Great Seal State Park . -Snowy Winter Run

Taken from the ODNR website:


Great Seal State Park is located just north of the town of Chillicothe and dedicated to the wilderness spirit of Ohio. The history of the Shawnee nation and Ohio's early statehood is centered in these rugged hills. Challenging trails through the 1,862-acre park take visitors to scenic vistas of distant ridgetops and the Scioto Valley below. These very hills are depicted on the Great Seal of the State of Ohio, from which the park gets its name. First depicted in 1803, the seal was often reconfigured until the present image was sanctioned by the Ohio General Assemble in 1967 and modified in 1996. In 1803, the law prescribed the sheaf of wheat to represent Ohio’s agricultural roots and the bundle of seventeen arrows to symbolize Ohio’s place as the seventeenth state in the Union. The range of hills seen in the background of the seal, include Mount Logan, as viewed from Thomas Worthington’s estate, Adena, now a state memorial.

Trail Run: Clear Creek - Traill Half Marathon

Great Seal State Park - Winter Run - Part 3 of 3

Tar Hollow Logan Trail Part 1

Just a perfect day for a nice trail run.  About 30 Degrees F.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Unlike the last time I ran this trail  - I did not get lost by following the Buckeye Trail accidentally and end up headed toward Chillicothe.

Great Seal State Park Winter Run - Part 2 of 3

Great Seal State Park - Winter Run- Par 1 of 3

Trail Run: Clear Creek - Tulip and Lake Trails

Where are the MOST HILLS in Central Ohio: Elevation Change per Mile - Trails in Central Ohio

Which trail in Central Ohio has the most hills per mile?  Well by my Garmin it looks like the winner is:  Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe -  185 ft / mile.  Close behind are Mohican, Zaleski and Clear Creek.  How do the local metro parks stack up?  Highbanks, Darby creek, Prairie Oaks, Hunters Hollow, Winterhawk, Tunnel trail, and Alum Creek do NOT measure up.   Although they are all terrific places to run. If you want to run hills you need to go to one of the top 5.

Great Seal Park - Mt. Ives and Sand Hill

It was like spring in February today and I took advantage and did about 10 nice miles at the Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe.  I followed the Shawnee Trail and ran Mt. Ives and Sand Hill.  About 1700 feet of elevation change.

Alum Creek Multipurpose Trail - 7.3 miles

The Multipurpose trail extends along the east side of the Alum Creek Reservoir beginning at the boat launch site and heading north.  If you go clockwise there is about 2.2 miles until the forest road dissects the trail.  If you continue north it will bend eastward and head back south at about 3.5 miles.  The return trip is much shorter and shadows Africa Rd.  It is only 2.2 miles. The whole loop is 5.7 miles.

I usually choose to run the first 3.5 miles and then turn around and head south rerunning the same stretch.  Why?  Well, number one it is much prettier.  That stretch follows the banks of the reservoir instead of the road.  Second, it is longer.  I get a 7 mile run in and. can even extend  that a bit by taking the short loop to the finish near the end like I did today.  The Multipurpose Trail is not well tended for the most part.  In the spring it is very muddy.  In the summer it is mowed infrequently.  It is best a fall and winter trail.

Trail Run: Clear Creek - Chestnut and Fern Trail

Nathaniel Mauger: Tar Hollow Trail Run Part 3

Nathaniel Mauger: Tar Hollow Trail Run Part 3

Trail Run: Clear Creek - Cemetery Ridge and Chestnut Trails

Trail Run: Clear Creek - Fern and Hemlock Trails

Snowy Day in Columbus

Trail Running in Central Ohio

In the 12 plus years I have been trail running I have been surprised at finding nearby trails that I had not experienced.  Most recently this was at Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe.  I cannot believe that I have been missing out on this terrific location for so many years!.  Even in the wet sloppy snow it instantly became one of my favorites.  It has many challenging hills but also some nice rolling portions where I can stretch out.  The scenery was enough by itself to recommend it.  No wonder it is on the Seal of Ohio!

I have been to neighboring Tar Hollow a number of times and it is very nice but it is much rougher than Great Seal and not any more challenging. It would be fun to camp at one or the other and do a twofer - one on Saturday and the other on Sunday  -What a workout!