Hikers and four-wheeler enthusiasts bitten by the warm weather bug this week will have to wait seven more weeks to hit the Wayne National Forest trails.

Monday, February 28, 2000

Hikers and four-wheeler enthusiasts bitten by the warm weather bug this week will have to wait seven more weeks to hit the Wayne National Forest trails. All hiking trails, all-terrain vehicle trails, mountain bike corridors and horse trails will open April 15.

Campgrounds – Oak Hill, Iron Ridge and Two Points – will open April 21.

Beginning May 6, the boat dock will have canoes, John boats and paddle boats available.

The beach opens May 27, and the Kids Fishing and Fun Day fishing derby is scheduled May 20.

Campground openings are early this year, said Wilma Boggess, forest information specialist at the Pedro ranger station.

Campers had to wait until May last year. Trails opened about the same time as this year, though, Mrs. Boggess said.

"Right now, we’re very busy preparing for all our visitors, campers and recreation users," Mrs. Boggess said. "Trails are in the process of being groomed and opened."

Spring is an exciting time in the national forests and the Wayne will be ready, she said.

In fact, the forest is already attracting a few users who are planning ahead.

"There was a couple in here today from Dayton," Mrs. Boggess said. "They were planning their hiking and want to come back in the spring and really hit it."

Permits are required now to ride all vehicle or horse trails. Those should be available by April 1, Mrs. Boggess said.

Daily permits are $5 and seasonal permits are $25.

Reservations for campgrounds and shelters, like the Vesuvius Furnace and roadside shelters, can be made by calling toll-free 1-877-444-6777, or by using the Internet at www.reserveusa.com.

The Wayne has enough recreation to offer to plenty of hikers and other forest users, said Ken Arbogast, the forest’s new public affairs officer.

The Wayne offers 154 miles of hiking trails, 88 miles of horse trails and 118 miles of off-road vehicle trails, which cover several counties, Arbogast said.

Lake Vesuvius offers 143 acres of fishing habitat and Timbre Ridge Lake boasts another 100 acres – both are located in Lawrence County, he said.

In addition, the Wayne maintains more than 80 percent of the ORV trails on public lands in Ohio, he added.

All those activities bring in valuable economic opportunities for local businesses, but probably the Wayne’s greatest economic potential is its aesthetic contribution to the environment of southeast Ohio, Arbogast said.

And the Wayne offers that environment to everyone, Mrs. Boggess said.

This year, it will offer even more through a partnership with Ohio University Southern Campus.

OUSC has developed a Nature Center adjacent to Lake Vesuvius, she said.

"It puts the college and the Wayne together for hiking and nature programs for the public," she said.

Upcoming events include:

– April 8: A nine-mile nature hike, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– April 15: Owl Prowl hike, meets at 6 p.m.

– April 29: Wild Azaleas of southern Ohio hike, begins at 10:30 a.m. and covers the display of wild azaleas around Lake Vesuvius.

– May 6: Sounds of Spring Warbler Walk, for bird watchers, begins at 11 a.m.

Meet at the nature center for all events.

For more information, visit the ranger station located on Ohio 93 just past the entrance to Lake Vesuvius. The phone number is 534-6500.

Or, better yet, visit the Wayne’s new web site, Mrs. Boggess said.

Just point your browser to http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne/.