Last weekend I headed over to east/northeast Ohio to continue my line on the North Country Trail, a 4,600 plus mile long distance hiking trail stretching from North Dakota to Vermont. This was in all likelihood my second to last hiking excursion on the trail in Ohio. This hike was from the village on Dungannon over to Beaver Creek State Park, all in Columbiana County. The area, much like most of the state, received a nice blanket of snow Friday night. The area I was in got roughly 3-4 inches, but areas not too far south received up to 10 inches. The prior amount was preferable for our excursion. Saturday was rather cold and blustery, with the wind picking up as the day went on. The temperature topped out at 27 degrees Fahrenheit, cold, but nothing compared to a brutally cold, subzero hike me and a few friends did on the trail in Michigan in January. Yeah, we’re a tad crazy. Saturday’s hike was about 12 miles and took us from Dungannon to just beyond Lisbon. Highlights of the day included hiking on the Little Beaver Creek Greenway and then walking through the beautiful small town of Lisbon, the county seat of Columbiana County. The hike concluded at the of the Greenway just east of town. We then headed into town for a great lunch at a classic local restaurant, Pondi’s. More on that in another post.
Sunday’s hike continued from the Park and Ride east of Lisbon all the way over and through Beaver Creek State Park. The day started out very cold, but warmed up as the hike wore on. The wind again was our constant companion, as was the sunshine. We quickly exited the city limits and entered the countryside. We passed right by the Church Hill Covered Bridge in the village of Elkton, which is apparently the shortest covered bridge in the country. A nice little stop. The hike continued on a county road before finally reaching the state park, just beyond OH route 7. The first part of the hike was pleasant, but the best was yet to come. We made a quick stop at the campground to use the facilities and then continued on the trail and down into the gorge. The NCT follows a few of the various park trails through the park, the longest being the Vondergreen Trail. The trail ascends and descends through the Little Beaver Gorge, passing the remnants of several locks on the Sandy and Beaver Canal, a spur off the Ohio-Erie Canal. The snow cover, as always, added to the already incredible scenery. We finally returned to my SUV parked at Hambleton’s Mill after 14 miles. My friend lives in the area, thus she didn’t have a huge drive home, just a few errands to run. Me on the other hand, had the 4 hour drive back across the state to the Cincinnati area to return home. Just part of the game when you’re hiking a long distance trail like the NCT, or just addicted to exploring and adventuring like I am. Anyway, as mentioned above, I’ll post separate articles on the libations and accommodations of the weekend. Until then, adventure on!