Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve, Ohio The Chestnut Trail is a 2.3 mile long path through a hardwood forest—in order to access the trail follow the multi-use, paved Blackhand Trail for a little over 2 miles to reach the trailhead. Hike Location: Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve. This leads to the parking area near the log cabin. Blackhand Gorge Nature preserve contains a 4-mile bike path and other hiking trails, as well as a portion of the Ohio-Erie Canal. You will first pass the Buttonbush Swamp Overlook Trail (now closed-2005) then the Quarry Rim trail will come into view. Wow. On the opposite side of Licking River you’ll eventually see Blackhand Rock (a sign marks its location). The 1.4 mile trail known as the Chestnut Trail passes by a decent sized seasonal waterfall. Then descend the small hill to the left and down into the (dry) floor of the lock. When you park at the North Parking Lot (the car icon on the Google Map below), you’ll see a kiosk. The waterfalls are best to see in the springtime, when they have the most water flow. , Great post, Deb! Great short hike. This is the perfect place to take little ones and a great introduction to hiking with kids. The trail passes through an area known as the “deep cut” where engineers had to blast through the sandstone to continue the route of the railroad. If you need something new and exciting to add to your Ohio bucket list, there’s a little-known nature preserve that’s perfect for both hiking and biking. This dedication process ensures that the area's scientific,educational and aesthetic values will be preserved indefinitely for use by all Ohioans. As you are descending the knob to go back toward the Marie Hickey Trail, you may glimpse the remains of building foundations and the remains of some grooved paving heading down the hill (path for horses?). Follow the main trail till you see a sign to the left that says Quarry Rim Trail. ). amzn_assoc_title = "TrekOhio's Amazon Picks"; Be sure to check the site’s official page for the latest updates. You may hear falling water. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. We hiked the Marie Hickey trail this past weekend and really enjoyed it. This trail is not a loop (you’ll backtrack on the return), but it follows the ridges above the gorge and passes a seasonal waterfall. Or go there directly by typing the county’s name after trekohio.com/, for example, https://trekohio.com/hocking. We had been on this trail many tomes before we realized this little waterfall was nearby. To drive to these locations from State Route 16, get off onto SR 146 South (towards Zanesville). Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve: Beautiful nature trail - See 82 traveler reviews, 72 candid photos, and great deals for Newark, OH, at Tripadvisor. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. It is just to my mind! At the intersection with the Maria Hickey trail, go left up the hill. You are about halfway along the trail. These articles describe what our experience was like when we visited the park. My comment is ... If you walk past that turn and go just a hundred feet or so, there is another small unmarked path on the right, and it leads to the base of that waterfall. I opted for the 20K to see how my knee would handle trails. Blackhand Trail is a 4.26 mile paved wheelchair accessible trail that essentially follows a former railway bed along the south side of the Licking River. Both the left and right trails are trail heads for the Marie Hickey Trail (it’s a loop). Send comments on this web site to. So at the end of this post there’s a map and directions showing the location of them all. Follow the grassy path, you’ll go past a field of milkweed which is often covered with butterflies in summer. 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