Best Equestrian Camping near Zaleski, OH

Lake Hope State Park is the unsung hero of Logan county, Ohio. Hocking Hills State Park gets the crowds because of its amenities and closer proximity to Old Man's Cave...but...

Each time I have stayed at Lake Hope State Park, I have marveled at why there are only a few stray campers in a state park of 190 sites. Granted...I am usually camping during the week...but its a ghost town. Which is fine by me...solitude...peace and quiet.

The main reason is pit latrines...well, that's my guess, anyways. LHSP still has hot showers. I guess because it doesn't have a pool, it doesn't have the crowds. Shoot! I'd stay home if I wanted a pool. Whatever the reason, you rarely, if ever, will have to contend with neighbors.

Trails are superb...tall canopies, fern ground cover, a wild assortment of fungi and wildlife at every turn. The terrain is undulating but very doable. The campsites are pretty open, so if you did have neighbors...you'd know it. We'd usually snatch up site 98 or 99...or both. No one would usually go that deep into the park. It was private...pit latrine nearby...flat and airy. Foot trails were nearby and the bike trail wasn't too far away.

If you brought your boats...Lake Hope is a nice flatwater paddle. Get there early and watch the water lilies open. Hope furnace is just outside the campground and next to the first "put-in" for the lake. As history buffs will know that Ohio was one of the nation's leading iron producers back in the day. There is also a swimming beach on the opposite end of Lake Hope...if you just have to get wet.

The haunted Moonville Tunnel is nearby and worth the short drive and hike. Unfortunately, it is becoming defaced by disrespectful taggers...still cool nonetheless.

You are plopped down smack dab in the Zaleski State Forest...so pick a trail, any trail.

A short drive away are amazing trails and formations...Old Man's Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, Cedar Falls, Conkle’s Hollow, Rockhouse and Ash Cave. Each one a must see! Give youself time to hike the trails and enjoy the natural beauty of southern Ohio. Not only will you be glad you did...you will want to return year and year!

Visited Zaleski in the spring and encountered some muddy hills to climb up and down. Camp sites were further than expected as you would see a sign indicating camp areas. It took some adjusting, several forms of maps and learning curve of what they indicated, where and how they correlated to the trail. Not a simple just backpack and you'll get there, but really looking at your map and compass or if you're lucky all trails app if you have phone signal. Plenty of trees, flowers and nature to enjoy. If recent rainfall in the area be mindful of the mud. Beautiful trail And well worth the challenge here in Ohio.

Wonderful overnight backpack trip for our family. We did the South Loop at Zaleski - 10.9 miles. The hike was great. Lots of ups & downs, a pond & beautiful rock outcroppings. Not supposed to filter the water in the creeks. Thankfully there is pretty tasty water at camp. Cannot camp off of marked areas. 3 camp areas total, camp 1 & 2 are available on the South Loop. Latrine available (bring toilet paper). Campsites fill up quickly & areas will be shared. Not all have fire rings. Camp 2 is very popular since it is the halfway point(ish) on the trail. Camp 1 is only a couple miles into the loop. Great place to stop for lunch. Highly recommend. Our 8 year old did great & we saw lots of families camping. Trails had lots of poison ivy & ticks present. We look forward to coming back & doing the remainder of the trail. 

Blazes: The main trail is blazed orange and camp side trails/day hike cutoff is blazed white.

Water is available at 3 backpack camping areas (Points D, I & P)

Parking is available. It is recommended to use the backpacking parking area but we hear that fills up quickly. That is located at the Hope Schoolhouse (27800 Wheelabout Road, McArthur, OH 45651). If you want to skip that first portion of the trail or if parking it not available you can park at the Hope Furnace which is mainly used for day hiking.  Both parking lots seemed to fill up fast. The Hope Furnace parking was full by 8:30/9 am on the Saturday we arrived.

I would recommend printing maps & seeing additional information about the area & trails here: https://www.backpackohio.com/trails/zaleski-state-forest-backpack-trail/

Campground Review: With a close friend coming to visit from Spain, I wanted to show her a cool backpacking location in Southeastern Ohio. Zaleski State Forest seemed like a good choice for a new backpacker. There are multiple loops to trek, averaging about 10 miles per loop. Overall the trails are well maintained (minus a few dense areas). There was almost an excessive amount of blazes. Campsites are plentiful along the trails. We stayed at Campsite C. Each site has access to communal well-water and a restroom. Each site usually has a small fire ring and logs to sit on. Overall, the campsites were pretty decent and secluded, but nothing special view wise aside from the typical Ohio forest. I would say pretty overall, but nothing quite outstanding.

Product Review: The Banner & Oak Firebiner is a neat little tool that has some really fun features! Most notable being the fire starter. The Firebiner uses a small spark wheel and replaceable ferro rod to create sparks. The sparks are pretty large for the little tool. I now use my Firebiner to start my MSR stove quickly and with zero plastic waste! I haven’t used it to try to start a straight up fire, but friends have successfully before. Most importantly, the spark wheel is just darn right fun to play with. The device has other little uses like a bottle opener, utility blade, and screwdriver. I absolutely love this device! Only complaint would be that I wish it came in different colors, but who really cares.

Here is a link to check out the Firebiner yourself: https://bannerandoak.com/products/banner-and-oak-firebiner?variant=9696793034788&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwnMTqBRAzEiwAEF3ndu9CmerLos5Y1yvjGHJ2L4FG732wg9bMpyPAJRa3m8dxlxffZ6Nt-RoC6LQQAvD_BwE

This is located by the hocking hills region of the state. Beautiful winding Ohio roads and landscapes out of this world. Take a day trip to one of the many sites to see in the region or go for a hiking through the Zaleski State Forest. This is and area you must love the outdoors as there isn’t much else to do. There are plenty off of shore fishing spots right off the campgrounds trails. You can dock a boat off lake hope and enjoy a day on the water, or rent a kayak or canoe at the local beach area right down the road. You can enjoy a day playing in the water, eating and ice cream and sun bathing. Please no furry friends at the local beach though. The grounds were very large, plenty of spaces no need for reservation in off season. Also the offer primitive, electric and rv sites and are pet friendly there. We showed up late so the office was closed, they did have a list of sites that were taken on the door for you to pick a spot or find your reservation. When they did open we registered and were all set, they offer bags of ice for sale as well. If you’re looking for firewood there are plenty of private sellers off the back roads normall $5-$10 a small or large bundle, it’s on the honor system so please pay them!! I love this area and campground the best there is around there. We went into the little town of Zaleski which is about 4 small roads with a local bar, very basic bar caned beer and about 5 liquor choices. Cool thing is you can get beers to go back to the site if you’ve run out. We had a good time here and will be back time and time again!