Hailed As Ohio's Little Smokies, The 63,000-Acre Shawnee State Forest Is A Glorious Natural Expanse
By Sarah McCosham|Published July 18, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
With a prime location in the heart of it all, adventure seekers in Ohio have a world of outdoor recreation an easy day trip away. Places like Mammoth Cave National Park, Red River Gorge, Cumberland Falls, Cumberland Gap, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Indiana Dunes, and New River Gorge are all within striking distance of the Buckeye State. As is, of course, the country’s most-visited national park: Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And yet, you don’t have to drive down to Tennessee to experience majestic mountains and jaw-dropping vistas, because we have our very own Smoky Mountains in Ohio. Hailed as Ohio’s Little Smokies, Shawnee State Forest is a glorious natural expanse sure to both stoke and satisfy your wanderlust.
The Smoky Mountains are an American icon. Every year more than 12 million tourists make their way to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it the most-visited national park in the country. Revered for their misty, beguiling beauty, the Great Smoky Mountains are truly a wonderland for outdoor recreation of all varieties.
But so are the mountains of Ohio. Yes -- Ohio has mountains; the eastern region of the Buckeye State is Appalachia territory, and Shawnee State Forest is nestled within this stunning expanse, dubbed "Ohio's Little Smokies."
Measuring 63,000 acres, Shawnee State Forest is a fraction of the size of the national park (for reference, Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans 522,427 acres), hence its diminutive nickname. But does that make this natural wonder any less, well, wondrous? Absolutely not.
Just like its Great namesake, Ohio's Little Smokies are an outdoor paradise. Biking and hiking trail abound, with the eponymous Shawnee State Park home to some of the region's best hiking and mountain biking trails.
The hiking here is second to none, with the state park and surrounding forest home to a robust array of trails. Those unafraid of heights should climb to the top of Copperhead Fire Tower. At 60 feet, it towers over the treetops, offering some of the most spectacular views...
The recreation opportunities don't stop there -- I haven't even touched on fishing, boating, birding, or camping... Shawnee State Park/Forest has all of these things, and more, which means you'll probably want to make an overnight/weekend adventure out of your visit to Ohio's Little Smokies.
Happily, you have lots of options in terms of accommodations. Shawnee State Park has two campgrounds with electric and non-electric sites, plus two camper cabins. The Ohio State Park *also* has vacation cabins and an amazing lodge that's regarded as one of the state's finest.
Views like this aren't the type of thing you see everyday. But in Ohio, views like this are hiding in plain sight at the splendiferous Shawnee State Forest.
Did you know Shawnee State Forest was known as Ohio’s Little Smokies? While *the* Smoky Mountains are certainly worth adding to your bucket list, Ohio’s miniature version is, in my opinion, equally inspiring and wondrous.
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