Dean
State Forest
Dean State Forest at a Glance
Date established:1916
Acreage (total):2,745 acres (1120 hectares)
Miles of trails:12 miles (19 kilometers)
Trail miles open to horses:12 miles (19 kilometers)
Campsites:None
Hunting:All hunting allowed (other than safety zones)
Bordering natural areas: Wayne National Forest
Nearby natural areas: Jackson Lake State Park (15 miles)
Crown City Wildlife Area (20 miles)
Cooper Hollow Wildlife Area (22 miles)
Symmes Township Wildlife Area (8 miles)
Official state forest website:http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/dean
Dean State Forest is one of the oldest state forests in Ohio. It is now completely embedded within the Ironton District of the Wayne National Forest, and shares almost six miles of boundary with existing Wayne lands. This was almost entirely deforested land when it was first established in 1916, but it has again been widely clearcut in recent years, so trails may be problematical.

Trails at Dean State Forest

Note: Horse trails are intended to be used in conjunction with forest roads, which are gravel, which adds considerably to the riding trail length.
Pinkston Trail (full loop, access from OH-373 at both ends): 4.1 miles (loop; 6.6 kilometers)
southeastern leg: 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometers)
northwestern leg: 2.5 miles (4.0 kilometers)
Periscope Trail (linear, access from OH-373 and Loop Road): 1.0 mile (1.6 kilometers)
Periscope-Tar Kiln Connector (linear, access from trails only): 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer)
Tar Kiln Trail (linear, access from OH-373 and Loop Road): 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers)
School House Trail (linear, access from OH-373 and Loop Road): 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers)
Locust Ridge Trail (linear, access from Loop Road and Texas Hollow Road, connects to Wayne): 2.0 miles (3.2 kilometers)
Easter Hollow Trail (linear, dead-end, access from Texas Hollow Road): 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer)
Post Trail (linear, access from Loop Road and Texas Hollow Road): 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer)
Bonnie Run Trail (linear, access from Wolf Road): 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer)
Cemetery Trail (linear, dead-end, access from Loop Road): 0.3 mile (0.5 kilometer)

Directions

To get to Dean State Forest from Athens, take OH-32 37 miles west from US-33 at Athens to OH-93 at Jackson. From the OH-93 exit ramp, turn left to go south on OH-93 and take it 29 miles to OH-373, which will be on the left. Turn left on OH-373. At 0.3 mile, you can turn left on Loop Road to enter the forest; forest headquarters will be at 0.3 mile on the left. Five of the horse trails intersect with Loop Road. You can, instead, stay on OH-373, which loops through the western part of the forest, and four trails intersect with the state highway.

Total driving distance from downtown Athens to forest headquarters: 67 miles.