© 2008 Digital Cartographics

Wayne National Forest -

Wildcat Hollow Trail

90
Toledo
90
Cleveland
75 80

Findlay Akron 80
Youngstown
71 77
23 Mansfield Canton
Lima
Marion

75

Columbus 70
70
Zanesville 7
Dayton 35 71 77
33 Marietta
75 Athens
50
50 Chillicothe
32
Cincinnati 32
35
23

52
Portsmouth

End-User Warranty and License Agreement

1. Digital Cartographics (owner of BackpackOhio.com) has authorized download by you of one copy of this eTrailsOhio PDF document. Digital Cartographics grants you a nonexclusive, nontransferable license to use
the document according to the terms and conditions herein. This License Agreement permits you to install this document for your use only.

2. You shall not: (1) resell, rent, assign, timeshare, distribute, or transferall or part of the document or any rights granted hereunder to any other person; (2) duplicate the document in electronic form, except for a single
backup or archival copy; (3) remove any proprietary notices, labels, or marks from the document; (4) transfer or sublicense title to any other party. There is no limit imposed on the number of hardcopy prints used for
personal use by the licensee.

3. The eTrailsOhio is owned by Digital Cartographics and is protected by United States and international copyright and other intellectual property laws. Digital Cartographics reserves all rights in the document not
expresslygranted herein. This license and your right to use the document terminate automatically if you violate any part of this Agreement. In the event of termination, you must destroy the original and all copies
of the document.

4. Digital Cartographics warrants that the files containing the eTrailsOhio, a copy of which you authorized to download, are free from defects in the operational sense that they can be read by a PDF Reader. EXCEPT
FOR THIS EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY, DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHICS MAKES AND YOU RECEIVE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR IN ANY COMMUNICATION WITH
YOU, AND DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHICS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER WARRANTY INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS OR A PARTICULA
PURPOSE. DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHICS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE OPERATION OF THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. If the eTrailsOhio was purchased in the
United States, the above exclusions may not apply to you as some states do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties. In addition to the above warranty rights, you may also have other rights that vary from state to
state.

5. IN NO EVENT WILL DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER RISING FOR TORT OR CONTRACT, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS, OR OTHER
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INDIRECT DAMAGES RISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE ETRAILSOHIO

6. All information in this document was verified and believed to be accurate at time of publication. Digital Cartographics is not responsible for changes that occur after publication. Digital Cartographics is not responsible
for damages as a result of the misuse of the data contained herein.
Wayne National Forest – Wildcat Hollow Trail

County: Perry, Morgan

Nearest town: Corning or Glouster

Total distance: 14.7-mile loop; a day hike cutoff trail creates a 4.9-mile loop for day hikers

Hiking time: 3 hours for the short loop, 8 to 10 hours or 2 days for the entire trail

Trail conditions: Well established

Blazes: White diamonds

Water: None along the trail. Water must be carried or cached at road crossings. There are few treatable sources
along the trail.

Highlights: Pleasant forest hiking, excellent wildflowers, majestic pine plantations

Maps: USGS 7.5’: Pedro, Sherritts, Ironton & Kitts Hill; Wayne National Forest Hiking and Backpacking Trails map;
BackpackOhio.com eTrailsOhio

Contact info: Wayne National Forest – Athens Ranger District, phone: 740-753-0101

Internet: www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne/

Getting there: From State Route 13 heading north, 4.5 miles north of Glouster, or 3.5 miles south of Corning, turn
right (east) onto Irish Ridge Road (County Road 16). In 0.1 mile, Irish Ridge Road will make a sharp left, continue to
follow it for another 1.8 miles and turn right onto Dew Road (County Road 69). After turning onto Dew Road, the
distance to the trailhead is 1.6 miles. Halfway to the trailhead, Dew Road will turn into Sunday Creek Road at the
Morgan County line. Unless vandalized, signs will guide you to the trailhead from SR 13.

Trailhead coordinates: 39.5719°N, 82.0330°W (WGS84); UTM 17 411259E 4380538N (NAD27); UTM 17 411273E
4380755N (NAD83)

Background

The same gentle hills that create the picturesque backdrop for nearby Burr Oak Lake provide the landscape
for the Wildcat Hollow Trail. This calm and scenic section of Wayne National Forest sits in quiet contrast to a
tumultuous past. Early coal, oil and iron ore extraction, which ended in the 1920s, took a heavy toll on the region’s
environment. Although forests now cover many of the scars left behind by the mining and population boom, some
signs of the region’s mineral and human history are still visible in the form of old wells, tanks, pipelines and
homesteads, just to name a few.
The name Wildcat Hollow is derived from a mile-long hollow located north of the trailhead along the Morgan-
Perry County line. Perhaps that name reflects the historic presence of bobcat, or some other cat, in these woods. The
woods of Wildcat Hollow consist mainly of oak, hickory and beech trees. Many lovely pine plantations are present in
this section of the Wayne as well. Elevation relief in these rolling foothills struggles to reach 300 feet, averaging more
in the range of 200 to 250 feet.

The Trail

The Wildcat Hollow Trail offers two hike options: a 14.7-mile loop and a shorter 4.9-mile loop for day hikers
created by a 0.4-mile cutoff trail. The Wildcat Hollow Trail is a scenic trail winding along ridgetops and through stream
bottoms, allowing those who walk it to venture through grand deciduous forests and pine plantations, open meadows,
quiet streams and down old roads. In fact, the numerous pine plantations visited by the trail add a pleasant touch of
variety to what would otherwise be a typical hike through typical southern Ohio deciduous forest. Wildflowers are at
their peak in the spring. Deer and other wildlife are plentiful. For those interested in a multi-night trip, a short
connector trail goes south from the trailhead to link with the nearby Burr Oak State Park backpack trail.

1
 The white diamond marked trail is one of the most popular in Wayne National Forest. It is well marked and
one of the easiest long trails in Ohio to follow. The trail is well engineered, with gentle slopes and switchbacks as
needed. The trail appears to be better marked for a clockwise direction of travel. Although the trail stays on federal
land, private land is often nearby, especially along the trail’s northern stretches. Care should be taken when camping
or trekking away from the trail.
Since this is a Wayne National Forest trail, camping is allowed
anywhere. No permit is required. You will find that campers and
backpackers before you have established at least 15 campsites along the
trail, many are located in beautiful pine groves. Several sites have been
established just a few hundred yards up the trail from the trailhead. These
sites are popular with car campers and others wishing to take a few luxury
items into camp. Makeshift fire rings have been constructed from rocks at
many campsites. No forest service improvements are located on the trail or
at any camp, other than a pit toilet at the trailhead.
Of the existing campsite established by those before you, only
about three are located near the halfway point of the trail. Most are
clustered along the middle of both the east and west sides of the loop. This
Trailhead could mean a lengthy hike the first day if you are not able to snag one of
the sites at the north end of the loop. The option does exist to pitch camp in a non-established area, however; finding
a suitable flat and vegetation-free spot could be a little difficult, especially in summer. For those desiring an overnight
hike of shorter distance, consider making one of the campsites near either end of the day hike cutoff trail as an out-
and–back destination, using the opposite leg of the day hike loop on the return trip for variety.
Most streams in this part of Wayne National Forest dry up quickly, so your water plans should include
carrying or caching. The two largest streams in the vicinity of the trail, Eels Run and Cedar Run, hold water longer
than other streams, but are located far from most of the more remote campsites. Eels Run passes through the camps
clustered near the trailhead. Caching water prior to hitting the trail is a reasonable option because the trail crosses
several roads, including four around the halfway point. The most reliable cache points are along Chapel Hill Road
(County Road 50) at the 5.1-mile mark or along the northernmost road crossing of Irish Ridge Road (County Road
16) at 6.8 miles. Other roads in the area are lightly used and narrow township or forest roads, which may not always
be maintained.
The trail starts out in the scenic pine-laced valley of Eels Run, past several campsites on a 0.25-mile section
of two-way trail between the trailhead and a junction where the trail starts its loop. To hike clockwise, take the left fork
at this junction and continue up the valley of Eels Run, crossing the stream a small number of times. A nice campsite
in the pines next to Eels Run is passed at the 0.8-mile mark. Soon after, the trail heads uphill for some ridge walking,
past a nice campsite, before emerging into a powerline right-of-way on
the east side of Irish Ridge Road, across from a private residence.
The trail follows Irish Ridge Road north for a short distance
and reaches the intersection with the day hike cutoff trail near the 2.4-
mile mark. The day hike cutoff trail forks to the right on a gravel road
chained off to motor vehicles. Continue walking straight along Irish
Ridge Road to stay on the backpack trail. An old schoolhouse will be in
view directly ahead on the opposite side of the road. The trail swings in
front of the old schoolhouse, crossing Irish Ridge Road at an
intersection with Waterworks Road (County Road 70). The trail very
briefly travels along the right side of Waterworks Road before heading
north and immediately across another powerline right-of-way, on its
way to circling behind the old schoolhouse and past a campsite on the Scenic pine plantation
right.
After the old schoolhouse, the trail drops into a valley, passes two more campsites, and arrives in an open
valley containing oil wells and other oil works. Some care will be needed to stay on course in this small valley. After a
brief walk on a narrow dirt access road serving the wells, the trail heads uphill again for some pleasant ridge walking,
past a secluded campsite on the left near the 4.0-mile point, en route to a road crossing of Chapel Hill Road (County
Road 50) a little more than 1.0 mile later. The trail follows Chapel Hill Road for 100 yards in an easterly direction,
making this a good stretch of trail to cache some water.
North of Chapel Hill Rd., the trail drops into a valley and past an interesting “boiling” stream. Upon reaching
the valley floor, you may notice the strong smell of natural gas, which you will soon realize in a few steps is seeping
up through the streambed of a small stream draining the valley. If the stream is not dry, the water will appear to be
boiling from the escaping gas. The climb out of this valley to the top of the next ridge and another crossing of Irish
Ridge Road takes honors as the largest elevation change on the trail, about 270 feet in the next 0.75 mile.
The northernmost point of the trail is reached when you reach the second road crossing of Irish Ridge Road.
At this point, you will have hiked nearly 7.0 miles. This crossing of Irish Ridge Road is also another excellent point to
cache water. Do so in the dense vegetation adjacent to the road. In 0.2 mile after crossing the road, a large campsite

2
in passed on the right. On busy weekends, this may be a tough one to get unless you start early. Because of its large
size, don’t be surprised if you end up sharing it.
The next campsite, and one of the best along the trail, sits approximately 0.8 mile down the trail from the
last. It is situated in a scenic pine grove just above lightly traveled Township Road 455. Past camp, the trail crosses
the township road, and then Forest Road 736 in 0.25 mile, before starting a nearly 2.5-mile stretch through
overgrowth. This burdensome stretch of trail holds the contour just below the ridgeline until it drops into the valley of
Cedar Run. Two small camps are passed along the way. Care needs to be taken immediately after crossing Cedar
Run in order to stay on the trail (see trail notes below).
Just after crossing Cedar Run, the trail goes through an attractive
campsite guarded by pines in Cedar Run’s floodplain before rising quickly
to the top of an adjacent ridge. After a short ridge walk, the trail begins a
steady drop into a side hollow of the namesake Wildcat Hollow. The
descent into this side hollow is one of the most picturesque sections of the
trail. Narrow Township Road 300 is soon crossed in Wildcat Hollow. At the
crossing of TR-300, you will have laid to rest approximately 12.0 miles of
trail.
Your visit in Wildcat Hollow is brief as the trail soon ascends the
next ridge. A nice vista into Wildcat Hollow on the way up reveals a pond
and more oil works. At the top of the ridge, the trail arrives at the eastern
junction of the day hike cutoff trail. A nice campsite in a pine plantation is
located just before this junction. The trail stays on top of the ridge for the
Wildcat Hollow
next 1.75 miles, past another campsite set in some pines, and then drops
into the valley of Eels Run just before arriving at the junction with the outward heading loop and the short section of
two-way trail back to the trailhead.

Wildcat Hollow Trail Notes and Mileage

0.0 Start from the back of the trailhead parking area and enter a pine plantation. You’ll pass several campsites in this
first section of two-way trail.
0.25 Arrive at a fork where the trail starts and ends its loop. For clockwise travel, take the left fork and cross Eels
Run.
0.8 Pass a scenic campsite in the pines adjacent to Eels Run. Cross Eels Run just past camp.
2.1 Pass a nice ridgetop campsite in the pines.
2.3 Emerge into a powerline right-of-way on the east side of Irish Ridge Road (County Road 16).
2.4 Arrive at the western junction of the day hike cutoff trail. Go straight.
2.5 The trail crosses Irish Ridge Road in front of an old schoolhouse at the intersection of Irish Ridge Road and
Waterworks Road (County Road 70). The trail travels very briefly on the right side of Waterworks Rd. and then takes
a right, leaving the road and crossing a powerline right-of-way.
2.6 Pass a campsite in the pines behind the old schoolhouse.
3.1 Pass a campsite in the pines on the right, another one on the left just ahead.
3.3 Emerge onto an unimproved dirt road serving a small number of oil wells in a small but open valley. After
100 yards on the dirt road, the trail goes left and starts an uphill climb.
3.4 Arrive at a T intersection with an unofficial trail. Go left.
3.9 Pass a secluded campsite in the pines positioned 50 yards off the trail to the left.
4.6 The trail forks at an old road. Take the left fork, following the trail marker.
4.75 Cross a powerline right-of-way.
5.1 Emerge onto Chapel Hill Road (County Road 50). The trail takes a right onto the road and follows it for 100 yards.
At a marked 4” x 4” post, the trail leaves the road to the left.
5.7 Cross a “boiling” stream caused by natural gas escaping from the ground below the streambed. A nice campsite
in the pines is passed on the left approximately 100 yards past the stream crossing.
6.8 Arrive at the second crossing of Irish Ridge Road. The trail continues straight across the road.
7.0 Pass large campsite on right situated in deciduous trees.
7.9 Pass a pond on the left and then shortly pass a very nice campsite in the pines also on the left.
8.0 Cross Township Road 455. Trail continues straight across road.
8.2 Cross Forest Road 736. Do not follow the old road that intersects FR 736 at the crossing location. The trail
continues just to the left of this old road.
9.0 Pass a small campsite in the pines on the left.
9.4 Cross a narrow access road.
10.5 Cross another narrow access road.
10.6 Pass a campsite in deciduous trees.

3
11.2 Arrive at the stream crossing of Cedar Run. On the opposite bank, the trail turns right and parallels the stream
for a few yards before heading across the floodplain towards a pine plantation. Do not cross the stream and go left as
a faint trail indicates others have done.
11.3 Pass through a nice campsite in a pine grove on the western side of the Cedar Run floodplain.
11.5 Pass a campsite in the pines on the left.
12.1 Cross Township Road 300. The trail continues straight across the road.
12.5 Pass a nice campsite in the pines.
12.6 Arrive at the eastern junction of the day hike cutoff trail. The backpack trail swings left and follows an old road for
100 yards and then forks right from the road.
12.9 Pass a campsite in the pines on the left.
14.1 Pass an unimpressive campsite in deciduous trees on the right.
14.4 Arrive back at the junction with the start of the loop and the two-way trail back to the trailhead.
14.7 Arrive back at the trailhead.

Day Hikes

A 0.4-mile day hike cutoff trail between the western and eastern sides of the backpack loop creates a day
hike loop with a roundtrip distance of 4.9 miles. The cutoff trail is located 2.4 miles from the trailhead, if hiking in a
clockwise direction, or 2.0 miles from the trailhead in the counterclockwise direction. The cutoff trail shares part of its
length with a forest access road. On its western side, the cutoff trail begins on this road, which is chained off at the
road’s intersection with Irish Ridge Road. The backpack trail sections used for the day loop stay high and dry for most
of the way. The only valley walking is along Eels Run from the trailhead to approximately the 1.0-mile mark, if hiking
clockwise. The day loop visits many lovely pine plantations and passes several campsites.

4
 408000m E. 409000m E. 410000m E. 411000m E. 412000m E.
4384000m N.
11
3

Road
300

Ri d g e
Wa
te
70 r wo
rks

h
Ro
a Ir i s
d Old Schoolhouse
12

4383000m N.
4383000m N.

13
2

4382000m N.
295
4382000m N.

1
16

Wayne National Forest - 14

Wildcat Hollow Trail
Southern Section 112

4381000m N.
4381000m N.

58
Dew

ad
R oad

Ro
k

e
re
C
y
da
S un
oa d
e R

69
idg

4380000m N.
hR
4380000m N.

s
Ir i

SYMBOLS

Trailhead
Trailhead Campsite
298
Parking
Parking Restroom
13 Point of Interest

7 Trail w/Mile
Trail w/MileMarker
Marker

299 Side Hike

Day Trail Cutoff Trail
4379000m N.

16
4379000m N.

16 Forest Road
County Road
287 299 Forest Road
Township Road
Co

Diamond mile markers represent trail

rn

st miles on map only and are not field

i l l R oad
identifiable features.

408000m E. 409000m E. 410000m E. 411000m E. 412000m E.

1000-Meter UTM 17 Grid

NAD 27

Base map created with TOPO! contour interval 20'

© National Geographic Maps
 408000m E. 409000m E. 410000m E. 411000m E. 412000m E.

Wayne National Forest - 37 452

555
Wildcat Hollow Trail 16
Northern Section

4387000m N.
4387000m N.

6
8 455

d
oa
R
e

4386000m N.
g
4386000m N.

oad
id

R
ill R h
l is F R-7
H

36
ap e
Ir

Ch
5

50
9

16

4385000m N.
4385000m N.

10

4384000m N.
4384000m N.

Oil Well Site

11
ad

3
ge Ro

300
sh Rid

SYMBOLS Wa
te
70 rw
o rk
Point of
Iri

Campsite s
Interest Ro
a d Old Schoolhouse
12
7 Trail w/Mile
Trail w/MileMarker
Marker
4383000m N.
4383000m N.

Side Hike
Day Trail Cutoff Trail
16 Forest Road
County Road
13
299 Forest Road
Township Road
2
16
Diamond mile markers represent trail
miles on map only and are not field
identifiable features.

408000m E. 409000m E. 410000m E. 411000m E. 412000m E.

1000-Meter UTM 17 Grid

NAD 27

Base map created with TOPO! contour interval 20'

© National Geographic Maps