After the Quarry Rim Trail, a short 0.1 mile connector trail along the Blackhand Trail takes you to the start of the Chestnut Trail, a 1.8 mile long trail that starts off with significant elevation gain, well over 150 ft (which in Ohio, is quite a hike! Shortly after crossing the bridge over the Licking River, the preserve’s main entrance will be on your right. We’ve also gone through the gorge on kayaks. It is flat, paved, and suitable for families, small children, dogs, and strollers. Blackhand Trail and Chestnut Trail. This trail will take you to the top of ridges above the gorge and is an out and back. This trail was originally the rail line used by steam locomotives. Uploaded: 10/27/2020. Thanks for the information. Park here and cross the road to go to the Canal Lock. When you park at the North Parking Lot (the car icon on the Google Map below), you’ll see a kiosk. Blackhand Gorge Trail Race My friend Luc is the race director of the Blackhand Gorge Trail Race where there is a 5K 10K and 20K staged on the three trails of the Blackhand Gorge Preservation . We’ve heard that GPS devices are routinely misdirecting people who are traveling from the Columbus area toward Blackhand Gorge. A detour of the flood-damaged portion allows trail users to access the full length of the trail. What appeared to be the waterfall was some cool carved out caves to hike. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve is a 956-acre area that was dedicated as an interpretive nature preserve in 1975. The trail will follow the river and pass by … We had been on this trail many tomes before we realized this little waterfall was nearby. You will first pass the Buttonbush Swamp Overlook Trail (now closed-2005) then the Quarry Rim trail will come into view. Pets are permitted only on the Blackhand Trail (paved bike trail) and must be controlled on a leash no more than 6 feet in length in hand. On your side of the river, hills and forest will rise above the river valley. At the intersection with the Maria Hickey trail, go left up the hill. Also, the ranger in charge there now has done a lot of work clearing old trails, and has reopened the Beaver Dam trail, which was from the 80s when I lived out there. Pets are not permitted on other trails in the preserve. This map was created by a user. There is an old log cabin at the main parking lot across from the main trail. ). These articles describe what our experience was like when we visited the park. The Quarry Rim Trail and Chestnut Trail, two hiking-only trails that branch off from the Blackhand Gorge Trail, offer additional opportunities for trail users to explore the beautiful and historic nature preserve. Or just type a county name after "trekohio.com" like this: Newark Earthworks: The Great Circle and the Octagon Earthworks, Cranberry Bog: The World’s Only Floating Island, Ohio Outdoor Activities and Events by Season, Ohio’s 15 species of frogs and toads at a glance, Fairfield County: Overview of Hiking Trails, Hocking Hills: Overview of the Hiking Trails. Back up at the cliff edge, the trail follows along the cliff. For hiking, the Marie Hickey Trail is one of our favorites. To drive to these locations from State Route 16, get off onto SR 146 South (towards Zanesville). Immediately after the turn you’ll see a parking area for Blackhand Gorge. amzn_assoc_linkid = "4ea0038170a64f214707d3b343c57158"; Share the post "Blackhand Gorge: Hiking Trails". Does anyone know if this can lead to the Marie Hickey trail? Shortly after the exit turn right onto CR-273. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve in Licking County is home to 10 miles of trails that showcase some incredible views, Ohio history and other unique features. The 1.4 mile trail known as the Chestnut Trail passes by a decent sized seasonal waterfall. Begin your hike by following the paved rail trail, known as the Blackhand Trail, into the park and you will soon see the Licking River to your right and the forest with its rock outcrops on the left. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve: Paved trail - See 82 traveler reviews, 72 candid photos, and great deals for Newark, OH, at Tripadvisor. In late spring, you may see mushrooms along the trail. The main trail, known as Blackhand Trail extends 4.2 miles along the south side of the river starting at the main parking lot. If you are coming from Toboso, the trail will be on the left past the railroad trestle, if you parked off Brushy Fork Road you will find it on the right just past the “creek crossing.” Chestnut Trail is a return trail with a short loop at its terminus—the trail begins by climbing a hill along side some Black Hand sandstone outcroppings, it then levels out and follows the contour of the Licking River below. Follow the grassy path, you’ll go past a field of milkweed which is often covered with butterflies in summer. Either walk across the bridge over the Licking River from the main parking lot, or park in the small gravel lot just to the west of the Licking River on the north side of the road. Turn right on OH-146, then shortly afterwards, turn right on Toboso Road. There are three different trail groupings at Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve, but for the longest time we only knew of the main parking lot and the trail head that leads off from there. This is a small hemlock grove containing a narrow stone gorge and a seasonal waterfall below a small, wooden bridge. A couple of things to add here. Follow the road and it will turn sharply right. The trail on the right goes uphill, while the one on the left descends gently a short ways and leads to a grassy, mowed path. Marie Hickey Trail – Two mile loop trail on the not-so-busy side of the gorge. Trailforks ranks trails with a combination of user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides. As for Marie Hickey, I agree, it’s my favorite short trail in Ohio. , Great post, Deb! It is just to my mind! amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "free086-20"; The Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve is a four mile (6 km) long sandstone formation through which the Licking River flows in Licking County, Ohio, United States. I love the gorgeous pictures too. As mentioned above, the multi-use trail is 4.2 miles. 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. 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?). Black Hand Gorge State Nature Preserve is a 970-acre area with both paved and unpaved trails. i don’t have data on the Chestnut Trail but recall it as relatively short. This is the former path of the Interurban rail (long since gone). Then descend the small hill to the left and down into the (dry) floor of the lock. The icon used to locate the feature on the map is described in parentheses after each heading. This photo summarizes much of what there is to see in the Blackhand Gorge. To go to the main parking lot to explore the Blackhand Trail (cabin icon), while on CR-273 continue across the bridge over the Licking River. The west end of the Blackhand Gorge Trail has two gravel parking areas: the old one off of Brushy Fork Road and a new one just south of the bridge on Brownsville Road (County Highway 668). Blackhand Gorge is a singletrack mountain bike trail in Nashport, Ohio. The multi-use trail is 8.4 miles round trip. Using the menu near the top of the page, select a region, then a county. Hiking. This leads to the parking area near the log cabin. There’s a small unmarked side trail leads down to a pair of seasonal waterfalls. The trail is built on an old railway and and runs along the south side of the Licking River. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; 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. I’m glad the post was of some use to you. There are two side trails off the main trail (not suitable for small children). I think I’ll move it up on my list. This dedication process ensures that the area's scientific,educational and aesthetic values will be preserved indefinitely for use by all Ohioans. Thanks Bob for all your great info, we had a nice hike and definitely plan on going back. We hiked the canal trail that leads to the large cave and the big rock this evening. 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. Located 12 miles (19 km) east of Newark near the tiny town of Toboso, 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) along the gorge were designated an Ohio Nature Preserve in 1975. View maps, videos, photos, and reviews of Blackhand Gorge bike trail in Nashport. So at the end of this post there’s a map and directions showing the location of them all. A 4.3 mile paved trail (8.5 miles out-and-back) follows the scenic Licking River surrounded by a 957 acre nature preserve. We hiked the Marie Hickey trail this past weekend and really enjoyed it. It is my favorite trail in Central Ohio. amzn_assoc_title = "TrekOhio's Amazon Picks"; Chestnut Trail – Quiet out and back trail away from the Blackhand Gorge. This is a bicycle rail trail and is used by bicyclists and pedestrians. Follow the path till you see the sign that says “Lock 16”. Continuing on, the path turns and passes through a grove of bushes and small trees; this part of the trail may be a bit mucky in the spring. The best & most popular mountain biking trails in Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve. 16 in Licking County. This is the perfect place to take little ones and a great introduction to hiking with kids. TrekOhio is an Amazon affiliate. Blackhand Gorge is a great option if you want to see multiple waterfalls in one outing and can make a day out of it. To go to the Canal Lock Trail while on CR-273 and just prior to the bridge over the Licking River, you’ll see the trail head for the Canal Lock Trail on your right (ship icon) and almost immediately after this, there’s a small gravel parking lot to the left. Follow the road and it will turn sharply right. You’ll eventually end up at the abandoned rail tunnel. From Your beautiful photos, I love Mini-waterfall. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve: A Gorgeous trail through a gorge - See 80 traveler reviews, 72 candid photos, and great deals for Newark, OH, at Tripadvisor. If that describes your route, no matter what your GPS device tells you, don’t get off of OH-16 E until you reach OH-146. Located 12 miles (19 km) east of Newark near the tiny town of Toboso, 957 acres (387 ha) along the gorge were designated an Ohio Nature Preserve in 1975. The loop trail is marked with white triangles and was once a trail of its own—the Owl Hollow Trail to be exact. This is an awesome post! Quarry Rim Trail – Mile long, Blackhand Trail side trail … Now you have three choices: On what is the return trip to the Columbus area for us, we often have a late lunch at the Bob Evans at the intersection of SR 16 and Cherry Valley Rd. You are about halfway along the trail. The Canal Lock Trail head is to the west of the Licking River on the south side of the road. The waterfall is more commonly accessed from the canal lock trail. Your welcome. This is one area that definitely belongs on your Ohio hiking bucket list. TrekOhio’s Reviews provide an alphabetical listing of all the parks for which we’ve published illustrated articles. © Deborah Platt, Robert Platt and TrekOhio.com 2012 to 2019, The Ohio Dept. This trail was originally the rail line used by steam locomotives. Parking and Trail Access Parking is available at both ends of the Blackhand Gorge Trail. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Thank you, Sartenada. I hiked the loop in a clockwise direction and then made my way back to the trailhead to emerge onto the paved path. Great short hike. The single place for all things related to Blackhand Gorge in Newark, Ohio. Copyright 1989-2018, Natural Born Hikers, All rights reserved. You may hear falling water. Follow this trail until you reach a sign for the Chestnut Trail. amzn_assoc_asins = "B079J4ZQ6S,B0086GYPLU,B07G4L72NS,B076JJGMSY"; of Natural Resources (ODNR) is offering a. Both the road and the trail terminate back at the parking lot. 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. Once you walk through the tunnel, the typical thing people do is go down a bit to the path on the left that leads to another part of the canal path on the river. The preserve offers several nature trails, one of which is paved and allows bikes. The trail leads to the top of a scenic U-shaped plateau and winds around the plateau edges and then goes back down to another bridge and joins up with the Marie Hickey Trail again. Farther along the paved path, is the trail head for the Chestnut Trail. Canal Lock Trail 0.4 Mile Chestnut Trail 1.4 Miles Marie Hickey Trail 2.0 Miles Oak Knob Trail 0.6 Mile Quarry Rim Trail 1.0 Mile Private Property Fishing is permitted along the south bank of the Licking River from the Creek Crossing east to the Mail Parking Lot and along the Canal Lock Trail on the north shore. Learn how to create your own. Bicycles, skates and skateboards are permitted only on Blackhand Trail. On the opposite side of Licking River you’ll eventually see Blackhand Rock (a sign marks its location). If was a fun discovery for us. To your left will be a valley and (in the distance) a rail line, to your right (in the distance) a meadow. All visitors must remain on trails unless a permit has been obtained for restricted areas. , Complete the following sentence by typing either real or spam: Help support TrekOhio by making purchases through Amazon links on this site. The Blackhand Gorge is a state nature preserve located about 7 miles east of Newark, just south of Rt. This is a bicycle rail trail and is used by bicyclists and pedestrians. It is flat, paved, and suitable for families, small children, dogs, and strollers. At one point you may glimpse (to the right) the remains of an old building foundation. 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. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve: Quarry and Chestnut Trails (Blog Hike #73) Trail: Quarry Rim Trail. Would love to know how long these trails are, anyone have any idea? It is a screenshot of Google Maps. The trail is well laid out (with bridges and wooden stairs in places) and quite pretty. The Marie Hickey Trail at Blackhand Gorge Nature Preserve is a hidden gem. Photo by:orangedoug So Much to See. Thanks. Follow the main trail till you see a sign to the left that says Quarry Rim Trail. If want to hike this knob, follow the sign and ascend up the hill on the Oak Knob Trail. After a few minutes, you’ll see a small gravel parking lot with a wooden kiosk to the left. The significance of each icon is explained below. Hike Location: Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve. The trail head is across the road and a bit to the west. You’ll go up and down (crossing another stream), and soon you’ll see a dark grove ahead. I used to run multiple loops of it when I lived near there a few years ago. Blackhand Gorge Nature preserve contains a 4-mile bike path and other hiking trails, as well as a portion of the Ohio-Erie Canal. 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