Horse Riding

Riding horses on the Wayne NF

Three trail systems offer varying lengths and experiences for the trail rider. Click on the trail system below to find out more. For a downloadable rack card (front and back) of horse trails on the Wayne click here.

You must bring your own horse to ride our trails. We do not have horses available on the Forest to rent.

Printable Maps

Horse Riding Areas

Athens Ranger District - Athens Area
Located 70 miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio, the Athens Unit of the Athens Ranger District is home to the Wayne National Forest Welcome Center. From here you can learn about all that the Wayne National Forest has to offer and plan your trip.
Stone Church Horseback Riding System
Named for the skeletal ruins of an old stone church nearby, the Stone Church Horse Trail System provides a great opportunity for scenic riding. Various loops for other distances are available. The horse trail winds through the rolling hills of the Wayne National Forest. The trails will lead you through a variety of vegetation- open fields, brushland, mature forest, and new forest. Along the way, you may glimpse wildlife, and will recognize the influence of humans, both now and in the past. You will also pass many of our land management activities.

The trailhead provides a camp specifically for equestrians and 21 miles of scenic riding. The horse camp has ten sites are provided at the campground, each with a 45' long by 15' wide parking space. Two sites are fully accessible for people with disabilities. Each site has a covered paddock, fire pit, grill, and tent pad.
Old Stone Church Trailhead
Stone Church Horse Camp
Athens Ranger District - Marietta Area
Located in Marietta, OH, the Marietta Unit serves the southeastern parts of Ohio's Wayne National Forest.

Office Contact Information
- Phone: (740) 373-9055
- Address: 27750 Star Route 7, Marietta, OH 45750
Kinderhook Horseback Riding System
This is the Wayne National Forest's newest trail system which provides 12 miles of scenic riding. Horses, mountain bike riders, and hikers are welcome on this trail.The trail winds through some of the steeper hills on the Wayne National Forest. It will lead you through a variety of vegetation: open fields, brushland, mature forest, and new forest. Along the way, you may glimpse wildlife, and will recognize the influence of humans, both now and in the past. You will also pass many of our land management activities.
Kinderhook Trailhead
Ironton Ranger District - Ironton Area
The Ironton Ranger District is located in Lawrence, Scioto, Gallia, and Jackson counties. Total acreage is 107,090 acres. Visitor information can be obtained from the Ironton Ranger Station located north of Ironton, Ohio in Pedro, Ohio.
Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area
The Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area is the Wayne National Forest's premier developed recreation site and is named after the historic Vesuvius Iron Furnace. The rugged hills and out-cropping cliffs provide a scenic backdrop for this historical and beautiful site.

It contains a 143-acre lake, two family campgrounds and one group campground, beach and swim area, multiple picnic areas, fishing, boating, hiking, scenic overlook and an archery trail. This recreation area is home to the 46-mile Lake Vesuvius Horse Trail System, open from early spring to winter.
Lake Vesuvius Horseback Riding System
The Lake Vesuvius horse trails wind through some of the most striking landscapes in Ohio. They will lead you through a variety of vegetation where many species of wildlife live. You will ride along rock cliffs, water falls, streams and along ridge tops. The trails will lead you through a variety of vegetation where many species of wildlife live. Expect to see open fields, brushland, mature forest, and young forests. Along the way, you will notice man's influence and land management activities.

The Lake Vesuvius horseback trails system isapproximately 46 miles long and is composed of 9 trails, 4 trailheads, and one horse campground.
Balancing Rock Trailhead
Bluegrass Trailhead
John's Creek Trailhead
Paddle Creek Horse Camp
Sand Hill Trailhead