Hiking the Athens Trail Network

Just a fifteen minute walk from campus, one can access the Athens Trail Network from Sells Park, located at the end of Avon Lane across from the Athens Recreation Center on East State Street. The Athens Trail Network includes sixteen miles of trails on public lands. The latest addition is Hawk Woods which includes 85 acres of old-growth forest.

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Burr Oak State Park

Approximately 22 miles from campus sits Burr Oak State Park. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Burr Oak spans 2, 593 acres of lakes, hills, valleys, and forest.

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Hocking Hills

More than 350 million years ago, the sandstone rocks of Hocking Hills were deposited by a shallow inland ocean that covered the entire Ohio region. The continuous erosion of the Blackhand sandstone gave way to intricate caves that have been popular attractions for Ohioans since the 1870's.

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Lake Hope State Park

Lake Hope State Park lies entirely within the 26,824-acre Zaleski State Forest in the valley of Big Sandy Run. It is a rugged, heavily forested region traversed by steep gorges and narrow ridges.

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The Ridges

Ohio University is the steward of over 700 acres of countryside known as The Ridges. Formerly part of the complex known originally as the Athens Lunatic Asylum, the land once supported the asylum's dairy, orchards, park, lakes, greenhouse, kitchen gardens, piggery and herds of cattle.

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Strouds Run State Park

Take a break from the bustle of campus and town, and visit Strouds Run State Park, which covers 2600 acres adjacent to Athens City. There you will find forests of the Appalachian Plateau featuring deep ravines, cathedral-like stands of white pines, and magnificent sycamores growing near running streams. The Park has fifteen miles of hiking trails, including a 6.8 mile loop around Dow Lake which has a 900 foot sand beach for swimming.

Strouds Run park also features camping, hunting, fishing, horseback trails and boating. The hiking trails, which can also be accessed via a trek from Sells Park over a ridge and down a steep hill, are mapped in color. Some trails, especially sections around Dow Lake, are gentle, while others are quite steep. Bring a walking stick, water and endurance if you plan to enjoy one of the longer hikes; don't forget to stop along the way to admire the views, listen to the birds, and perhaps spot deer.

To reach Stroud's Run State Park by car, take N. Lancaster Street, which becomes Columbia Avenue. Continue on Columbia to the 33 overpass, where it now becomes CR 20. Take CR 20 two more miles to Strouds Run.

Zaleski State Forest

Spanning over 26,827 acres, Zaleski State Forest is the second largest forest in the state, behind Shawnee. Zaleski offers an abundance of outdoor activities for visitors including hiking, camping, wildlife watching, hunting, fishing, biking, and over 50 miles of horseback riding.

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Featured Story

Good Earth Farm provides volunteer opportunities

Compass, 8/12/10 Algae Tube
by Megan Helgeson

Volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, Good Works, and Kids on Campus are just a few of the ways students can get involved with community service at Ohio University.

But how involved do you get? A couple of hours a week? One day on the weekend? That is all that is typically expected of student volunteers who have courses, homework and other extracurricular activities to worry about during the academic year.

This summer, however, sophomore Kelley McArthur took it a step further. She doesn't just spend a couple of hours a week planting, watering and harvesting vegetables at Good Earth Farm, she is an intern and resident – living there 24/7.