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Archers Fork Loop Trail Mountain Bike Trail
New Matamoros - Wayne National Forest, Ohio
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:   |
5 trail reviews |
|
Status: updated 2/6/12 by oneeyeredeye |
Difficulty:  Intermediate |
| Length: 9 miles | Global Rank: #697 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Loop |
| Ridden: 6 | Wishlist: 15 |
Directions:
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Description: Don't miss the large overhang (Cave) and Natural Bridge (one of only 7 in Ohio) which are on this trail. IMHO the best way to ride this loop is counter clockwise. When you get to the intersection noted above, you are right beside the cave. Take the right mentioned above (counter clockwise) and within 1/2 mile you will come to the sign on your left for the Natural Bridge. It's a short, down and back trail. It gets dangerously steep at the Natural Bridge, so be careful and walk. After the bridge, just follow the trail. It's fairly easy going this direction. You will cross several dirt roads on this loop and will come back out right at the cave, just below the cemetary parking. The map will show other parking areas if you wish to do a smaller loop and use the roads in the area to shorten the loop. Archers Fork Trail includes part of the North Country Trail and can be linked with other rides as well. The Wayne Ultra Series Race for 2008 will be using a portion of Archers Fork Loop. Check out the pictures and hope you go enjoy this trail.
Description: Don't miss the large overhang (Cave) and Natural Bridge (one of only 7 in Ohio) which are on this trail. IMHO the best way to ride this loop is counter clockwise. When you get to the intersection noted above, you are right beside the cave. Take the right mentioned above (counter clockwise) and within 1/2 mile you will come to the sign on your left for the Natural Bridge. It's a short, down and back trail. It gets dangerously steep at the Natural Bridge, so be careful and walk. After the bridge, just follow the trail. It's fairly easy going this direction. You will cross several dirt roads on this loop and will come back out right at the cave, just below the cemetary parking. The map will show other parking areas if you wish to do a smaller loop and use the roads in the area to shorten the loop. Archers Fork Trail includes part of the North Country Trail and can be linked with other rides as well. The Wayne Ultra Series Race for 2008 will be using a portion of Archers Fork Loop. Check out the pictures and hope you go enjoy this trail.
added on February 9, 2008 by 
SIMILAR TRAILS
Riders who liked this mountain bike trail also liked:City Trails - Marietta Hs in Marietta
City Trails - Wetlands Trails in Marietta
City Trails - North Hills Trail in Marietta
Ohio View Connector Trail in New Matamoras
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by oneeyeredeye on February 6, 2012
rode trail 2/4/12 nice scenery but no flow. either straight up or straight down it semed alot.
reviewed by Trail_Jogger on August 13, 2011
This posting is just to add a bit of detail and some coordinates. Since Archer's Fork is in the Wayne National Forest, a permit to do anything other than hiking is required. You can order a day pass online for $12 or pick one up at numerous locations listed online. (I bought mine at Nelsonville Crossing Sunoco store and got a map with it. The map is great although it does NOT show the Archer's Fork region.) The entrance to the Archer's Fork trail can be found just off Twp Road 34 on Twp Road 411 at 39-31.464N and 081-10.859W where you'll see an evident sign. Proceed to the top of that gravel road and you'll see St. Patrick's cemetery, which is listed on some maps as Ludlow Catholic Cemetery. There is no parking lot so you'll just have to park where you can. From the cemetery, turn a hard left and go down a steep dirt road. There are several roads that look as if they could be trails so ensure that you take the steep one that goes down a long hill. At the bottom of the hill, on your left, you'll see a carved, wooden sign that reads "Natural Bridge / Great Cave" with an arrow. This is the actual trailhead. From there it's about 50 yards downhill to where the loop begins. Just before you get to the bottom of this short grade you can turn right to do the loop CCW. But continue on to the bottom of the grade and you'll be sitting on top of the cave. Dismount and explore - a sign shows the way. Without exaggeration, you can coast all the way from your car by the cemetery, down the dirt road, down through the trailhead to the Great Cave without stopping. The great cave is at 39-31.323N and 081-10.823W. If you continue past the cave (instead of turning right before it, you'll follow the loop in a CW direction. The natural bridge is at 39-30.864N and 081-10.846. (This bridge coordinate isn't mine so it may not be accurate. The others are accurate.) One last thing that struck me funny - you notice a very evident smell of natural gas throughout the area due to the abundance of gas wells in the area.
Similar Trail: This trail was similar to Great Seal and Scioto Trails.
reviewed by getsomemorrison on September 19, 2010
The scenery is great here including the natural bridge but as for the trails go I didnt think they flowed very well. Definetly want to make sure you go counter clockwise here. Alot of the trails seem to go straight up and down the hills so be preapared to push some. And there signage is not that great either and the trail maps that you get from the ranger office didnt help that much either. You have to ride on a gravel road at the back part of the loop but there isnt any signs that tell you that if you cross the gravel road at this piont you will be on the country loop trial but wont know it.
reviewed by Outdoornut on April 10, 2009
The Wayne National Forest trails open for use after April 16th. Negotiations are in progress to remove the trail fee. I'll post further in a few weeks.
Similar Trail: Ohio View Trail, Scenic River Trail and the City Trails in Marietta.
reviewed by Outdoornut on February 9, 2008
Forgot to mention, the trails are closed during the winter months and open in April, I do believe. You must obtain a permit each year or for a particular ride. It's easier to get the yearly permit if you plan to ride other trails in the Wayne.
Similar Trail: Ohio View Trail, Scenic River Trail, Lamping Homestead Trail, etc.
