Archers Fork, SE Ohio, Marietta area of the Wayne Natl Forest. I arrived at St Patrick's Cemetery trailhead about 4:45 pm. Started my hike into the woods shortly after, and found a place to set up my hammock, just in the area of the Great Cave sign atop the hill. It was, perhaps, the best solo camp experience I've had in ages. Cool, clear night, laying under pines that were reaching up to countless stars. I was mesmerized by the quietness and the crisp still air, as I made a fire and ate my spam stew and Vienna Sausages (washed down with a (shhhhh) small box of wine. I would eventually fall asleep, being serenaded several times throughout the night by coyotes off in the distance. Temperature got down to 34, and I stayed toasty warm in my Warbonnet Blackbird DL, nestled between my HG 40 BURROW and my 0 HG INCUBATOR,
I awoke, ate my dehydrated eggs breakfast, washed down with turkish coffee. I broke camp, about 8:45am refreshed, and ready for the 11 plus mile trek.
First off was the hike down to the Great Cave. All mine! No one around to disturb the silence! Again, a great experience! I took off to the next stop, the natural bridge. This, too, was all to myself. I investigated not very much of this area, saving it for a hike with friends. I proceeded to hike the rest of the trail. This terrain was great. Rolling hills, rocky paths, carpeted with fallen leaves. The smell of autumn in the air, the feel of the cool day!
What the natural bridge and the cave gave me, the trail made up for, as only trails themselves can be boring, these gave me great views of open hollows, creeks, one creek to wade through. It gave me flats, both in the vales and atop the ridges. The only place that I did not stay true to the trail was just after jumping Jackson Run. I eventually got into the road, trying to make up time, not wanting to hike out through darkness. I hiked from the creek to the top of the hill, picking up the trail again for the last couple miles. I made it back to my car at the trailhead by about 4:15pm.
The trail is not punishing, but one should be in good shape to take what it gives, if it is to be done in one day. There is plenty of opportunities to rest, soak in the sights and refuel with water at various creeks close by. Filtering is a must! As for camping, there were several sites that I passed, that were set up close to water sources. I saw some potential sites up on the ridge tops.
This trail lives up to all the hype given it, in reviews. The down side is, that there, sadly, is graffiti in areas like the Great Cave, and along the rocks. I was not upset, as other reviewers were, of the over growth of brush on the trail as that is just part of nature. Trail markers were clearly within sight, orange strictly for Archers, blue was for the NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL , and where it was not very clear, the trail made it obvious that it was the only way, until a marker cane into view. I did not get sidetracked. This Archers Fork will be revisited by me again! Well worth the 2.5 hours drive for an overnight/ day hike! [AIMG][AIMG][XFLOAT][/XFLOAT][/AIMG][/AIMG]
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