NELSONVILLE — Two horse trail improvement projects were approved recently in the Wayne National Forest.

The Kinderhook Horse Trail Expansion project decision memo was signed by Athens District Ranger Jason Reed two weeks ago. The project, located on the Marietta Unit near Newport, will create approximately 4.4 miles of new horse trail within the existing Kinderhook Horse Trail system.

The Wayne National Forest worked with the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Horseman’s Council to develop the proposed trail project.

This past week, Ironton District Ranger Tim Slone approved the Balancing Rock Horse Trail Reroute project, which will reroute approximately 1.4 miles of horse trail, relocate 0.3 miles of horse trail and decommission approximately 0.7 miles of horse trail within the existing Vesuvius Horse Trail system. The goal of this project is to develop trails that are safe, sustainable and scenic. The Wayne National Forest collaborated with the Elkins Creek Horse Club and the Lawrence County Chapter of the Ohio Horseman’s Council to make the project a reality.

The Balancing Rock Horse Trail is open to horseback riding from April 15 to Dec. 15. The Kinderhook Horse Trail is also open to mountain bike riders from April 15 to Dec. 15. Both trails are open to foot traffic year-round. Decision memos are available at www.fs.usda.gov/projects/wayne/landmanagement/projects.

The 244,000-acre Wayne National Forest offers a variety of recreation opportunities, including camping, picnicking, fishing, hunting, nature viewing, canoeing and more. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/wayne. Follow the Wayne National Forest on Twitter @waynenationalfs and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waynenationalforest.

The U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a mission of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.