Shawnee State Forest

Shawnee State Forest is Ohio’s largest state forest, a vast and rugged wild land of nearly 65,000 acres sprawling across the deeply folded ridges and hollows of the Appalachian foothills in Scioto County, southern Ohio, where the landscape looks and feels more like the mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky than the flat Midwest. Nicknamed “Ohio’s Little Smokies” for the misty, blue-hazed ridges that roll in every direction, Shawnee is a genuinely wild and spectacular forest.

The forest surrounds the smaller Shawnee State Park, which provides a lodge, cabins, a lake, a beach and a campground, while the vast surrounding forest is laced with the multi-day Shawnee Backpacking Trail — Ohio’s longest backpacking route at some 70 miles — along with equestrian trails, mountain bike trails and primitive roads through an immense, largely undisturbed wild land. From panoramic ridge-top vistas and misty hollows to rich wildlife and outstanding backpacking, Shawnee is Ohio’s most compelling wild forest destination.

Shawnee State Forest and adjacent Shawnee State Park offer Ohio’s premier backpacking experience on the 70-mile Shawnee Backpacking Trail, plus equestrian trails, mountain biking, hiking from easy lake-area walks to rugged ridge routes, a full-service lodge, cabins, a campground, swimming beach, fishing in Turkey Creek Lake, hunting for deer and turkey, birding, photography and the incomparable panoramic views from the ridges of Ohio’s largest state forest. The combination of wild backcountry and park comforts makes Shawnee unusually versatile.

Fall is the season for Shawnee, when the Appalachian hardwood ridges and hollows ignite in spectacular color across the wide forest — among the finest fall foliage in Ohio — and the 70-mile backpacking trail is at its most rewarding. Spring brings wildflowers, birdsong and green rushing through the misty hollows. Summer is lush but hot and humid in the deep south; the lake and lodge provide relief. Winter’s quiet snowscapes on the ridges have their own beauty. The forest is seldom crowded outside peak fall weekends.

Shawnee State Forest takes its name from the Shawnee people, who inhabited and hunted this hill country for centuries before European settlement. The Appalachian foothills of southern Ohio were logged heavily in the 19th century, and the land was acquired by the state of Ohio beginning in the 1920s, with extensive replanting undertaken to restore the forest. Today Shawnee is Ohio’s largest state forest and a model of long-term forest recovery, its Appalachian character and abundant wildlife reflecting decades of management and natural regrowth.

Shawnee State Forest lies in the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau of southern Ohio, where the deeply folded ridges and hollows — among the most rugged terrain in the state — were never smoothed by continental glaciers. Sandstones, siltstones and shales underlie the ridges, eroded over millions of years by streams cutting the sharp hollows and valleys. The rolling, misty, blue-hazed ridge tops that earn Shawnee its “Little Smokies” nickname reflect the Appalachian geological character that dominates this southern corner of Ohio.

Shawnee State Forest is among Ohio’s richest wildlife landscapes — white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bears (increasingly present in southern Ohio’s forests), ruffed grouse, coyotes and a diverse community of Appalachian forest birds thrive in the vast, largely undisturbed woodland. Worm-eating warblers, cerulean warblers, Louisiana waterthrushes and other species of conservation concern breed here, making Shawnee a destination for serious birders. The streams and hollows shelter salamanders and aquatic life, and the forest’s scale and wildness support wildlife rarely found elsewhere in Ohio.

Shawnee State Forest is Ohio’s most Appalachian landscape — a vast, mostly unbroken hardwood forest of oaks, hickories, tulip poplars and other southern Appalachian species covering the rugged ridges and hollows of the state’s most rugged terrain. The unglaciated character of the land, combined with the southern exposure and Appalachian flora and fauna, gives Shawnee a distinctive ecological identity unlike any other Ohio forest. As Ohio’s largest state forest, Shawnee provides a scale of contiguous habitat essential for wide-ranging species and the forest interior birds of conservation concern.

Shawnee State Forest carries the name and the spirit of the Shawnee nation whose homeland this was for generations, and the forested ridges and hollows of southern Ohio’s “Little Smokies” hold a powerful place in the identity of the region. For Ohioans, Shawnee represents the state’s wildest and most Appalachian soul — a vast, rolling wild land that feels closer to West Virginia than Columbus, offering the state’s most expansive backcountry, its finest fall color and an immersion in southern Ohio’s mountain character.

Shawnee State Forest and Shawnee State Park are in Scioto County in far southern Ohio near Portsmouth, off U.S. Route 52 and State Route 125, about 100 miles south of Columbus. The state park and forest are free to access (lodge and cabins require reservations), with the park’s lodge, cabins, campground and lake providing an amenity-rich base. Trailheads for the backpacking trail and other routes are accessible from forest roads. Cell service is limited in the forest. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for maps, lodging reservations and current conditions.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources manages Shawnee State Forest under a multiple-use policy balancing timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation and ecological recovery. The vast, mostly contiguous forest is a conservation priority in Ohio for its Appalachian ecology and the forest interior bird species that depend on it. Visitors help by practicing leave-no-trace backpacking, using designated shelters and fire rings, packing out all trash, staying on trails, protecting streams, and wearing blaze orange during hunting seasons. Protecting Shawnee’s wild character sustains Ohio’s finest forest.

Shawnee’s backcountry is genuinely remote — the 70-mile backpacking trail demands strong navigation, sufficient supplies and reliable gear. Cell service is poor or absent in much of the forest. Carry detailed paper maps and a compass or GPS, sufficient water and food, and a first-aid kit. Black bears are present and increasing — hang food properly or use canisters at shelters. Hunting is permitted in season; wear blaze orange during deer and turkey seasons. The rugged terrain and heat and humidity of southern Ohio summers require preparation and conditioning.

Shawnee State Forest is free to access; follow Ohio Department of Natural Resources state forest regulations. Backpackers use the designated trail shelters (first-come, first-served) and must camp at least 100 feet from trails, water and shelters; fires in fire rings only. Hunting and fishing require Ohio licenses and follow state regulations. Mountain bikes and horses follow designated trails only. Motorized vehicles restricted to designated roads. Pack out all trash. Pets must be leashed or under control. Check the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for current rules, maps and conditions before visiting.

Shawnee State Forest surrounds Shawnee State Park, which provides its lodge, cabins, lake and campground. The Ohio River and the small city of Portsmouth lie to the south, and the Appalachian hill country of southern Ohio extends in every direction. The Wayne National Forest begins not far to the east, and the Serpent Mound State Memorial — one of the world’s great ancient earthworks — is about 30 miles to the northwest, making southern Ohio’s Appalachian country a rich and underexplored destination combining Ohio’s wildest forest with ancient Native American heritage.

Plan a multi-day backpacking trip on the 70-mile Shawnee Backpacking Trail in October for Ohio’s best fall color from Appalachian ridge tops — start with a shorter loop section if new to the trail, carry paper maps (no cell service in the hollows), and hang your food. Use Shawnee State Park’s lodge or cabins as a base for day hikes and ridge walks, wear blaze orange during hunting seasons, and watch for black bears. Visit the Serpent Mound on the same trip for a remarkable ancient heritage experience in southern Ohio.