Best for:
Backcountry enthusiasts seeking seclusion, photographers chasing late-afternoon Golden Hour light, and hikers who prefer rugged, unmanicured trails over paved park paths.
The Untamed Allure of Somerset’s Backyard:
While many flock to the highly curated paths of local Metro Parks, and the vast views of places like Hocking Hills there is a visceral, real woodland vibe found within the boundaries of Perry State Forest.
This nature journal looks at our a secondary trek on April 21st, a deep-dive into the 4,500-acre expanse that is Perry State Forest. You may find it feels significantly more wild than its nearby counterpart, Wayne National Forest.
Our journey explores the rugged terrain near Somerset, Ohio, that offered a spiritual connection that more manicured parks sometimes find trouble replicating.
The Transition from Lakeside to Pine Forest:
Luna and I began our excursion at the unmarked gravel lot right beside Miles Lake, just after 4pm. This day’s 2 trips into the wilderness, were more significant than my usual hikes on a personal level; I had an extra day off this week
Walking past the “No unauthorized motor vehicles” sign and leaving the stillness of Miles Lake behind, we saw the trail quickly shed its width in favor of a dense, shaded canopy.
The transition into the pine sections of the forest altered the atmosphere entirely; the ground became a carpet of brown needles, that muffled our footfalls. While the density of the pine trees’ cast a dark shadowed effect off in the distance, even though the sun was high.
This specific section of Perry State Forest feels like stepping into an almost cinematic landscape. A landscape seemingly existing somewhere eternally draped in the beauty of midsummer. The contrast of the dark treeline against the piercing afternoon sun highlights a side of Ohio that is often underestimated.
Wildflowers & Butterfly Encounters:
The spring season in Perry County brings a vibrant display of flora that offsets the shadows cast by their neighboring pine trees. The vibe they added was impressive.
The yellow butterflies from the past few hikes continued our game of cat and mouse by following me around, on our hike here too. Again here they seem to bring along one black and white spotted butterfly pal. If you haven’t read the last few hiking entries, my mom used to tell me loved ones come back to you as butterflies, and now these first few spring hikes I seem to have made some friends.
Key sightings included:
- Fleabane: Often mistaken for daisies, these delicate, fringed flowers stand as lonely sentinels along the path.
- Flowering Trees: Dogwoods trees showed off their white and pink “blossoms.” Though they are actually bracts, or modified leaves with distinct pink-tipped petals. I noted another beautiful tree bloomed with white clusters of almost star-shaped flowers and slightly fuzzy young leaves. Known as a Serviceberry (also known as Shadbush). They are some of the first trees to bloom in the Ohio woods each spring.
- Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)- A forest floor umbrella that keeps its secrets tucked underneath. While the plant itself is toxic to humans (containing podophyllotoxin), the “apple” that develops later in summer is a favorite snack for Eastern Box Turtles, who help spread the seeds.
Geology & One Huge Rock-
Where the trail descends toward the intersection of the Black and Blue trails, the geology of the region takes center stage. The surprise view at the bottom of the ravine has to be the massive sandstone outcroppings typical of the Appalachian Plateau.
These formations are the result of millions of years of erosion, carving out deep gorges that stay cooler than the surrounding ridges.
The ruggedness of these rocks mirrors the resilience of the local landscape, offering a sense of permanence and home to those who find beauty in the shadows.
Navigating the Terrain- Perry State Forest:
As the trail progressed past the intersection of the Black trail, the path thinned into an almost invisible tiny dirt line. We were welcomed to Perry State Forest hiking at its most authentic. Unlike the manicured trails of suburban parks, these paths require active engagement with the environment.
- Distance Awareness: While the loop is extensive, doing pieces or parts of it can still result in a 4-mile or more trek.
- Unmarked Trails: I knew the name of the lake, trails, and where the path actually was at times thanks to AllTrails.
History of Perry State Forest:
Perry State Forest is a testament to land reclamation. Once heavily strip-mined for coal, the area was repurposed by the Ohio Division of Forestry to create a multi-use outdoor space. The rugged feeling here was a direct result of a land forced to healed itself, creating the unique topography of terrain seen on our visit.
The Rugged Soul:
When Luna and I returned to the lot near Miles Lake we wrapped up our day with approximately 8.8 miles under our belts. The walk back to Miles Lake served as a reminder that Ohio’s beauty isn’t always found in the vast, open views, or viral Hocking Hills reels; It’s found in the shadowed lines of pines, the overgrown dirt paths, and the silence of a ravine.
Perry State Forest doesn’t just offer a place to walk; it offers a place to feel a sense of wild seclusion that stays with you long after the sun goes down.
Whether it’s the trail lined by Ohio wildflowers or the giant sandstone rock, it offered us one of the last almost local places that has yet to be tamed.
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