For millions of Americans and tens of thousands of north central Ohioans, social distancing is the new normal.
The coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we interact with each another. Six feet apart is the minimum standard and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
For the trail running community, social distancing comes with the rocky terrain.
I’ve been running north central Ohio’s extensive trail system for the better part of the past decade and, by and large, it has been a solo endeavor. Occasionally someone will join me, but I’ve found for most people the idea of trail running is a lot more enticing than actually getting out there and doing it.
And so I often go it alone, quite accidentally preparing myself for a world of social distancing.
My favorite trail running destination is Mohican State Park and the adjacent Mohican-Memorial State Forest. With a network of trails criss-crossing the combined 5,000-plus acres, you can run for hours without ever retracing your steps — and without ever coming within six feet of another two-legged traveler.
The public outdoor spaces at most of Ohio’s state parks are still open — the one notable exception being Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio. At Mohican, the trails are still accessible, but the restrooms (along with the campgrounds and playgrounds) are closed. Plan accordingly.
My favorite route at Mohican is a 13-mile loop that stitches together parts of four different trails and includes about 1,400 feet worth of elevation gain. It starts at the Pleasant Hill Dam and winds past a pair of water falls on the Lyons Falls Trail before crossing the iconic covered bridge in the heart of the park.
The path then meanders along the Clear Fork for a couple of miles on the Hemlock Gorge Trail between the Class B campground and the main camping area off Ohio 3 just south of Loudonville. From there, a trail junction leads up to the mountain bike trail, Ohio’s longest singletrack and one of the state’s most popular mountain biking destinations. The climb from the valley floor to the top of the gorge is brutal, but breathtaking views await.
The stretch between miles 7 and 8 is especially scenic and is home to perhaps the most popular attraction on the 25-mile mountain bike trail. Several ceramic and plastic garden gnomes have taken up residence in a hollowed out tree trunk, making for a great photo op.
There are a couple of sneaky climbs starting just before the mile 9 marker as you descend back to the valley floor, but the last half-mile is almost all downhill and drops in near the covered bridge. From there, it’s a mellow, flat mile back to the dam along the Pleasant Hill Trail, where the final — and arguably worst — climb of the day awaits. Only 186 steps (I’ve counted) separate you from the parking lot for the Lyons Falls trailhead.
The loop usually takes me about three hours to complete, but I’m not the type who tries to break any speed records. I just like to run around in the woods and I often find myself distracted by deer and raccoon and chipmunks and squirrels.
And then there are the bald eagles.
Nothing stops me in my tracks quicker than spotting an eagle with its almost 7-foot wingspan soaring over the river in search of a meal. I’ve followed them all the way down the river valley on more than one occasion and sitings have become a lot more common in the past couple of years. The Ohio Division of Natural Resources reported early last month there were 215 confirmed eagle’s nest sightings in 54 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
There’s also a thriving osprey population in and around Mohican. The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District in conjunction with the Greater Mohican Audubon Society and the Firelands Electric Cooperative, has installed nesting platforms around nearby Pleasant Hill Lake and by all accounts the raptors are flourishing. There’s platform near the junction of Pleasant Hill Road and McCurdy Road and its not unusual to see an osprey perched on the massive stick nest atop the platform.
Even if you’re not interested in trail running, a trip to Mohican has something to offer just about everyone. As we all navigate a new world of social distancing, the opportunity to safely explore the outdoors is one worth taking.
Happy trails.
