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–Not graded
Outdoors in Ohio

More than half of Ohio’s land is conserved: 67%

67% of Ohio’s land is conserved, about 128,243 acres. The biggest trail networks: Black River Wild Forest (39.9 mi), Moose River Plains Wild Forest (5 mi), Ferris Lake Wild Forest (1.8 mi). 102,187 acres are parks and preserves, 104,273 per 1,000 residents.

Conserved land
67%
128,243 acres · of 301.3 sq mi of land
Trails
79 mi
0.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
102,187 ac
104,273 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
51%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,680 ft
Ice Cave Mountain
Lakes & rivers
64
1 boat launch
The map

Conserved land, trails & bike routes

Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.

1234
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk

Pick a walk

The longest trail network is Black River Wild Forest, with 39.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.

Black River Wild Forest

Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
87,247 acres39.9 mi of trail
Stone Dam TrailChub Pond TrailForty Mountain TrailTwin Lakes Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Stone Dam TrailheadWebsite ↗

Moose River Plains Wild Forest

Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
4,439 acres5 mi of trail
Limekiln Loop TrailLimeklin Loop TrailOld Dam TrailLimkiln Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗

Ferris Lake Wild Forest

Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
7,225 acres1.8 mi of trail
Cranberry - Mud Lake
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗

West Canada Lake Wilderness

Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
16,143 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it

128,243 conserved acres

67% of Ohio’s land. Who manages Ohio’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.

State conservation128,404 ac
Regional Water Districts733 ac
Other state land382 ac
Private owners70 ac
State Conservation Area · 100,979 acState Wilderness · 16,141 acForest Stewardship Easement · 11,397 acLocal Resource Management Area · 733 acState Recreation Area · 269 ac
Good to know

Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 10,424 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.

The biggest protected parcels
Parcel (PAD-US)Managed byAcresPublic access
Black River Wild Forest
State Conservation Area
State conservation88,918Open
West Canada Lake Wilderness
State Wilderness
State conservation16,141Open
Ferris Lake Wild Forest
State Conservation Area
State conservation7,240Open
Moose River Plains Wild Forest
State Conservation Area
State conservation4,439Open
Upper Mohawk Valley Lands
Local Resource Management Area
Regional Water Districts733Open
Vrooman Patent Lands
State Conservation Area
Other state land379Restricted
Limekiln Lake Campground
State Recreation Area
State conservation169Open
Moose River Plains Camping Area
State Recreation Area
State conservation100Open
Private Lands
Private Other or Unknown
Private owners70Closed
Enterprise Land Corporation Lands
State Conservation Area
Other state land1Restricted

1 smaller protected places aren’t shown.

Things to do

20 places to go in Ohio

Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.

Peaks in Ohio
Ice Cave Mountain2,680 ft elevation · In West Canada Lake Wilderness
Directions
Raymond Hills2,602 ft elevation
Directions
Canachagala Mountain2,595 ft elevation
Directions
Higley Mountain2,438 ft elevation
Directions
Golden Stair Mountain2,405 ft elevation
Directions
Lawson Top2,300 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Sugarloaf Mountain2,277 ft elevation
Directions
Cool Mountain2,254 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
11 more peaks
Round Top2,254 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Stink Lake Mountain2,251 ft elevation · In West Canada Lake Wilderness
Directions
Pico Mountain2,208 ft elevation
Directions
Burnt Mountain1,965 ft elevation
Directions
McCauley Mountain1,831 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Forty Mountain1,814 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Stone Dam Mountain1,801 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Finn Hill1,788 ft elevation · In Black River Wild Forest
Directions
Party Hill1,640 ft elevation
Directions
Hedgehog Mountain1,637 ft elevation
Directions
Breezy Knoll1,496 ft elevation
Directions
Trails & water

17 named trails and 56 lakes & rivers

Named trails
Unpaved · 1.5 mi
Stone Dam Trail5.4 mi
Chub Pond Trail4.9 mi
Twin Lakes Trail3.0 mi
Forty Mountain Trail2.8 mi
Little York Trail2.7 mi
Limekiln Loop Trail1.9 mi
Gull Lake Trail1.8 mi
Limeklin Loop Trail1.5 mi
Old Dam Trail1.1 mi
Limkiln Loop0.6 mi
7 more trails
Cranberry - Mud Lake
0.5 mi
Cross Road Spur
0.5 mi
Chub Pond Trail Bypass
0.5 mi
Atwood Lake Trail
0.3 mi
Chesley Trail
0.2 mi
22 Sportsmans Club Prrd
0.2 mi
Third Lake Creek Trail
0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Atwood LakeBaby LakeBlack Creek LakelakeBuck PondBullhead PondBurp LakeButler LakelakeChub PondCliff PondCotton LakeCross PondCurtis LakeDeep LakeDoe PondFigert LakeFox PondGooseneck LakeGreen LakeHall PondHardscrabble LakeHarry PondsHonnedaga LakelakeHorn LakeHorseshoe PondJohns PondKettle PondLake TamarackLily LakeLittle Deer LakeLittle Salmon LakeLittle Woodhull LakeMad Tom LakeMill Creek LakeMink LakeMonument LakeMountain LakeMud PondNorth Branch LakeNorth LakereservoirPico LakeReeds PondRound PondSnyder LakeSnyders PondSouth LakereservoirSpectacle LakeStearns MudholeStink LakeStone Dam LakeSucker PondBlack RiverMiddle Branch Black RiverMoose RiverNorth Branch Black RiverSouth Branch Moose RiverWest Canada Creek
When to get out

The best walking months in Ohio: May and July to September

NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)9.310.411.813.414.715.415.114.012.410.99.69.0
High (°F)252836496270747366534130
Rain (in)4.33.53.74.24.85.44.84.64.75.44.64.7

February is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 74 °F). 5.4 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Ohio →

Next door

Ohio and its neighbors

Ohio has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.

Webb184 miOhio79 miSalisbury34 miMorehouse29 miRussia18 miForestport8.5 miNorway1.6 mi
TownConserved
of land		Trail mi
per sq mi		Park acres
per 1,000		Near a park
½ mile		Outdoors
Ohio— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Morehouse— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Webb87%0.457,96078%A
Russia17%0.32,63753%A−
Norway— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
Forestport24%0.15,40745%B+
Salisbury46%0.316,38038%A−

The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.

Questions about parks and trails in Ohio

Where can I hike in Ohio?

The longest trail networks: Black River Wild Forest, 39.9 miles; Moose River Plains Wild Forest, 5 miles; Ferris Lake Wild Forest, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.

Are dogs allowed on Ohio’s trails?

Black River Wild Forest and Moose River Plains Wild Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.

Is there public land near Ohio?

480,218 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Ohio or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 118,396 of them inside the town line.

Trail talk

Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Ohio neighbors.

Town Square →
Share a tip
Sources

Where this page comes from

Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →