Black Oak Trail
Photo: dok1, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 0.3 mi
- one way
- 119 ft
- climb
- 871 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Aug–Oct
- best months
Is Black Oak Trail open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Wayne National Forest. It doesn't name Black Oak Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.
Lake Vesuvius Area Closure Public Health and Safety
Agency closure covering Wayne National Forest · USFS · Wayne National Forest
Timbre Ridge Lake Closure
Agency alert covering Wayne National Forest · Order 09-14-25-01 · USFS · Wayne National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Wayne National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Black Oak Trail is a short, easy hike in the Ironton Ranger District of Wayne National Forest in southern Ohio, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 0.3 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 119 feet, and it's rated easy. The climb is steepest near the 0.2-mile mark, with a grade of about 10%, and the trail is a point-to-point route, so you don't need to retrace your steps. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Waterloo put May highs around 75°F and October highs near 68°F, with September and October seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Rock House Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Oak Hill Campground is about 0.2 mile off. Lake Vesuvius, a fishing spot, lies roughly 0.3 mile away, and the Rock climbing area is about 0.6 mile from the trailhead.
Best time to go · Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Black Oak Trail
Best months: August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
41° / 20°
13 wet
Feb
45° / 22°
12 wet
Mar
54° / 29°
13 wet
Apr
67° / 38°
13 wet
May
75° / 49°
15 wet
Jun
83° / 57°
13 wet
Jul
86° / 62°
12 wet
Aug
85° / 60°
11 wet
Sep
79° / 52°
10 wet
Oct
68° / 40°
10 wet
Nov
55° / 30°
11 wet
Dec
45° / 25°
13 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Waterloo, OH, 10.6 mi away at 625 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
