides some…
View All Opportunities

Spotlights

Orphan Wells & Abandoned Mines Project

stream capture in the process of being remediated

Southeast Ohio has a long history of mining and drilling. This extractive legacy has left many long-standing marks on the land, especially from the time period before government regulation.

Current and Recent Projects in Analysis

Horseback riding a lake vesuvius

Before certain activities can take place on the Wayne National Forest, we complete an analysis of the potential effects and involve the public. 

Sunny Oaks Project Information

Sunny Oaks Thumb

The Sunny Oaks project intends to create young, brushy forests of oaks and hickories, increase forest resilience, and contribute to local economies through commercial timber harvests. 

Features