About the Area
The Wayne National Forest is nestled among the Appalachian Foothills in southeast Ohio. The region is distinctly Appalachian in culture, heavily forested, and rich in history. Southeast Ohio is a tourist’s dream, with ample opportunities to explore nature, eat at local restaurants, and shop at local stores—all within a short drive of each other.
Several major highways cross southeast Ohio, offering travelers easy access to locations throughout the region. Hundreds of small villages and several small cities dot the region. A major regional city can be found right outside the edge of each of the Wayne National Forest’s three units. The city of Athens is found on the edge of the Athens Unit, the city of Marietta is found on the edge of the Marietta Unit, and the city of Ironton is found on the edge of the Ironton Unit. These three cities are fantastic places to start or end your visit to the national forest. They offer lodging, dining, and other amenities.
What to Expect When Visiting
Southeast Ohio is a landscape healing from a period of exploitation during the 1800s and early 1900s. The forests you see today throughout the region are young and regrew after the extractive industries left the region by the mid-1900s. Signs of this immediate past are found everywhere throughout the region, from old ghost towns to abandoned mines, human-made ponds, old strip mines, and more. This is especially true for the Wayne National Forest, which was pieced together from old farmland and mineland as part of a large-scale restoration project.
Some general information about visiting southeast Ohio:
- Cell service can be spotty to non-existent in many areas.
- Road conditions vary from well-maintained paved interstate highways to unmaintained dirt roads.
- GPS units and services are sometimes unreliable. Plan ahead and have a backup map.
For information about what to know before recreating in the Wayne National Forest, visit the Outdoor Safety and Ethics page.
Climate
Southeast Ohio has a humid, temperate climate. Springs and falls are pleasant, although springs can be relatively rainy. Summers are warm and humid, but not oppressively so. Winters are chilly, but not terribly cold. The temperate climate makes recreation an option year-round.
During the spring, average temperatures reach highs in the 50s to 70s and lows in the 30s to 40s. Spring is typically a rainy time. Flooding is common, and some roads may either have restricted access or be closed. Expect trails to have muddy spots and some low-lying recreation sites to be occasionally closed.
During the summer, average temperatures reach highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s. Several days will reach into the 90s, and rarely the 100s. Summers are humid, with occasional storms.